Prince William And Kate Make First Us Trip In Eight Years As Racism Controversy Simmers In Britain

Prince William And Kate Make First Us Trip In Eight Years As Racism Controversy Simmers In Britain: The second Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony is later this week, and the new Prince and Princess of Wales arrived in Boston on Wednesday.

The couple took a commercial aircraft into the city as controversy broke out at home over remarks made to a Black CEO visiting Buckingham Palace earlier in the week by an adviser who later resigned. The couple’s trip to the US is their first since their eight-year stay in New York City. Earlier, shortly after their 2011 wedding, the couple went on a quick trip of California.

Prince William will use the trip as an opportunity to demonstrate how he plans to differ from his predecessor as Prince of Wales, while Catherine will try to captivate the audience in the same effortless manner as her new title’s prior holder, but on her own terms.

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William established the climate change award in 2020 with the intention of utilizing the brightest minds on the planet to address some of the most urgent environmental issues that face humanity. Five winners will get £1 million ($1.12 million) each year for the following ten years to support their innovative approaches to the climate challenge.

The idea was conceived by the heir to the British monarchy after President John F. Kennedy challenged the US to advance space exploration in his 1962 “moonshot” speech. Despite the pouring rain and icy weather, hundreds of people congregated at Speaker’s Corner outside City Hall to see the royal couple. 

As the couple made their way outside with city officials, the audience yelled and applauded. Taking the stage, Prince William told the audience that he and his wife, Catherine, were “extremely delighted” to be there for their first engagement in Boston as they began the countdown to this Friday’s Earthshot Prize Awards.

Given that the former president was born and raised in Boston, the city was also “the natural choice” for this year’s ceremony because of its colleges, research facilities, and thriving start-up community, which make it a world leader in science, creativity, and unbridled ambition.

Like President Kennedy, Catherine and I sincerely believe that everyone has what it takes to succeed and that people have the capacity to lead, invent, and solve problems. William continued.

“We are both excited to spend the next several days learning about the creative ways the people of Massachusetts are fighting climate change,” he continued. “We cannot wait to celebrate the Earthshot Prize finalists later this week.”

The couple then helped officially off the city’s Earthshot celebrations with the help of Mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts Governor-elect Maura Healey, and with the click of a button lighted the civic building and other landmarks in green.

They managed to squeeze in a Boston Celtics game versus the Miami Heat in the city’s center on Wednesday despite their hectic schedule. For the game, they sat courtside next to Healey.

Resetting Royal Perceptions

The senior royals aren’t just swooping in for a magnificent ceremony on Friday night, despite the fact that William and Kate’s journey to the United States isn’t an official royal tour. Instead, they have a jam-packed three-day visit during which they will meet with indigenous leaders in the area and shine a focus on efforts in some of Boston’s most marginalized neighborhoods.

A representative for Kensington Palace told CNN that the couple was eager to spend more time in Boston so they could get to know the locals and discover the issues the seaside city is facing due to the changing environment.

Some others view the couple’s trip as a chance to restore attitudes in the US after a few bad years. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey damaged the family’s reputation, while new seasons of the Netflix series “The Crown” have resurrected longstanding criticisms about the monarchy.

They claimed that when Meghan admitted to considering suicide while pregnant with their first child, Archie, family members had made racial comments and the institution had abandoned her. The monarchy was then defended by William, who said, “We’re very much not a racist family.”

Following allegations from the founder of a Black charity that she was questioned about her nationality at a royal banquet on Tuesday, an honorary member of Buckingham Palace resigned and apologized on Wednesday.

The words were deemed “inappropriate” by Kensington Palace, which also stated that it was “proper that the individual implicated has stepped aside with immediate effect.” Kensington Palace condemned the event.

In addition, Harry and Meghan will receive recognition for their work with the Archewell Foundation on issues of race, mental health, and social impact a few days after this tour. The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization recently selected the Sussexes to receive the 2022 Ripple of Hope award (RFKHR).

They are being recognized this year along with others, including the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. The duo “has always stood out for their courage to speak up and change the narrative on racial justice and mental health around the world,” RFKHR President Kerry Kennedy said when announcing the award last month.

They exhibit the moral courage that, in the words of my father, is “the one important, fundamental trait for people who attempt to transform a world that yields most painfully to change.” The brothers and their spouses do not have any plans to meet up while they are both in the same nation. 

Their top focus is Earthshot, and they are astute enough to realize that a family reunion would take priority over their goals. The senior royals instead intend to draw attention to the issues they support and the work they carry out while visiting the US. The award “has become the prince’s Superbowl moment of the year,” according to a Kensington Palace official. 

“He looks forward to continuing to utilize the platform each year to shine a light on some of the most influential projects doing wonderful things around the world to rescue our planet’s future.” One scheduled meeting is with US President Joe Biden, who will receive the two on Friday while in Boston for a fundraiser, according to the White House.

Star-Studded Prize Ceremony

The star-studded Earthshot ceremonial grand finale on Friday will bring innovation and entertainment together as the trip to the US comes to a close. The five winners will be announced by presenters including Oscar winner Rami Malek, actress Shailene Woodley, and Catherine O’Hara of “Schitt’s Creek” fame after performances by singers Annie Lennox, Billie Eilish, and Ellie Goulding.

Daniel Dae Kim, an actor, and British broadcaster Clara Amfo will once again co-host the awards. David Attenborough, a seasoned broadcaster, naturalist, and all-around national treasure from the United Kingdom, will also appear in the glittering extravaganza. The awards show will be televised in the UK on BBC on Sunday at 5:30 PM GMT. 

Although it’s scheduled to run on PBS on December 14, you may watch it starting on Monday on the broadcaster’s website and mobile app. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Multichoice channels on Monday at 5:00 p.m. WAT, allowing viewers across Africa to see it as well.

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