Boston Welcomes Prince William and Princess Kate in First Overseas Visit Since Queen's Death

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Crowds gathered at City Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, November 30, to welcome Prince William and Princess Kate, who were visiting the city to award the 2022 Earthshot Prize.

The visit was the royal couple’s "first time traveling overseas since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The pair’s last visit to Boston was in 2014, according to local news reports.

Video livestreamed by the City of Boston on Wednesday shows Prince William addressing the crowd. The prince and princess joined city officials to press a button that turned City Hall green ahead of the Earthshot event.

The Earthshot awards will give five inventors one million pounds each for the “most ingenious solutions to repair and regenerate our planet.” The ceremony will be held December 2 at the MGM Music Hall. Credit: Boston City TV via Storyful

Video Transcript

PRINCE WILLIAM: Thank you, Mayor Wu. And may I say, thank you to all the Hardy Bostonians braving the rain this evening.

[CHEERING]

Catherine and I are absolutely delighted to be with you today for our first engagement in the great city of Boston. As we start the countdown to the Earthshot Prize awards this Friday, thank you to Mayor Wu and Reverend White Hammond for all your support for the Earthshot Prize.

There are two reasons why Boston was the obvious choice to be the home of the Earthshot Prize in its second year. 60 years ago, President John F. Kennedy's moonshot speech laid down a challenge to American innovation and ingenuity. "We choose to go to the moon," he said, "not because it is easy but because it is hard." 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 that in President Kennedy's hometown in partnership with his daughter and the foundation that continues his legacy. Boston was also the obvious choice because your universities, research centers, and vibrant startup scene make you a global leader in science, innovation, and boundless ambition.

Mayor Wu, you have also been a leader in putting climate policies at the heart of your administration. Thank you. 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. 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. Thank you.

MICHELLE WU: We need everyone's help to make this special button work, so we're all going to count down from five together. Ready? 5, 4--

- 3, 2, 1.

[CHEERING]