Prince William and his wife Kate are expected to make their first visit to the United States in eight years on Wednesday, November 30, giving the royal family’s most famous couple a chance to shine on the British throne after Queen Elizabeth’s death.
This three-day visit, limited only to the city of Boston (northeast), will conclude on Friday evening with the second edition of the Earthshot Award, established by Prince William in 2020, to support innovative solutions to restore the planet. Five prizes of one million pounds (€1.16 million) will be awarded in five categories. A host of stars are expected at Boston’s MGM Music Hall, including singers Billie Eilish and Annie Lennox, sisters Chloe x Halle, Ellie Goulding and actor Rami Malek. Like last year, naturalist David Attenborough, as well as actress Cate Blanchett, will contribute.
It is the prince’s first foreign trip since becoming crown prince following his father’s ascension to the throne following the death of Elizabeth II on September 8. The new King Charles III gave him the title of Prince of Wales and Kate became Princess of Wales. Both in their 40s and parents of three children, ages 4 to 9, they seek to project a more modern and approachable image of the monarchy, but also an unquestionable sense of duty.
In Boston, in addition to a reception with Mayor Michelle Wu, the couple is scheduled to meet with local officials on the subject of rising waters in this city on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. They will also visit an NGO that works with troubled youth, as well as an incubator that specializes in green technology. Kate, who is very interested in education, will also visit Harvard University’s Center for Child Development. The prince is scheduled to visit the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum with the former US president’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, who is currently the US ambassador to Australia.
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However, no meeting has been announced between Prince William and his brother Harry, who lives in California with his wife Meghan and two young children. The two couples are famously cool, especially after a TV interview in the US in March 2021 by Harry and Meghan (known as the Sussexes), which notably accused the royal family of racism. The death of Queen Elizabeth after 70 years of reign did not bring them closer. After her death, they only had one icy foursome outing at Windsor Castle to admire the floral tributes to the sovereign.
The press on both sides of the Atlantic never tires of contrasting them. William and Kate will have to deal with the shadow of the Sussexes during their visit, who are more famous in the United States than in the United Kingdom. Harry and Meghan are due to receive an award at a gala in New York on December 6, recognizing their philanthropic commitment from the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation. Their documentary is also expected on Netflix in December. And the worldwide release of Prince Harry’s memoirs, The alternativedue January 10 – book “brutal honesty” according to the publisher, which the British royal family awaits with trepidation.
Hence the importance of William and Kate’s trip to the United States to represent the British crown with gravitas, dignity and charm. Their last overseas trip, a Caribbean tour in March, was marred by blunders and hostile complaints, and the pair were asked to apologize for Britain’s slave past. Their last visit to the United States dates back to 2014, when they traveled to New York and Washington, where Prince William notably met former President Barack Obama. William and Kate, newlyweds at the time, also traveled to California in 2011.
Source: Le Figaro
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.