Traffic stopped outside Buckingham Palace as Prince William plays cricket

Prince William turned one of London's most famous thoroughfares, The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace, into a temporary cricket ‌pitch on Tuesday, where he was joined by some of the game's biggest names to promote his Earthshot climate prize.

The wide red-paved promenade in the heart of the city is more often seen ⁠as the setting for grand royal processions and patriotic flag-waving celebrations, according to Reuters news agency.

But on Tuesday, William picked up a cricket bat for an informal game with current and former international players including ex-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, West Indies legend Brian Lara and England captain Joe Root.

Against the palatial backdrop, William - dressed in a shirt ‌and ⁠sweater - clubbed away a series of gentle deliveries from Ganguly and posed for selfies with onlookers.

"He batted alright," said Ganguly when asked for his verdict on the prince's ⁠skills.

The event was held as India prepares to ⁠host the annual summit and awards ceremony of William's Earthshot Prize next month.

Meanwhile, Kensington Palace shared the events photos on social media with the caption:

“Celebrating The Earthshot Prize heading to Mumbai with a game of cricket on the Mall!

A pleasure welcoming cricketers from the UK and India to recognise the important role sport can play in bringing people together and inspiring positive action.”