British royals arrive in Boston to showcase youthful monarchy

The Prince and Princess of Wales embarked on their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday. It aims to showcase the young faces of the monarchy tackling important issues such as climate change and seeks to remain relevant to a modern, multicultural Britain. .

A three-day trip to Boston focuses on Prince William’s flashy initiative awarding millions of dollars to a new generation of environmental entrepreneurs developing everything from clean-burning stoves to leather alternatives. I’m here. It includes a program for at-risk youth, a visit to the Institute for Sustainability, and a tour of Boston’s coastline to see the city’s efforts to combat climate change.

It will culminate on Friday with 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 arriving, the beaming royal couple stepped onto the stage at City Hall Plaza. William wore her navy suit with a single vent, Kate shone in a Burberry dress and Alexander in her McQueen coat, and designer Shayla donned her London earrings. Heavy security and cheers, crowds, lots of snaps and videos.

Prince William told the audience that one of President John F. Kennedy’s speeches inspired him to host the second annual Earthshot Awards in Boston.

“It was Moonshot’s speech that inspired the launch of the Earthshot Prize, which aims to do for climate change what President Kennedy did for the space race. This year’s award. The ceremony is a fitting place to be held in President Kennedy’s hometown,” William said.

Later, the couple sat courtside at the Boston Celtics-Miami Heat game with the team’s managing partner Wyc Grousbeck, co-owner and president Steve Pagliuca and his wife Judy, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts Governor Michelle Wu. Selected Maura Healey participated. .

The Royal Couple was announced to a cheering Garden crowd during the second quarter timeout and briefly shown on a video screen. However, a security officer stepped in front of the camera and elicited a chorus of boos.

The visit came less than three months after Queen Elizabeth’s death. Her personal popularity with Queen Elizabeth has dampened her criticism of her crown during her seventy-year reign. William’s father, King Charles III, made it clear that his will would be a leaner monarchy with less dignity and ceremony than his predecessor.

Arianne Charnock, a professor of modern British history at Boston University, said, “I think it’s more about saving the royal family than it is about saving the planet.” and I’ve seen his first few months in the position feel like he’s getting his way and trying to find a way to become a more proper and modern monarch. I think something is happening.”

Part of that reset includes bringing back the hearts and minds of the American people, who have dominated the media since William’s brother Prince Harry and sister-in-law Meghan moved to California in 2020. Harry and Meghan criticized the royal family, who lost family members to alleged racism and insensitive treatment, and have built their own media profile by making movies and podcasts for Netflix and Spotify.

Netflix’s series The Crown will revive the Windsor family’s more difficult times, including the collapse of Prince Charles’ marriage to the late Princess Diana (Prince William’s mother) and the rise of allegations of mutual infidelity. rice field.

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

At a gala concert to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, William delivered a speech highlighting the environmental pioneering work of his grandmother and father, with images of the jungle and ocean projected onto the walls of Buckingham Palace behind him.

Kate wrote last week for The Daily Telegraph, one of Britain’s most influential newspapers, about the need to improve the lives of young children, with a photo of the princess sitting cross-legged among a group of primary school children. I wrote an opinion article.

William and Kate last visited the United States shortly after their wedding in 2014. During that trip, the glamorous young couple were blessed as they toured the eastern United States.

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

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

Andrew Warburton, who grew up in Bristol, England, praised their environmental commitment while waiting for the event.

School teacher Pamela Spencer was waiting with her two sisters to give William and Kate a bouquet of flowers.

“They are following in His Majesty’s footsteps. I’m really here to show them that they have a lot of support in New England,” Spencer said.

On Thursday, William and Kate will visit Roca to highlight the work of racial equality groups to improve the lives of young people by tackling issues such as poverty, incarceration and trauma from urban violence. Visit the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University, a leader in research on the long-term effects of early childhood experiences.

However, during the trip, William’s eyes are on the Earthshot Prize.

The royal family’s ability to shed light on this issue and blend its fame with entertainers such as Billie Eilish, who is set to headline the awards ceremony, is likely to catch people’s attention.

Earthshot will award £1 million ($1.2 million) to winners in each of five categories: Conservation, Clean Air, Ocean Restoration, Waste Removal and Climate Change. The winner and all 15 of her finalists will also receive assistance to scale the project to meet global demand.

Winners will be announced Friday at the MGM Music Hall in Boston as part of a glamorous show featuring Eilish, Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding and Chloe x Halle. The show will also feature a video narration by naturalist David Attenborough and actor Cate Blanchett.

—Danica Kirka and Michael Casey, Associated Press

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