Yahoo Finance Prince William Makes Personal Statement About Queen Elizabeth amid First Overseas Visit Since Her Death
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Prince William and Queen Elizabeth
Prince William is honoring the late Queen Elizabeth as he arrives in Boston for his first overseas visit since his grandmother's death in September.
On Wednesday, William and his wife Kate Middleton touched down in Boston for their first U.S. visit in eight years. The Prince and Princess of Wales will spend three days in Boston leading up to the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony on Friday.
Upon his arrival, William spoke of his grandmother's legacy and how his visit echoes the Queen's trip to Boston in the '70s.
"On this, our first overseas visit since the death of my grandmother, I would like to thank the people of Massachusetts and particularly of Boston for their many tributes paid to the late Queen. She remembered her 1976 bicentennial visit with great fondness," William said.
"My grandmother was one of life's optimists. And so am I. That is why last year we launched the Earthshot Prize with the ambition to create a truly global platform to inspire hope and urgent optimism as we look to save the future of our planet," he continued.
Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Prince William
Queen Elizabeth, who died in September at age 96, and Prince Philip, who died in 2021 at age 99, toured Boston on July 11, 1976, as part of the U.S.'s bicentenary celebrations. Their trip to the United States also included stops in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Crowds packed Congress Street outside City Hall trying to catch a glimpse of the Queen and Boston Mayor Kevin White as they rode in an open-top car.
The Queen and Prince Philip also waved to those gathered outside the Old State House from the building's balcony.
The Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, has also paid a visit to Boston, traveling there in September 2000 to receive the Bette Davis Special Achievement Award at Boston University.
Chris Jackson/Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton
More recently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were on-hand in London to welcome the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees for a special two-game series at London Stadium in June 2019. The couple, who relocated to Meghan's home state of California in 2020, posed with the baseball teams in their locker rooms.
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During their visit to Boston, Massachusetts, Prince William and Kate, both 40, will also spotlight and celebrate the "inspiring" city for their work on addressing the impacts of climate change and building a resilient future, they said in a statement.
The couple's three-day visit will conclude with the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony at MGM Music Hall on Dec. 2.
