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Prince and Princess of Wales finish 3-day Boston trip with Earthshot awards

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By WBZ-News Staff

Updated on: December 2, 2022 / 11:15 PM EST / CBS Boston

Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales visited the United States for the first time in eight years with a three-day trip to Boston.

The royal couple focused their attention on their Earthshot Prize for environmental innovators Friday night. Prince William said he was inspired by JFK's "Moonshot" speech to create a decade of action and collaboration to combat climate change. 

Earthshot Prize Awards

Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, hosted  The Earthshot Prize Awards at MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston. 

The #PrinceandPrincessofWales greeted by ⁦ @MassGovernor ⁩ Charlie Baker and Mrs Baker as well as Governor-elect ⁦ @maura_healey ⁩ Climate Envoy John Kerry in background #EarthshotPrizeBoston2022 #wbz @wbz #royalvisit ⁦ @EarthshotPrize ⁩ pic.twitter.com/nVaEvNeHcH — Paula Ebben (@PaulaEbben) December 3, 2022

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Bostonians inspired by Earthshot Prize

WBZ-TV's Juli McDonald spoke with people who attended The Earthshot Prize Awards hosted by the Prince and Princess of Wales in Boston.

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Inside look at The Earthshot Prize Awards

WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben was inside the MGM Music Hall at Fenway for The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony with the royal couple. She is joined by royal expert Shannon Felton Spence with for an inside look at the star-studded event.

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Heavy traffic amid Biden, royals visit

Traffic was at a standstill on I-93 Friday evening, with President Biden in Dorchester and the royals heading to the Earthshot Prize awards near Fenway Park.

Earlier this week, AAA predicted traffic on Friday would be "royally difficult."

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President Biden arrives in Boston

President Joe Biden arrived in Boston just before 2:30 p.m. on Friday. He was scheduled to briefly meet with Prince William in the afternoon. 

Biden and Prince William shook hands outside the JFK Library.     

Biden later attended a fundraising event at the IBEW Local 103 hall.

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Prince William meets Caroline Kennedy at JFK Library

Former President John F. Kennedy's daughter Caroline welcomed Prince William to the Kennedy Library in Dorchester Friday afternoon.

Kennedy, the U.S. Ambassador to Australia, was joined by her daughter Tatiana Schlossberg and son Jack Schlossberg when the prince arrived.  

William got a private tour of the library, had lunch and then will meet with President Joe Biden there.

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Princess Catherine visits Harvard

Catherine, Princess of Wales, waved to the crowd as she arrived at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University in Cambridge Friday morning.

After leaving the center, she took some time to talk to several people, even commenting about how cold it was on Thursday.

Read more here .

WATCH: Princess Catherine greets a crowd gathered outside Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. #WBZ pic.twitter.com/69J9YdBSNf — Brad Tatum (@BradTatum) December 2, 2022

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David Beckham joining royals in Boston

There's been a late addition to the list of celebrities attending the Earthshot awards ceremony at the MGM Music Hall Friday night.

British soccer legend David Beckham will be there to present an award, according to a spokesperson for the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

The spokesperson told WBZ-TV Beckham's equally famous wife, fashion designer Victoria Beckham, known to many as Posh Spice of the Spice Girls, will not be in Boston.

We can now add David Beckham to the list of presenters tonight at the #EarthShotPrizeBoston2022 ! @davidwade says “he’s gonna Boston like Beckham!” #wbz #RoyalVisitBoston https://t.co/682bOev8iq — Paula Ebben (@PaulaEbben) December 2, 2022

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Behind the scenes with the royals at the MGM Music Hall

The Prince and Princess of Wales released these behind the scenes photos Friday of their rehearsal at the MGM Music Hall Thursday evening for the Earthshot awards ceremony.

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Prince William, Princess Catherine to visit JFK Library, Harvard before Earthshot awards

The Prince and Princess of Wales will finish their three-day visit to Boston Friday with visits to the John F. Kennedy presidential library, Harvard University and the MGM Music Hall for the Earthshot awards.

Prince William will meet with President Biden at the JFK Library in Dorchester while Princess Catherine will be at Harvard's Center on the Developing Child in Cambridge.

The JFK Library is glowing green this morning for Prince William’s arrival. President Biden, who will be in #Boston for a fundraiser, is meeting with the Prince of Wales here today. @wbz pic.twitter.com/yAJMBJo7VS — Anna Meiler (@AnnaMeiler) December 2, 2022

The royal couple will then attend the Earthshot Prize ceremony at MGM Music Hall on Lansdowne Street in Boston for the global environmental prizes that William launched two years ago.

Five winners will get $1.2 million each for their work in nature protection, clean air, ocean revival, waste elimination and climate change.

The green carpet is being set up for the #EarthShotPrize awards tonight at MGM Music Hall! @wbz #EarthshotBoston2022 pic.twitter.com/V1ao2YcVSN — Katrina Kincade (@KatrinaKNews) December 2, 2022

Billie Eilish, Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding, Chloe x Halle, Rami Malek, Catherine O'Hara, and Shailene Woodley will all be part of the event.

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Busy second day in Boston

On Thursday, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, made several trips around Greater Boston, learning about emerging climate technology. 

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"A piece of history"

For Prince William and Princess Catherine, Thursday was about facetime with locals, and it was evident that their fanbase spans all generations. 

There were a sea of admirers at stops in Somerville and Chelsea . 

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A visit to Boston Harbor

The royal couple made their way to East Boston to Piers Park for a first-hand look at the climate challenges facing Boston Harbor.

They were greeted by Mayor Michelle Wu and Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, who is the city's chief of environment, energy and open space. 

Wu told reporters after it was a "chilly but quite educational time" for the royals along the waterfront. They talked about prioritizing climate resilience and the technologies Boston will be implementing to protect the shoreline.

"The Prince and Princess of Wales were so interested in the details of how do we actually implement this and do it fast," she said.

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"History in the making," Prince and Princess of Wales meet the crowd in Chelsea

People flocked to Roca in Chelsea Thursday afternoon to get a look at the Prince and Princess of Wales after their visit there.

A Royal frenzy in Chelsea where the Prince and Princess of Wales are greeting people outside ROCA. #wbz pic.twitter.com/DIbfYJONdY — Tiffany Chan (@TiffanyChanWBZ) December 1, 2022

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Boy dressed as King's Guard member meets royal couple in Somerville

The little boy named Henry, who had been waiting patiently for hours in the cold outside Greentown Labs in Somerville Thursday, was finally able to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales.

He gave the royal couple a bouquet of flowers, saluted and chatted with them briefly before they left for their next stop in Chelsea.

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Crowd waits hours for brief glimpse of Prince and Princess of Wales in Somerville

A large crowd waited in the cold for hours Thursday morning to catch a very short sighting of the Prince and Princess of Wales as they arrived in Somerville for a tour of Greentown Labs.

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"A lot of hoopla"

As the royal couple made their way to East Boston, not everyone in the neighborhood was starstruck by their visit. 

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Crowd gathers in Somerville ahead of royal visit

People lined up outside Greentown Labs in Somerville Thursday morning to get a glimpse of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

One boy dressed up a member of the The King's Guard hoping to get the royal couple's attention.

This cutie is excited to see the Prince and Princess of Wales! @wbz pic.twitter.com/wX7c6DG5ad — Anna Meiler (@AnnaMeiler) December 1, 2022

People are bundled up and lined up across the street from Greentown Labs in #Somerville hoping to see the Prince and Princess of Wales arrive here this morning. A mother & daughter spent the night on air mattresses at her hair salon nearby so they could get here early @wbz pic.twitter.com/oA9LeoiiAL — Anna Meiler (@AnnaMeiler) December 1, 2022

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Visits to Somerville, Chelsea

After spending their first night in Boston at the Four Seasons on Boylston Street, the Prince and Princess of Wales will head to Somerville and Chelsea on Thursday.

Prince William and Princess Catherine will start the second day of their Massachusetts trip with a visit to Greentown Labs in Somerville. They're expected to stay there for about an hour before moving on to the non-profit Roca in Chelsea.

Anyone in those areas should expect traffic delays. 

Good morning Boston! One day to go energy 🙌 #EarthshotBoston2022 pic.twitter.com/2w5mfzLqEA — The Earthshot Prize (@EarthshotPrize) December 1, 2022

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Prince and Princess of Wales attend Boston Celtics game

The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Boston Celtics game against the Miami Heat at TD Garden Wednesday night. There was a nod to The Earthshot Prize, when 15-year-old climate activist Ollie Perrault was honored as a "Hero Among Us."

Our @wbz Royal expert Shannon Felton Spence welcomed the Prince and Princess to #Boston at the @celtics game tonight! #wbz pic.twitter.com/xIawCO72o3 — Paula Ebben (@PaulaEbben) December 1, 2022

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Prince William speaks at Boston City Hall

Prince William addressed a large crowd at Boston City Hall on the first day of his trip to the city. He spoke about the Earthshot Prize Awards and why he picked Boston to host the ceremony. Princess Catherine helped illuminate City Hall in green.

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Mayor Wu greets Prince and Princess of Wales

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu greeted Prince William and Princess Catherine at City Hall.

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Royal couple arrives at Logan Airport on commercial flight

Passengers on the same flight said it was exciting to travel with Prince William and Princess Catherine, who chose to fly to the Earthshot Prize Awards on a commercial flight . Passengers said the couple was relaxed and pleasant.

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Why the royal visit to Boston is such a big deal

WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben and royal expert Shannon Felton Spence discuss why Prince William and Princess Catherine chose Boston as their first overseas visit since the queen's death.

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Boston Mayor Wu stresses Boston's commitment to going green as she welcomes Royals

"Boston is fundamentally a city of problem solvers," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said as she welcomed Prince William and Princess Catherine to Boston. She stressed Boston's commitment "to being the greenest city in the country."

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Governor-elect Maura Healey welcomes Prince and Princess of Wales to Boston

Governor-elect welcomed Prince William and Princess Catherine to Boston at City Hall Plaza amid cheers from the crowd, telling the couple, "We are absolutely ecstatic, so excited and delighted, that you are here with us this evening, that you are here with us this week." 

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Going green

Several Boston landmarks will be lit up in green starting Wednesday night in recognition of the Earthshot Prize Awards. 

• JFK Library
• 100 Federal Street
• Atlantic Wharf
• The Hub on Causeway
• Bolling Building
• Government Center
• UMass Boston Integrated Science Complex
• One Financial Center
• Rose Kennedy Greenway
• Center Plaza
• John Hancock
• Shubert Theater
• Wang Theater
• Museum of Science
• Zakim Bridge (Thursday night)
• Longfellow Bridge (Thursday night)

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President Biden to greet royals during Boston visit

President Joe Biden will greet Prince William and Princess Catherine during a Friday trip to Boston , the White House announced.

The White House said Tuesday that Biden would be coming to Boston, but initially did not mention events with the royals.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration updated that the president plans to greet the prince and princess. Biden will be in Boston to "participate in a reception for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee."

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"Utterly delightful" airplane chat

FIRST GLIMPSE! Passengers on the British Airways flight to Boston. said the Royal couple was “utterly delightful.” The Prince and Princess of Wales spoke briefly to the others in first class — explaining why they are coming to Boston. #wbz (Courtesy: Brent Suttles) pic.twitter.com/h7sdby0IUl — Tiffany Chan (@TiffanyChanWBZ) November 30, 2022

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First photos of the prince and princess in Boston

We're getting our first look at Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales as they arrive in Boston. The royal couple met with Gov. Charlie Baker upon landing at Logan Airport. 

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VIDEO: Prince William and Princess Catherine land in Boston

Prince William and Princess Catherine have landed in Boston.

The Prince of Wales said in a statement:

"Catherine and I are delighted to be back in the United States and are extremely grateful to Governor Baker and The First Lady of Massachusetts for their warm welcome into Boston.

"On this, our first overseas visit since the death of my grandmother, I would like to thank the people of Massachusetts and particularly of Boston for their many tributes paid to the late Queen. She remembered her 1976 bicentennial visit with great fondness.

"My grandmother was one of life's optimists. And so am I. That is why last year we launched the Earthshot Prize with the ambition to create a truly global platform to inspire hope and urgent optimism as we look to save the future of our planet.

"To the people of Boston, thank you. I'm so grateful to you for allowing us to host the second year of the Earthshot prize in your great city. Catherine and I can't wait to meet many of you in the days ahead."

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Boston traffic could be "royally difficult"

Boston traffic could be "royally difficult" this week with a prince, princess and president coming to town. 

AAA says there is "the potential for significant traffic disruptions and road closures," and drivers should plan ahead.

Click here to read more. 

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Public welcome at Boston City Hall for royal visit

It's going to rain and it will be windy, but the public is invited to Boston City Hall Plaza to catch a glimpse of the Prince and Princess of Wales around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

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Expect tight security in Boston rest of the week

With the royal couple in town the rest of the week and President Biden coming to Boston Friday, expect security to be tight the next few days.

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Excitement growing at City Hall Plaza

An expected rainy evening is going to dampen excitement for Wednesday's royal visit.

A high school senior from Syracuse has been waiting on City Hall Plaza since around 8 a.m. after arriving the day before.

"I'm a huge, huge fan of the royal family," said Courtney Calkins, wearing a raincoat identical to Princess Catherine's.  

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Union Jack flying at Boston City Hall

The Union Jack is now flying at #Boston City Hall to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales this afternoon @wbz #EarthShotBoston2022 pic.twitter.com/YhV4sY555V — Anna Meiler (@AnnaMeiler) November 30, 2022

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All hands on deck security plan

Boston City Hall and the Fenway area are among several stops on the agenda for Prince William and Princess Catherine's three-day trip. Security analyst and former Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis said the State Department and Boston Police will have all hands on deck . 

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Final preparations in place for Prince and Princess of Wales

Prince William and Princess Catherine will arrive in Boston on Wednesday afternoon.

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Somerville's Greentown Labs hopes Prince William, Princess Kate leave "inspired"

Greentown Labs in Somerville is home to more than 200 climate tech startups working on solutions for some of the biggest climate challenges.  It's also one of the stops Prince William and Princess Kate will make during their Boston visit. 

" They're meeting with five of our startups that are working to deploy technologies that align with the sectors they're focused on. So, think about cleaning the air, reviving the oceans, fixing the climate," said Julia Travaglini, senior vice president of marketing and communications,

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Royal expert explains significance of Boston visit

Royal expert Shannon Spence said, "I think this is really a test trip for them. They are really trying to see how well and warmly they will be received in America as they take on these bigger titles. So I think in Boston they are going to be doing a lot of public temperature taking, that's why we're seeing such a diverse set of engagements." 

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Prince William and Princess Kate announce details of Boston visit

Details have been released about the schedule the Prince and Princess of Wales will follow during their time in Boston. 

Wednesday:  4:30 p.m.: Welcome ceremony at City Hall with Mayor Michelle Wu

Thursday:  10:30 a.m.: Visit to Greentown Labs 12:00 p.m.: Visit to Roca Inc. 

Friday:  11:15 a.m.: Princess Catherine visits Harvard 12:15 p.m.: Prince William visit JFK Library and Museum 4:45 p.m.: Earthshot Prize Awards at MGM Music Hall

Read here for more details . 

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• Prince William Duke of Cambridge

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Prince William, Kate head to Boston: Everything to know about the couple's 1st US trip in 8 years

William and Kate will attend several events during their three days in Boston.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are coming to America.

Prince William and Kate will travel to Boston this week, marking their first visit to the United States since 2014, when they visited New York City and famously shook hands with Beyoncé and Jay-Z at a Brooklyn Nets game.

The royals will arrive in Boston on Wednesday, two days ahead of the second annual awards ceremony for the Earthshot Prize, an initiative William launched in 2019 to create solutions for environmental problems.

Their itinerary in the city includes everything from meeting Caroline Kennedy to visiting Harvard University.

The visit to Boston is William and Kate's first overseas trip since the death of William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September, and their first overseas trip since taking on the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales .

"TRHs are both excited for their first international trip since taking on their news roles as Prince and Princess of Wales," a Kensington Palace spokesperson told ABC News. "Both appreciate the history associated to the titles but understandably want to look to the future and pave their own paths."

Here is what to watch on each day of William and Kate's three-day visit.

Wednesday: Welcome celebration in Boston

William and Kate will be welcomed to Boston on Nov. 30 in a ceremony at City Hall attended by Kennedy and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who made history last year as the first woman and first person of color to be elected mayor.

In honor of the Earthshot Prize's focus on the environment, landmarks across the city, including City Hall, will be lit up in the color green.

Thursday: Visiting with high-risk youth

The royal couple will start their second day in Boston with a visit to Greentown Labs, a climate technology start-up incubator, in nearby Somerville, Massachusetts.

According to Kensington Palace, William and Kate will learn during the visit about "climate innovations" being incubated in Boston.

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From there, the couple will travel just a few miles to Chelsea, where they will visit Roca, nonprofit organization that focuses on helping high-risk young people between the ages of 16 and 24, according to the palace.

William and Kate will meet with leaders of the organization and with participants in the young mothers' and young men's programs.

Friday: Earthshot Awards at MGM Music Hall

Friday's main event will be the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, which will be held Friday night at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, located close to Fenway Park.

The ceremony, which will air around the world on Dec. 4, will see five winners awarded $1 million grants each to scale their solutions to help repair planet Earth.

The ceremony will also include live performances by Billie Eilish, Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding and Chloe.x.Halle, and will feature actors including Rami Malek, Catherine O’Hara, Shailene Woodley and Daniel Dae Kim as hosts and presenters.

MORE: Kate, the Princess of Wales, dazzles in Lover's Knot Tiara at state banquet

Earlier in the day Friday, Kate and William will each attend separate events.

Kate, who has made early childhood education a focus of her royal work, will meet with researchers at The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

William plans to tour the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum along with Caroline Kennedy.

William has said that President John F. Kennedy's "moonshot" challenge in 1962 to land a man on the moon within 10 years was the inspiration behind his Earthshot Prize, which has a goal to find solutions to repair the planet within the next 10 years.

The John F. Kennedy Foundation partnered with Earthshot Prize to bring this year's awards ceremony to Boston, according to the organization .

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New Details About Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Trip to Boston Revealed

The couple is said to be excited for their first overseas visit since becoming Prince and Princess of Wales.

A royal aide has emphasized that the couple see don’t see this visit as a traditional royal tour but a trip focused on Earthshot. However they are, the source said, keen to spend time in Boston meeting the local community and see work being done around climate change in the area. “Their visit will see them attend a special event with the Mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, as well as a visit by the Prince to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy,” Kensington Palace said in a statement. “Recognising the significant challenges that the coastal city of Boston faces as a result of climate change, the Prince and Princess will see for themselves the work that local organisations are doing to mitigate the risk of rising sea levels.” Kate will also see the work being done on early childhood at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

The visit will begin on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 30, at Boston’s City Hall where they will be welcomed to the city by Mayor Michelle Wu and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy. To mark the start of Earthshot, they will light up the City Hall and Boston’s other landmarks green. The following day, they will learn about climate innovations at Greentown Labs in Somerville before traveling to Chelsea to meet with a non-profit helping at risk young people aged 16-24.

On Friday, December 2, Kate will see the work of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University while William will visit the JKF Library and Museum. The trip will culminate with the Earthshot Prize on Friday evening at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway.

A source said that the couple’s focus for the trip is Earthshot and they won’t be distracted by other things—perhaps a reference to the fact that their trip is a reminder that Prince Harry and Meghan have made the U.S. their home since stepping back from royal life amidst a very public feud. The Sussexes are expected to stay away from the Earthshot Prize ceremony, but William and Kate will be joined by a line-up of famous faces including Sir David Attenborough, Billie Eilish, Annie Lennox, and Ellie Goulding. The event will be presented by Clara Amfo and Daniel Dae Kim. As she did at last year’s ceremony in London, Kate will present an award.

There will be five winners on the night from the 15 finalists previously announced . Each winner will receive £1 million to expand their innovation.

The ceremony is being recorded on Friday night but will air on Sunday, December 4 on the BBC and the Earthshot Prize YouTube channel. In the U.S., it will begin streaming at 2 p.m. EST on Monday, December 5, on PBS.org and the PBS App and at 8 p.m. EST on the PBS YouTube channel.

Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures , released in 2021. 

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Bostonians’ Take on the Royals’ Whirlwind Visit? Whatevah.

As breathless online commentary tracked the royal couple’s every move during their visit, swaths of their host city remained unimpressed.

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By Jenna Russell

BOSTON — Crowds had gathered at rain-swept City Hall Plaza to welcome Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales, the photogenic royals who touched down on Wednesday for a whirlwind three-day tour.

So were patrons abuzz about the visit two miles away at Santarpio’s, a bare-bones bar and pizza joint, and East Boston institution?

“Not yet,” a bartender said dryly as he hustled crispy pizzas and plates of steaming sausage to a row of diners Wednesday night, his expression suggesting the likelihood of any buzz was quite low.

As breathless online commentary tracked the royal couple’s every movement and designer wardrobe change for a global audience of devoted palace watchers, laconic swaths of their host city remained unimpressed, if not wholly unaware of their presence.

At a Dunkin’ in the diverse Dorchester neighborhood on Thursday, a woman waiting for her order in a puffy winter coat, hood up, declined to talk to a reporter, then asked what the story was about.

Informed of the topic, she curtly shook her head.

“Don’t care,” she said.

The city’s history helps explain its deep veins of indifference, said Brooke Barbier, a historian who also offers guided tours of Boston. Because its identity is so rooted in the American Revolution and its rejection of monarchy, and because its landscape is still littered with vivid reminders of that past, “it makes sense, even centuries later, that Boston can’t care about the monarchy,” she said. “Even if, secretly, they care.”

Commuters cross the site of the Boston Massacre on their way to the subway (the place where it happened, then King Street, was later renamed); at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, actors routinely re-enact the colonists’ famous 1773 protest against British taxation.

Fans of the first-place Boston Celtics seemed to channel vestiges of that feistiness on Wednesday night, when William and Kate attended a game at TD Garden alongside city officials, and were reportedly met with scattered chants of “USA! USA!” amid the louder cheering, when their faces were shown on a giant screen.

Asked after the game about the thrill of playing in front of royalty, the Celtics star Jaylen Brown, a Georgia native, did not hide his disinterest .

“It was just a regular game to me,” he said.

Some Bostonians said they cannot tolerate the royal family because of allegations of racism among some members and associates, including a new report this week of racist comments by Prince William’s godmother.

“I can’t talk about them because I’ll get mad,” said a woman hurrying to catch a train in Dorchester on Thursday, referencing reports that the royal family had mistreated Meghan Markle, William and Kate’s sister-in-law, who is biracial.

At a ceremony welcoming the couple on Wednesday, one city official, the Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, made a point of calling out a “legacy of colonialism and racism” linked to the monarchy.

In true Boston fashion, traffic was also a sticking point, with many locals dreading the prospect of more disruption and delay caused by the royal entourage and security. In neighboring Somerville, where the prince and princess planned to visit an environmental start-up incubator, some took to Twitter to lament the likely impact on their grocery shopping, calling it “a bad day to go to Market Basket,” a reference to the beloved local grocery chain.

Still, many noted with approval the higher purpose for the royal visit. Friday evening, William and Kate celebrated the winners of the Earthshot Prize , the award they created to encourage work addressing climate change. The project was inspired by John F. Kennedy’s 1960s “moonshot” challenge, which pledged to send Americans to the moon within the decade — a connection that inspired the choice of Boston as the first American city to host the glitzy awards ceremony, held at a venue next to Fenway Park.

Also on Friday, William visited the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester for a tour and a meeting with President Biden, a part of the prince’s itinerary that won him grudging acknowledgment from some locals.

“They seem to have done their homework, and they’re referencing things that Bostonians care about,” said Ann Walsh, a lifelong Dorchester resident. “I wouldn’t go out of my way to see them, but they are genuinely charming.”

That said, she deemed the visit “not much of an event” and said she would be offended by any excessive show of deference to royalty: “This is America, and I think that’s an important part of who we are, that we don’t deify people.”

At Dorchester’s storied Eire Pub, where news coverage of the royals flashed on TVs above the bar, Johnny Curran, a longtime bartender, said he had heard no chatter about the visit.

“I said to my wife this morning, ‘I put my pants on the same way he does — why is he so special?’” one patron, Kevin Healey, said of the prince.

Pockets of enthusiasm could be found. The Subway sandwich shop on Dorchester’s Morrissey Boulevard, near the JFK museum, was one.

“People are pretty excited,” said Michelle Maduka, an employee who attends school at the nearby Boston campus of the University of Massachusetts.

Excited about the proximity to royalty? Well, no.

“There’s definitely going to be a lot of traffic, and last time when Biden came, some classes were canceled,” Ms. Maduka said.

A co-worker, Daniel Eke, said he would not mind meeting the prince. Mr. Eke was not scheduled to work on Friday, but he had begun to wonder if he should.

“If you could tell me they’re coming here — like, they love Subway and they’re coming to Morrissey Boulevard — then I’m going to pick up Friday,” he said.

Jenna Russell is the lead reporter covering New England for The Times. She is based near Boston. More about Jenna Russell

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UK royals arrive in Boston to showcase youthful monarchy

The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived in Boston aboard a commercial British Airways flight on Wednesday. (Nov. 30)

The first overseas trip by the Prince and Princess of Wales since the death of Queen Elizabeth II begins Wednesday, an occasion to show the world as much about who they are not as who they are. (Nov. 30)

The Prince and Princess of Wales’s first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II begins Wednesday. (Nov. 30)

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

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Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. They were met by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, rear, and first lady Lauren Baker. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September.(John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales are greeted by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker at Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

British Airways plane carrying Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, arrives at Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, are greeted by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, right, as they arrive at Boston Logan International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, right, and her family show photographs of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 1976, during the visit of Britain’s Prince William, left, and Kate, Princess of Wales, to Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (Nancy Lane/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, right, and her family show photographs of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 1976, during the visit of Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, to Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (Nancy Lane/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, right, husband Conor Perwarski, right, and sons Blaise, holds her hand, and Cass, front, show photographs of the Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 1976, during the visit of Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, to Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (Nancy Lane/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, back, second right, husband Conor Perwarski,top right, and sons Blaise, center, and Cass and Gov.-elect Maura Healey, back, third right, walk with Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, in Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (Nancy Lane/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)

Boston City Hall is lit in green during Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales’, Welcome of Earthshot event on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)

People react to Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrival at City Hall Plaza on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, right, husband Conor Perwarski and sons Blaise, second right, and Cass, show photos of the Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 1976, during the visit of Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, to Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (Nancy Lane/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, visit Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (Nancy Lane/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)

People wait for Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, to walk through the lobby of Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston, Mass. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)

A Boston MBTA subway station is illuminated with green light following a ceremony attended by Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The ceremony was held to highlight the Earthshot Prize and environmental issues. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Britain’s Prince William, and Kate, Princess of Wales, attend an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat in Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Brian Snyder/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain’s Prince William walks during halftime of an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat in downtown Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Brian Snyder/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain’s Prince William jokes with Massachusetts Gov.-elect Maura Healey during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive for an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, applaud during an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, at right, watch as Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown drives to the basket against Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

From left to right, Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca, Governor-elect Maura Healey, Britain’s Prince William, Kate, Princess of Wales, and Emilia Fazzalari wife of Celtics owner Wyc Grousebeck watch an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat in Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Brian Snyder/Pool Photo via AP)

Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca, his wife Judy, Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu, Governor-elect Maura Healey, Britain’s Prince William, center, Kate, Princess of Wales, Emilia Fazzalari, wife of Celtics owner Wyc Grousebeck and Wyc Grousebeck stand as they listen to the national anthem during an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat in Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Brian Snyder/Pool Photo via AP)

From left to right, Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca, Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu, Governor-elect Maura Healey, Britain’s Prince William, Kate, Princess of Wales, Emilia Fazzalari, wife of Celtics owners Wyc Grousebeck and Wyc Grousebeck watch an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat in Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Brian Snyder/Pool Photo via AP)

BOSTON (AP) — The Prince and Princess of Wales embarked Wednesday on their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, aiming to showcase the younger face of a monarchy that is tackling important issues like climate change as it attempts to remain relevant in a modern, multicultural Britain.

The three-day trip to Boston is focused on Prince William’s splashy initiative to award millions of dollars to a new generation of environmental entrepreneurs who are developing everything from cleaner burning stoves to alternatives to leather. It will include visits to a program for at-risk youth, a sustainability lab and a tour of Boston’s shoreline to see the city’s effort to combat climate change.

It will culminate Friday in the awarding of the prince’s signature Earthshot Prize, a global competition aimed at finding new ways to protect the planet and tackle climate change.

After their arrival, the beaming royal couple strolled onto a stage at City Hall Plaza — William wearing a single-vent navy suit and Kate radiant in a Burberry dress and Alexander McQueen coat, and earrings by designer Shyla London — amid tight security and a cheering crowd, many snapping photos and video.

Prince William told the crowd that one of President John F. Kennedy’s speeches was the inspiration to hold the second Earthshot Prize in Boston.

“It was that moonshot speech that inspired me to launch the Earthshot Prize with the aim of doing the same for climate change as President Kennedy did for the space race. And where better to hold this year’s awards ceremony than in President Kennedy’s hometown,” William said.

Later, the couple sat courtside for a Boston Celtics-Miami Heat game, joined by team managing partner Wyc Grousbeck, co-owner and president Steve Pagliuca and his wife, Judy, along with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts Gov.-elect Maura Healey.

The royal couple was announced to a cheering Garden crowd during a timeout in the second quarter and briefly shown on the video screen. But a security official stepped in front of the camera, eliciting a chorus of boos.

The visit comes less than three months after the death of Queen Elizabeth , whose personal popularity dampened criticism of the crown during her 70-year reign. King Charles III , William’s father, has made clear that his will be a slimmed-down monarchy, with less pomp and ceremony than its predecessors.

“I think this is less about saving the Earth and more about saving the royal family,’’ said Boston University professor Arianne Chernock, an expert in modern British history. “To be honest, we’ve seen Charles as king and his first months in that position trying to feel his way, find his way towards being a more relevant, more modern monarch. And I think we see something similar happening with William and Kate.’’

Part of that reset involves reclaiming the hearts and minds of people in America, where William’s younger brother, Prince Harry, and sister-in-law, Meghan, have dominated the media since moving to California in 2020. Harry and Meghan have criticized the royal family for alleged racism and insensitive treatment and built their own media profile by making films and podcasts for Netflix and Spotify.

The Netflix series “The Crown” has also resurrected some of the more troubled times of the House of Windsor, including the collapse of Charles’ marriage to the late Princess Diana, William’s mother, amid mutual allegations of infidelity.

But William and Kate are keen to tell a different story, about their work on environmental issues, mental health and early childhood education.

During a gala concert celebrating the queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, William delivered a speech highlighting his grandmother’s and father’s pioneering work on the environment, as images of jungles and oceans were projected on the walls of Buckingham Palace behind him.

Kate last week wrote an opinion piece on the need to improve the lives of young children that appeared in The Daily Telegraph, one of Britain’s most influential newspapers, alongside a photo of the princess sitting cross-legged among a group of elementary school students.

William and Kate’s last visit to the United States was in 2014, not long after their wedding. During that trip, the glamorous young couple were feted as they toured the eastern U.S. Eight years later, now in their 40s and with three young children, the prince and princess are finally having a return engagement.

On Wednesday, they were greeted at the airport by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker before heading to City Hall to meet Mayor Wu and Gov.-elect Healy ahead of a visit to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library and Museum. President Joe Biden planned to greet the couple later in the week.

City Hall, along with 15 other landmarks, was lit up in green to mark the kickoff of the Earthshot celebrations.

Andrew Warburton, who grew up in Bristol, England, praised their environmental work while waiting for the event. “They represent the future in that way,” he said.

Pamela Spencer, a school teacher, waited with her two sisters in hopes of giving William and Kate a bouquet of flowers.

“They are following in the footsteps of her late majesty. I’m really here to show them they have a lot of support in New England,” Spencer said.

On Thursday, William and Kate will visit Roca Inc., highlighting the racial equity group’s efforts to improve the lives of young people by addressing issues such as poverty, incarceration and trauma from urban violence. They will also visit Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, a leader in research into the long-term impact of early childhood experiences.

But throughout the trip, William’s eye will be on the Earthshot Prize.

The ability of the royals to shine a light on the issue and fuse their fame with entertainers such as Billie Eilish, who is set to headline the awards show, is likely to make people pay attention.

Earthshot offers 1 million pounds ($1.2 million) in prize money to each of the winners of five separate categories: nature protection, clean air, ocean revival, waste elimination and climate change. The winners and all 15 finalists also receive help in expanding their projects to meet global demand.

The winners are set to be announced Friday at Boston’s MGM Music Hall as part of a glitzy show headlined by Eilish, Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding and Chloe x Halle. The show will also feature videos narrated by naturalist David Attenborough and actor Cate Blanchett.

Kirka reported from London. Associated Press Sports Writer Kyle Hightower contributed to this report.

Boston readies royal reception for William and Kate

The prince and princess of wales arrive wednesday for a round of visits before attending the friday presentation of the earthshot prize, a prestigious environmental award.

British royalty and Boston have had a roller-coaster relationship over the last 250 years. A revolution will do that, but so will the good will forged in 1976 when the late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, visited the city to commemorate the country’s 200th birthday.

Tens of thousands of Bostonians turned out to greet the queen then, and big crowds are expected again when William and Catherine, the prince and princess of Wales, arrive Wednesday for a round of visits before attending the Friday presentation of the Earthshot Prize, a prestigious environmental award.

“I absolutely think people love William and Kate and will be thrilled they are here,” said Julie Hall, president of the Charlestown Historical Society. “As a matter of fact, my mom was visiting from Philadelphia this weekend, and we binged ‘The Crown’! "

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Hall lives on the former Bunker Hill battlefield, where British troops defeated the colonists at great cost in 1775. But long-ago bygones are bygones, and Hall plans to attend a public welcome for the couple Wednesday afternoon at City Hall Plaza.

“I’m probably the biggest royalist in town,” said Hall, who hosted a “royal wedding party” when William and Kate were married in 2011.

King Charles III, then the prince of Wales, visited Cambridge in 1986 to help celebrate Harvard University’s 350th anniversary. But Queen Elizabeth II, who died Sept. 8, remains the only reigning British monarch to visit the city.

Michelle Carr, a communications professor at Northeastern University, also is a self-described royalist looking forward to the visit.

“I think a lot of times people think of them as celebrities, but they do a lot of philanthropy,” Carr said. “They work with a lot of really great nonprofit organizations and social and political issues that I think are important.”

Carr, a lifelong Bostonian, said she had seen royals on the covers of tabloids and magazines throughout her childhood. But as an adult who considers London a second home, Carr said she appreciates the royal family as more than eye-catching celebrities.

“They’re actually people going out and doing good work and really trying to connect cultures and make the world a better place,” she said.

Inspired by former president John F. Kennedy’s challenge in 1962 to land a man on the moon by the end of that decade, Prince William established the Earthshot Prize “to uncover and scale the innovative solutions that will repair our planet within the next 10 years.” according to its website.

The prize, which awards $1.1 million to winners from around the globe in each of five categories, seeks to promote “the best and most ingenious solutions to repair and regenerate our planet, while simultaneously nurturing eco-innovators and their impact,” project organizers said.

The Earthshot Prize, which partnered with the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation to bring the ceremony to Boston, will be presented at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway.

The royals might have to share the city’s spotlight. President Biden is scheduled to appear at a Boston political fund-raiser Friday, although it was not clear Monday whether he plans to attend the Earthshot ceremony.

Peter Frost, a West London native and Charlestown resident, said he is particularly fond of William and Kate.

“This pairing is unbelievable,” said Frost, 76. “They behave like royals. They’re very grounded and very streetwise in everything they do. … They’re very representative of the royal family.”

The family has prioritized climate change for decades, Frost said, and “King Charles was the champion 50 years ago, never mind now. I think William and Kate, who are probably more popular, will be champions, too.”

Frost said he is excited to “bike on over” with his girlfriend to the public welcome at City Hall Plaza.

Terry Nixon, a native of Ireland who tends bar at Mr. Dooley’s in the Financial District, also praised the couple’s social activism.

“It’s wonderful to see William and Kate visit Boston in order to promote such an important global concern,” Nixon said. “The royal family are very effective in drawing the attention of the world to many important causes. Give credit where credit is due.”

At Cornwall’s, a tavern with a British flair in Kenmore Square, bartender Ben Melnitsky said he expects the phone to begin ringing soon with questions about the royal visit.

“After the queen died, we were getting calls around the clock to see if we were going to have coverage of the funeral,” Melnitsky recalled.

Cornwall’s did show delayed coverage of the funeral, which Melnitsky said was viewed by a British club from MIT.

Kim Luzzi, a Brookline resident and psychotherapist, said she began reading about the royal family after a controversial 2021 television interview by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have stepped away from royal responsibilities.

In that interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple said an unidentified member of the royal family had made a comment about the skin color of their then-unborn son. Markle’s mother is Black and her father is white.

After reading about Queen Elizabeth II and the prince and princess of Wales, Luzzi said, she came to admire their “life of service,” and also their efforts to address issues ranging from mental health and bullying to climate change.

“It must be nice having all that money and palaces, but it also seems like they work very hard,” said Luzzi, 55. “I’m super-impressed by them.”

In addition to the Earthshot awards, the royal itinerary includes visits to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Greentown Labs in Somerville, the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, and Roca, a nonprofit in Chelsea that addresses poverty, racism, and young people at risk.

Brian MacQuarrie can be reached at [email protected] . Katie Mogg can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her on twitter @j0urnalistkatie

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The city of Boston is preparing to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales this week, as Prince William and Kate Middleton will be in the Massachusetts capital for the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony.

The British Royals will arrive Wednesday and will be in Boston through Friday when the awards ceremony is scheduled to be held at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway .

"We're thrilled that the Prince and Princess of Wales are going to be visiting Boston," said Peter Abbott, the British Consul General to New England.

The Earthshot Prize, inspired by President John F. Kennedy's "Moonshot" speech , is an ambitious global environmental prize that aims to discover, celebrate and scale the best solutions to help repair the planet.

"It's that spirit of innovation and optimism that connects the Earthshot prize with the city of Boston, which, of course, has a global reputation for its innovation and ingenuity," Abbott said.

During their trip, the prince and princess will meet with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at City Hall Plaza on Wednesday before visiting Greentown Labs in Somerville, the Chelsea nonprofit organization Roca and the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Prince William will also visit the JFK Presidential Library and Museum with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy .

"I think there will certainly be some moments where people will catch a glimpse of them in Boston," Abbott said.

The winners will be announced at the MGM Music Hall as part of a glitzy show headlined by Eilish, Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding and Chloe x Halle. It will include video narrated by naturalist David Attenborough and actor Cate Blanchett.

Prizes will be presented by actor Rami Malek, comedian Catherine O’Hara, and actor and activist Shailene Woodley. The show will be co-hosted by the BBC’s Clara Amfo and American actor and producer Daniel Dae Kim.

William and Kate's trip to Boston was first announced in early July. This will be the first time the prince and princess have visited the United States since 2014.

The inaugural Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony was held in October 2021 at Alexandra Palace in London.

In Boston, the prince and princess will join activists, innovators, policymakers and performers to celebrate this year's cohort of 15 global finalists before the five Earthshot winners are announced.

One of the 15 finalists is Chicago-based LanzaTech, a company that is turning carbon emissions into sustainable energy and other products, such as yoga clothing and running shoes.

Video Below: Prince William and Kate Middleton to visit Boston for Earthshot Awards

On Royal Visit Day 2, William and Kate Make Friends as They Crisscross Boston

The prince and princess of wales continued their string of public appearances thursday, ahead of friday's earthshot prize award ceremony, by jeff saperstone and michael rosenfield • published december 1, 2022 • updated on december 1, 2022 at 11:47 pm.

Royal fever gripped the Boston area on Thursday as the Prince and Princess of Wales made another day of appearances, visiting innovative local organizations and making friends along the way.

William and Kate are in Boston through Friday for The Earthshot Prize Awards , which are will be presented in a star-studded ceremony Friday at the MGM Music Hall in Fenway. They got a warm welcome from the City of Boston Wednesday evening, then went to the Celtics game at TD Garden with Governor-elect Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

On Thursday morning, a little boy from Somerville stole the show as he got a personal meet-and-greet with the royals thanks to his elaborate King's Guard costume.

"It was crazy!" Henry Dynov Teixeira, 8, recalled afterward, adding. "I wasn't actually that nervous now that I think of it when I actually did it."

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The couple had begun their day with a visit to the Greentown Labs startup to learn about their climate innovations. Then they headed to Chelsea to visit Roca Inc. , a non-profit organization that focuses on helping high-risk young people .

Greentown Labs

With the Earthshot Prize aiming to find new solutions to repair the planet's climate, it was only fitting that the Prince and Princess saw firsthand some of the scientific innovation going on in Greater Boston.

Greentown Labs , a startup incubator, works toward "solving the climate crisis through entrepreneurship and collaboration," according to the startup, which said that it was honored to host the Prince and Princess.

Greentown also has a location in Houston. The lab's website describes it as a community for early-stage entrepreneurs, where members pay monthly fees for lab and office space. The startups also get access to staff support, programming, equipment and more.

The lab touts several accomplishments on its website, including having created over 9,000 jobs and incubating over 500 companies.

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After their stop in Somerville, the royals dropped in to at Roca Inc. in Chelsea. The organization describes its mission as disrupting "incarceration, poverty, and racism by engaging the young adults, police, and systems at the center of urban violence in relationships to address trauma, find hope, and drive change."

Founder Molly Baldwin was surprised by the news of the visit, despite the group's focus on mental health, which is high-priority topic for Will and Kate.

"It’s just a huge gift that will elevate the work," said Baldwin, who is also Roca's CEO, ahead of the visit. "There are young people who struggle to connect with the resources we have in this country and we are so honored."

Afterward, Baldwin said, "On one level you can hardly believe it, here are two of the most famous people in the world coming in the door, but they are human beings with great big hearts."

The Prince and Princess met with leaders of Roca and spent time with women in the young mothers program and men working through trauma that led them to harmful decisions.

Matthew Quinton said the royals were "very understanding, trying to understand us and where we come from."

Roca Inc. focuses on teens and young adults at the center of violence. They collaborate with police, judges, child protective services and other stakeholders to reduce trauma, violence and incarceration. At the same time, the group works to find youth sustainable employment.

PHOTOS: William, Kate Make a Royal Visit to Boston

Harborside walk in east boston.

The last stop on Thursday's schedule was East Boston, where the royals got to see the work that one of last year's Earthshot Prize finalists, Living Seawalls, will be doing.

Living Seawalls installs panels that imitate the ecosystem of a natural shoreline, and the organization is working with the Stone Living Lab — a partnership involving the city, state, UMass Boston and more — to install panels at two sites in Boston Harbor.

William and Kate were joined on their tour of the harbor by Wu.

As word started spreading that the Prince and Princess of Wales were making an unannounced visit to East Boston Thursday afternoon, neighborhood residents headed to Piers Park.

“Everyone in Eastie was talking about it,” said Steph Thomas.

Onlookers climbed the fence to catch a glimpse of their majesties. The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived to a warm welcome.

“She gave me a little wave and I said, 'Welcome to Eastie,'” said Meg Grady. “I think it’s an iconic moment in history, I think we’ll remember in 50 years that we were in Eastie in our home at our time in our lives and we’re so glad that East Boston made it to the list.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)

The crowd hoped to get up close and personal with the future King and Queen of England.

“She flashed us a million dollar smile and then she walked down towards the water,” said Caroline Quinn.

The royal couple -- guided by Wu along Boston Harbor -- wanted to learn about Boston’s challenges when it comes to climate change, rising sea levels, and storm surge -- and what the city is doing to face environmental issues.

“They’re delightful and generous with their time,” Wu said. “We got to spend some chilly but quite educational time together here, walking along the waterfront and talking about the history of so many decades of community advocacy that have led us to this point of prioritizing green.”

When the royal couple left, there was no meet and greet with the crowd but the neighborhood was still thrilled to catch a glimpse of royalty in their own backyard.

“It’s still really exciting because how often are Will and Kate in Boston and how often are they in our neighborhood,” said Thomas. “It feels really surreal.”

Boston Was 'the Obvious Choice'

William — the heir to the British throne — said that Boston was "the obvious choice" to host the second-ever Earthshot Prize Awards, founded by the prince to honor groundbreaking solutions to environmental issues.

It's the home of President John F. Kennedy, whose "moonshot" speech motivated the U.S. to send man to the moon and inspired the prince to sponsor the Earthshot Prize, which aims to find solutions to climate change.

Boston is also "a global leader in science, innovation and boundless ambition," thanks to its universities, researchers and startups, William said. He noted that its leaders are pushing for green policies as well.

"Like President Kennedy, Catherine and I firmly believe that we all have it in ourselves to achieve great things, and that human beings have the ability to lead, innovate and problem solve," he said. "We cannot wait to celebrate the Earthshot Prize finalists later on this week, and we are both looking forward to spending the next few days learning about the innovative ways the people of Massachusetts are tackling climate change."

The royals landed at Boston Logan International Airport Wednesday afternoon on a British Airways flight and were greeted by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.

President Joe Biden will be in Boston on Friday  as well, for a Senate fundraiser. The White House said Thursday that he will meet with William at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

Royalty at the Garden

After flying into Logan and discussing climate action with state and city leaders, the Prince and Princess were probably in need of a little R&R.

They headed to TD Garden Wednesday night, and sat courtside to watch the 17-4 Boston Celtics face the Miami Heat in a 2022 Eastern Conference Finals rematch. They sat next to Healey and Wu. And they also met up with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy.

Despite weather delays, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy made it to Boston in time to say hello to @KensingtonRoyal at the Celtics game last night. Countdown to the #EarthshotPrize has begun! pic.twitter.com/kOpVmEKFdO — JFK Library (@JFKLibrary) December 1, 2022

It appeared the royals were ready for the matchup, too: Their official Twitter account posted a photo near the Garden floor about 20 minutes before tip-off.

Let’s go Celtics, let’s go! pic.twitter.com/v9BF2H1V2A — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 1, 2022

More royal visit news

Kicking Off Royal Visit, Prince William Addresses ‘Great City of Boston'

‘To the People of Boston, Thank You': Prince William Issues Statement Upon Arrival

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Breaking News

World | 100 protesters detained as northeastern police break up israel-hamas war protest, world | buckingham palace, u.k. government reviewing ‘unwell’ king charles’ funeral plans: report.

By DAVID MATTHEWS | [email protected] | New York Daily News

Buckingham Palace and the British government began reviewing hundreds of documents related to  King Charles III’s future funeral following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis , according to a report.

Little is known about Charles’ mysterious illness outside of his initial  announcement of “a form of cancer” in February , but sources close to the royals told The Daily Beast he “is significantly more unwell than his aides are letting on.”

The palace said several months ago it would not provide a “running commentary” about his health, but the 75-year-old king,  who was coronated roughly a year ago , is reportedly undergoing radiotherapy treatment regularly in London.

“Of course he is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it,” a source told the outlet. “Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on.”

Plans for “Operation Menai Bridge” — the purported codeword for his death — are being reviewed by the Cabinet Office, the government department that handles for state funerals, with an emphasis on evaluating what went right and wrong in the wake of  Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022 after 70 years on the throne .

“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date,” a former staffer told The Daily Beast. “It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds.”

However, a military source told the outlet that planning “began the day after they buried the queen” because the funeral will have so many intricacies, including the guest list, security threats and time crunch.

Christopher Andersen, a bestselling royal writer, told The Daily Beast that there’s really no way to tell how Charles’ health is faring because of the lack of transparency, which will only lead to more “gossip and speculation … and conspiracy theories.”

News of the review comes several weeks after Kate Middleton revealed her own cancer diagnosis  following weeks of fervent speculation about her whereabouts and vague statements from the palace that were widely criticized and derided.

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