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BOSTON, Dec. 1 (AP) — The Prince and Princess of Wales embarked on their first overseas trip since the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, aimed at showcasing the youthful face of the monarchy, which is tackling important issues like climate change, while trying to remain relevant in a modern, multicultural UK.
The three-day trip to Boston will focus on Prince William’s high-profile initiative to award millions of dollars to a new generation of environmental entrepreneurs developing everything from cleaner-burning stoves to leather alternatives. product. It will include visits to a program for at-risk youth, a sustainability lab and tours of Boston’s shoreline to learn about the city’s efforts to combat climate change.
What started on Wednesday will culminate on Friday with the awarding of the prince’s signature Fight for the Planet Prize, a global competition to find new ways to protect the planet and fight climate change.
Upon arrival, the beaming royal couple strolled onto the stage in Guildhall Square amid heavy security and cheers – William in a single-slit navy suit and Kate in a Burberry dress and Alexander McQueen coat. Earrings by designer Shyla London, radiant In the crowd, many people took pictures and videos.
Prince William told the crowd that a speech by President John F. Kennedy inspired the second edition of the Fight for the Planet Awards in Boston.
“It was that moon landing speech that inspired me to launch the Earthshot Awards, to do for climate change what President Kennedy did for the space race. And what better place to host this year’s ceremony than President Kennedy’s hometown place,” William said.
Later, the couple attended a Boston Celtics-Miami Heat game led by team managing partner Wyc Grousbeck, co-owner and president Steve Pagliuca and his wife Judy. And Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts Gov.-Elect Maura Healey joined. .
The royal couple made the announcement to a cheering garden crowd during a second-quarter timeout, briefly played on video screens. But a security official stepped up to the camera, prompting boos.
The visit comes less than three months after the death of Queen Elizabeth, whose personal popularity undercut criticism of the royal family during her 70-year reign. William’s father, King Charles III, has made it clear that his monarchy will be streamlined, with less pomp and ceremony than its predecessors.
“I think it’s less about saving the planet than about saving the royal family,” said Arianne Chernock, a professor at Boston University and an expert on modern British history.
“Honestly, we’ve seen Charles become king and in his first few months in office he’s trying to figure out his own path and find his way to be a more relevant, modern monarch. I think we’re seeing that in William and Kate something like that.”
Part of the reset involves taking back the hearts and minds of the American people, whose younger brother, Prince Harry, and sister-in-law, Meghan, have dominated the nation’s media since moving to California in 2020. Harry and Meghan have criticized the royal family’s allegedly racist and insensitive treatment and have built their media identities by producing films and podcasts for Netflix and Spotify.
The Netflix series The Crown also recreates some turbulent times for the House of Windsor, including the breakdown of Charles’ marriage to William’s mother, the late Princess Diana, over mutual infidelity allegations.
But William and Kate are keen to tell a different story, about their work on environmental issues, mental health and early childhood education.
Speaking at a grand concert marking the Queen’s 50th anniversary in June, William highlighted the pioneering work of his grandmother and father on the environment, as images of jungles and seas were projected on the walls of Buckingham Palace behind him superior.
Kate wrote an opinion piece last week about the need to improve the lives of young children, which was published in The Daily Telegraph, one of Britain’s most influential newspapers, alongside a picture of the princess sitting cross-legged among a group of schoolchildren .
William and Kate last visited the US in 2014, shortly after their wedding.
During that trip, the glamorous young couple were lavishly entertained as they toured the Eastern United States. Eight years later, now in their 40s and with three young children, the prince and princess are finally engaged again.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker greeted them at the airport on Wednesday before heading to City Hall to meet with Mayor Wu and the governor — and to meet with Mayor Healy before visiting the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library and Museum. President Joe Biden plans to welcome the couple later this week.
City Hall and 15 other landmarks are lit up in green to mark the start of the Earthshot celebrations.
Andrew Warburton, who grew up in Bristol, UK, praised their environmental efforts while waiting for the event.
“They represent the future in this way,” he said.
School teacher Pamela Spencer waited with her two sisters, hoping to give William and Kate a bouquet of flowers.
“They’re following in the footsteps of the late Her Majesty the Queen. 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 Inc. to highlight the racial equity group’s efforts to improve the lives of young people by addressing issues such as poverty, incarceration and the trauma of urban violence. They will also visit the Harvard Center for Child Development, a leader in research on the long-term effects of early childhood experiences.
But throughout the journey, William’s eyes were on the Fight for the Planet Award.
The royals’ ability to shine a light on the issue and combine their fame with entertainers such as Billie Eilish, who will headline the awards show, is likely to raise eyebrows attention.
Earthshot is offering £1 million ($1.2 million) to winners in five different categories: nature conservation, clean air, ocean revival, waste removal and climate change. The winner and all 15 finalists also received help to expand the project to meet global demand.
The winners will be announced Friday at MGM Music Hall in Boston, part of a glitzy performance starring Eilish, Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding and Chloe x Halle. The show will also feature videos narrated by naturalist David Attenborough and actor Cate Blanchett. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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