Prince William goes barefoot as he tries his hand at beach volleyball

The Prince of Wales was praised for his "energy" after he gave volleyball a try during his last engagement on the first day of his visit to Brazil.Prince William headed to the world-famous Copacabana Beach on Monday afternoon and joined a beach volleyball game with Brazilian Olympian Carolina Solberg and other locals after taking his shoes and socks off.

He said to his opposition: "Hi guys, be nice." They played for almost 10 minutes, with the prince leaping in the air and taking several tumbles on the sand as he attempted to save the ball.

William rotated positions as he demonstrated his prowess in the sport, with scores of well-wishers cheering him on as he got stuck in, and he told his teammates that his height helped him.

When someone attempted to break him away from the game, he joked: "We'll be here all night you guys, talk amongst yourselves."

Ms Solberg praised William's skills, saying he had "a lot of energy".

She said: "He's tall. He can hit. I think he could be really good if he practised more. I think he was having fun and was amazing to play with him. It was such a pleasure."

After his energetic game, the prince was gifted a hat and spent several minutes posing for photos and greeting his cheerleaders, who had lined up along the beach.

William arrived on the beach to loud cheers as he was introduced to emergency responders who are responsible for keeping people safe, as the sea is notorious for its strong waves, steep drop-offs and treacherous currents.

They are also responsible for environmental preservation work undertaken on the beach.

Rio de Janeiro's beaches are among the most visited in the world, and drowning prevention and safety are an important focus for the city.

The prince spent time with representatives from the Military Fire Brigade of the State of Rio de Janeiro, which is responsible for lifeguard and emergency services, and watched a sea rescue lifeguard activation.

After walking down the beach, William was shown a variety of lifesaving equipment, from oxygen tanks to buoys and boats.

William took a keen interest in the jet ski on the beach, asking, "How fast does it go?"

Standing at the top of the lifeguard tower, William blew a whistle to signal that there was an emergency at sea in a simulated exercise.

He then watched as the lifeguards ran into the water and went to the aid of three swimmers who had got into difficulty.

The final casualty was rescued by a helicopter, with two emergency responders jumping into the water before a net was dropped from the chopper, carrying the person to safety at White Sands.

He was then introduced to young people who have taken part in Project Botinho, an annual free summer programme organised by the fire brigade in partnership with local social services.

The initiative offers educational and recreational activities for about 5,000 children and teenagers aged 7-17 across various beaches in the state. It teaches young people about ocean safety, drowning prevention, first aid, and environmental conservation.

William told the emergency responders afterwards: "Thank you, I really appreciate it. That's a lot of work you have to do."