The couple will be received by US President Joe Biden on Friday, according to the White House. The Royals’ three-day trip is all about climate change: the highlight will be the presentation of William’s Earthshot Climate Award at Boston’s MGM Music Hall on Friday evening.
The prize is awarded in five categories, each worth one million pounds. Many stars are expected to attend the event, including singer Billie Eilish and actor Rami Malek.
Discussions with government officials and charities on environmental and social issues and a visit to a laboratory specializing in green technologies are also planned. “We both look forward to hearing about how the people of Massachusetts are innovating to address climate change over the next few days,” William said Wednesday.
Meanwhile, comments made by William’s godmother, Susan Hussey, to black charity activist Ngozi Fulani caused a stir at the British court. Fulani, a prominent advocate for victims of domestic violence, attended a reception organized by King Consort Camilla to raise awareness of violence against women and girls.
Without naming Hussey, she later tweeted how Hussey approached her after revealing that she was born, raised and British in the UK. They asked her: “Where do you really come from, where do your people come from?”
She then felt compelled to explain that she had “African roots” and “Caribbean descent”. At the same time, however, she once again emphasized that she was a British citizen. The exchange left her with “mixed feelings,” said the executive director of the London-based movement Sistah Space.
Hussey, 83, is a member of the Royal Household and was a long-time maid of honor to the former Queen Elizabeth II. She is one of Prince William’s six godparents.
Buckingham Palace apologized for the incident on Wednesday. The comments were “unacceptable and deeply regrettable,” the palace said. The person concerned apologized for the damage caused and had resigned from their voluntary work.
A spokesman for Prince William and his wife Kate also commented on the incident in Boston. “These statements were unacceptable,” said the spokesman. It is correct that the person concerned resigned “with immediate effect”. Prince William was not involved in the decision, but believes that it is correct.
William’s brother Prince Harry and his wife Meghan had also accused unnamed members of the royal family of racism in the past. In a TV interview, they reported that Meghan’s African-American mother had speculated loudly in the palace about how dark-skinned Meghan’s unborn son would be. At the time, William emphasized that the royals were “not a racist family”.
A meeting of the two brothers during William and Kate’s trip to the USA is not on the official agenda. Since Harry’s marriage to Meghan in 2018, the two brothers have become increasingly estranged. In 2020, Harry and Meghan turned their backs on royalty and Britain and moved to the United States.
