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Bostonians’ Take on the Royals’ Whirlwind Visit? Whatevah.

As breathless online commentary tracked the royal couple’s every move during their visit, swaths of their host city remained unimpressed.

By Jenna Russell

BOSTON — Crowds had gathered at rain-swept City Hall Plaza to welcome Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales, the photogenic royals who touched down on Wednesday for a whirlwind three-day tour.

So were patrons abuzz about the visit two miles away at Santarpio’s, a bare-bones bar and pizza joint, and East Boston institution?

“Not yet,” a bartender said dryly as he hustled crispy pizzas and plates of steaming sausage to a row of diners Wednesday night, his expression suggesting the likelihood of any buzz was quite low.

As breathless online commentary tracked the royal couple’s every movement and designer wardrobe change for a global audience of devoted palace watchers, laconic swaths of their host city remained unimpressed, if not wholly unaware of their presence.

At a Dunkin’ in the diverse Dorchester neighborhood on Thursday, a woman waiting for her order in a puffy winter coat, hood up, declined to talk to a reporter, then asked what the story was about.

Informed of the topic, she curtly shook her head.

“Don’t care,” she said.

The city’s history helps explain its deep veins of indifference, said Brooke Barbier, a historian who also offers guided tours of Boston. Because its identity is so rooted in the American Revolution and its rejection of monarchy, and because its landscape is still littered with vivid reminders of that past, “it makes sense, even centuries later, that Boston can’t care about the monarchy,” she said. “Even if, secretly, they care.”

Commuters cross the site of the Boston Massacre on their way to the subway (the place where it happened, then King Street, was later renamed); at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, actors routinely re-enact the colonists’ famous 1773 protest against British taxation.

Fans of the first-place Boston Celtics seemed to channel vestiges of that feistiness on Wednesday night, when William and Kate attended a game at TD Garden alongside city officials, and were reportedly met with scattered chants of “USA! USA!” amid the louder cheering, when their faces were shown on a giant screen.

Asked after the game about the thrill of playing in front of royalty, the Celtics star Jaylen Brown, a Georgia native, did not hide his disinterest .

“It was just a regular game to me,” he said.

Some Bostonians said they cannot tolerate the royal family because of allegations of racism among some members and associates, including a new report this week of racist comments by Prince William’s godmother.

“I can’t talk about them because I’ll get mad,” said a woman hurrying to catch a train in Dorchester on Thursday, referencing reports that the royal family had mistreated Meghan Markle, William and Kate’s sister-in-law, who is biracial.

At a ceremony welcoming the couple on Wednesday, one city official, the Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, made a point of calling out a “legacy of colonialism and racism” linked to the monarchy.

In true Boston fashion, traffic was also a sticking point, with many locals dreading the prospect of more disruption and delay caused by the royal entourage and security. In neighboring Somerville, where the prince and princess planned to visit an environmental start-up incubator, some took to Twitter to lament the likely impact on their grocery shopping, calling it “a bad day to go to Market Basket,” a reference to the beloved local grocery chain.

Still, many noted with approval the higher purpose for the royal visit. Friday evening, William and Kate celebrated the winners of the Earthshot Prize , the award they created to encourage work addressing climate change. The project was inspired by John F. Kennedy’s 1960s “moonshot” challenge, which pledged to send Americans to the moon within the decade — a connection that inspired the choice of Boston as the first American city to host the glitzy awards ceremony, held at a venue next to Fenway Park.

Also on Friday, William visited the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester for a tour and a meeting with President Biden, a part of the prince’s itinerary that won him grudging acknowledgment from some locals.

“They seem to have done their homework, and they’re referencing things that Bostonians care about,” said Ann Walsh, a lifelong Dorchester resident. “I wouldn’t go out of my way to see them, but they are genuinely charming.”

That said, she deemed the visit “not much of an event” and said she would be offended by any excessive show of deference to royalty: “This is America, and I think that’s an important part of who we are, that we don’t deify people.”

At Dorchester’s storied Eire Pub, where news coverage of the royals flashed on TVs above the bar, Johnny Curran, a longtime bartender, said he had heard no chatter about the visit.

“I said to my wife this morning, ‘I put my pants on the same way he does — why is he so special?’” one patron, Kevin Healey, said of the prince.

Pockets of enthusiasm could be found. The Subway sandwich shop on Dorchester’s Morrissey Boulevard, near the JFK museum, was one.

“People are pretty excited,” said Michelle Maduka, an employee who attends school at the nearby Boston campus of the University of Massachusetts.

Excited about the proximity to royalty? Well, no.

“There’s definitely going to be a lot of traffic, and last time when Biden came, some classes were canceled,” Ms. Maduka said.

A co-worker, Daniel Eke, said he would not mind meeting the prince. Mr. Eke was not scheduled to work on Friday, but he had begun to wonder if he should.

“If you could tell me they’re coming here — like, they love Subway and they’re coming to Morrissey Boulevard — then I’m going to pick up Friday,” he said.

Jenna Russell is the lead reporter covering New England for The Times. She is based near Boston. More about Jenna Russell

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Kate Middleton and Prince William's Boston Trip Details Revealed: Their 'Super Bowl'

The Prince and Princess of Wales are "both extremely excited for the visit," which will end with a glamorous night out at the Earthshot Prize Awards

Kate Middleton and Prince William are all set for what staffers are calling their "Super Bowl moment."

The Prince and Princess of Wales will arrive in Boston on Wednesday, and some details of their visit have been unveiled by their office. Their three days in the U.S. will end with the celebration of new ideas to solve the planet's issues, the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony.

Kate and Prince William , who last came to the U.S. in 2014 for a visit to New York City , are "both extremely excited for the visit," a source close to the couple tells PEOPLE. "They feel and appreciate the warmth and excitement of the American people for their return to the U.S. and are really looking forward to meeting as many folks as possible."

Prince William refers to the Earthshot Prize Awards — which will air on PBS on Sunday, December 4 — as his attempt to provide some urgent optimism about tackling environmental issues and climate change. He and Princess Kate are "excited to be able to bring that to the United States and inspire people stateside and around the world through the incredible stories we are going to tell," the source says.

The source adds, "The prize has become the Prince's Super Bowl moment of the year, and he looks forward to continuing to use the platform each year to shine a light on some of the most impactful projects doing amazing things around the world to save our planet's future."

For more on the Royals, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

While the Earthshot Prize on Friday evening is the ultimate reason for their visit, the couple also sees it as an opportunity to "fact-find" about some of the causes and interests close to their hearts. "Some of the things we are focused on right now is supporting some of the most hard-pressed communities up and down the U.K. and we will continue to do that in Boston," adds the source.

Prince William and Kate's trip will start with a welcome at Boston City Hall, where Mayor Michelle Wu and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy will help the couple start the countdown to the glitzy, star-studded Earthshot Prize ceremony at the MGM Music Hall on Friday evening.

On Thursday, Prince William and Kate, both 40, will see the work that organizations in Boston are doing to create a more sustainable world, and they'll learn about some of the innovative technologies being utilized at Greentown Labs in Somerville.

Later on Thursday, they will hear about the efforts of Roca, a non-profit organization that's worked for 35 years to create a cohesive approach to save and help change the journey of the lives of high-risk young people.

Princess Kate will make a solo visit to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University on Friday to learn some of the best practices that can be taken back to her own Royal Foundation and The Centre for Early Childhood as she builds her pioneering work in the area.

Meanwhile, Prince William will tour the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot — which challenged America to put a man on the moon — is the key inspiration behind the Earthshot Prize.

Arriving in the U.S. will put the couple on the same continent as Prince William's brother Prince Harry and sister-in-law Meghan Markle , although they're not expected to spend time together.

The California-based couple is set for an East Coast night of their own on December 6, when they receive the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award at a New York City gala.

Meghan and Prince Harry 's Netflix docuseries is also expected to premiere in December .

But an aide says highlighting and championing the Earthshot Prize is Prince William and Kate's main focus, "and we won't be distracted by other things."

This is also Prince William and Kate's first trip abroad as Prince and Princess of Wales, and with that comes inevitable parallels with William's parents — most especially Princess Diana , who was so popular in the U.S.

"They realize the history and the warm affection people feel towards those roles, but they are keen to pave their own path and create their own history," the source says.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE 's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton , Meghan Markle and more!

A source adds, "The golden thread for them is the commitment to duty and service — being there in the communities and supporting the communities up and down the country and around the world where they can."

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Prince William and Kate Finish 3-Day Trip to Boston With Glamorous Earthshot Ceremony

William and kate's first trip to the united states in eight years will come to a head on friday, as they dole out the earthshot prize awards, but they also have other appearances scheduled throughout the day, by staff reports • published december 2, 2022 • updated on december 3, 2022 at 10:26 pm.

After two days of crisscrossing Greater Boston for a series of appearances, the Prince and Princess of Wales will wrap up their time in the Bay State Friday by announcing the winners of the Earthshot Awards during a glitzy ceremony at the MGM Music Hall.

William and Kate arrived in Boston Wednesday, and ever since, have kept a jam-packed schedule that has taken them to TD Garden for a Celtics game, innovative organizations in Chelsea and Somerville and East Boston to see the work a prior Earthshot Prize winner will be doing.

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The Prince and Princess have been met with crowds of onlookers during their stops in and around the city, as people reveled at the presence of British royalty in their backyard.

Photos: Here's Who Walked ‘Green Carpet' at Prince William's Earthshot Prize Ceremony in Boston

Their first trip to the United States in eight years will come to a head on Friday, as they give out the Earthshot Prize Awards, but they also had other appearances scheduled throughout the day. On top of it all, President Joe Biden was in town and met with Prince William .

Here's what was on the royal agenda for Friday:

Appearances at Harvard and the JFK Library

As the Prince and Princess woke up for a second time in Boston, they headed in different directions Friday, before wrapping up their trip together at the award ceremony.

Princess Kate visited the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University Friday morning to speak with researchers about the work they are doing.

The Center on the Developing Child looks at developing strategies that can be implemented in order to improve life outcomes for children who face adversity.

📍 @Harvard Advances in science are at the heart of The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard. Great to see how international collaboration with @earlychildhood is facilitating the sharing of best practice on the early years across the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/ZPNUO5m4Bp — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 2, 2022

The Princess met with the center as part of her work highlighting the significance of early years, and their relationship to lifelong outcome.

Prince William, on the other hand, is in Dorchester Friday, where he is paying a visit to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The Prince met with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and got a tour of the museum. William's Earthshot Prize was inspired by JFK's Moonshot, which challenged America to get a man in the moon in the 1960s.

JFK’s Moonshot continues to inspire the work of the @EarthshotPrize , and so on our final day here in Boston it’s been a pleasure to visit @JFKLibrary to learn more about his life and legacy and spend time with his daughter, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy. And now to the Awards…! pic.twitter.com/vY1TpLXiWi — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 2, 2022

Prince William met with President Biden at the library as well.

They greeted each other with a handshake and spoke privately for about 30 minutes, discussing the Earthshot Prize and shared memories of the late Queen Elizabeth. It was a "warm meeting by all accounts," a British government official told NBC News.

Wonderful to see @POTUS in Boston this afternoon! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/uZgwTVJdwi — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 2, 2022

The Earthshot Prize Awards

The royal couple's trip will culminate Friday evening at the new MGM Music Hall for the Earthshot Prize Awards, the whole reason behind their trip to Boston. They were greeted by cheering crowds when they arrived Friday evening. Kate wowed in a green Solace London gown from rental site HURR, completing the look with an emerald choker belonging to Princess Diana, according to a Kensington Palace spokesperson, E! Online reported. William was by her side in a classic black tux for the ceremony.

The Earthshot is the global challenge founded in 2020 by Prince William and the Royal Foundation in an effort to reward those working to repair the planet.

The Prince and Princess of Wales will finally be announcing the newest winners of the Earthshot Prize Awards during Friday's ceremony.

There are 15 finalists set to be honored, with five winners to be announced – all during a celebrity-packed celebration of the planet and conservation, complete with a green carpet.

One winner will be selected from each of these five categories: protect and restore nature, clean our air, revive our oceans, build a waste-free world, and fix our climate. Each winner will receive more than a million dollars for their cause.

People who are planning on being in the Fenway area, should be aware there will be several detours and no parking near the event. Boston Police said the best bet is to walk, bike, or use public transportation.

Earthshot CEO Hannah Jones said whether you’re lucky enough to be there in person, or watching it live as it’s aired on television around the globe – they hope to inspire the world with urgent optimism.

“Although it may sometimes seem seemingly impossible to actually get to a place where we repair the planet, we believe all of us that it is possible with human ingenuity, grit, determination and collaboration. And that’s the message we want to bring to Boston and to the world.”

💚 #EarthshotBoston2022 pic.twitter.com/LBRWU4OWlT — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 2, 2022

The crowd waiting outside the Four Seasons hotel was hoping for one last sighting of the royal couple before the royal visit came to an end.

“So I’ve kind of been following them around since they arrived and hunting them down a little bit,” said Jamaica Plain resident Kelli Crisan. “I just got glimpses.”

It was one more chance to see the future king and queen of England.

“It’s been thrilling,” said Back Bay resident Laura Ogonowski. “Knowing they’re a couple blocks from my house is really exciting.”

And as the Prince and Princess of Wales headed to the Earthshot Prize ceremony before heading back to London, the prince rolled down his window and waved to the eager crowd.

“On my video you can hear me say “Hi William” and he waves at me,” said Heidi Bryant. “He was waving at all of us but I’ll take it as a personal wave to me.”

PHOTOS: William, Kate Make a Royal Visit to Boston

When Bryant heard the Prince and Princess of Wales were heading to Boston, she booked a trip from Alaska just to be a part of the royal excitement.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” said Bryant.

It’s been a historic few days in the city.

Under blustery Boston temperatures, their majesties made several appearances this week including meeting with groups in Somerville and Chelsea. They were courtside at a Celtics game and visited East Boston to take a look at Boston Harbor to understand the complex climate issues facing the city. Friday, the princess was at Harvard while the prince met with President Joe Biden and Caroline Kennedy.

It all culminated with the glitz and glamour of the Earthshot ceremony Friday night.

The royal tour left a mark on Boston and it's something many will never forget.

“Exhilarating,” said Crisan. “I just feel we’re almost royals because we have royalty here.”

Earthshot Prize Award Winners

For the second time ever, and the first time in the U.S., the Earthshot Prize announced five $1 million prize winners Friday night following a "rigorous selection process" that focused on identifying the most inspirational, impactful, and inclusive solutions.

The five 2022 winners are:

Clean our Air: Mukuru Clean Stoves, Kenya – A start-up providing cleaner-burning stoves to women in Kenya to reduce unhealthy indoor pollution and provide a safer way to cook.

Protect and Restore Nature: Kheyti, India – A pioneering solution for local smallholder farmers to reduce costs, increase yields, and protect livelihoods in a country on the frontlines of climate change.

Revive our Oceans: Indigenous Women of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia – An inspiring women-led program that combines 60,000 years of indigenous knowledge with digital technologies to protect land and sea.

Build a Waste-free World: Notpla, United Kingdom – A circular solution creating an alternative to plastic packaging from seaweed.

Fix our Climate: 44.01, Oman – Created by childhood friends who have developed an innovative technique to turn CO2 into rock, and permanently store it underground.

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Prince William, Kate head to Boston: Everything to know about the couple's 1st US trip in 8 years

The Prince and Princess of Wales are coming to America.

Prince William and Kate will travel to Boston this week, marking their first visit to the United States since 2014, when they visited New York City and famously shook hands with Beyoncé and Jay-Z at a Brooklyn Nets game.

The royals will arrive in Boston on Wednesday, two days ahead of the second annual awards ceremony for the Earthshot Prize, an initiative William launched in 2019 to create solutions for environmental problems.

Their itinerary in the city includes everything from meeting Caroline Kennedy to visiting Harvard University.

The visit to Boston is William and Kate's first overseas trip since the death of William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September, and their first overseas trip since taking on the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales .

"TRHs are both excited for their first international trip since taking on their news roles as Prince and Princess of Wales," a Kensington Palace spokesperson told ABC News. "Both appreciate the history associated to the titles but understandably want to look to the future and pave their own paths."

Here is what to watch on each day of William and Kate's three-day visit.

Wednesday: Welcome celebration in Boston

William and Kate will be welcomed to Boston on Nov. 30 in a ceremony at City Hall attended by Kennedy and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who made history last year as the first woman and first person of color to be elected mayor.

In honor of the Earthshot Prize's focus on the environment, landmarks across the city, including City Hall, will be lit up in the color green.

Thursday: Visiting with high-risk youth

The royal couple will start their second day in Boston with a visit to Greentown Labs, a climate technology start-up incubator, in nearby Somerville, Massachusetts.

According to Kensington Palace, William and Kate will learn during the visit about "climate innovations" being incubated in Boston.

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From there, the couple will travel just a few miles to Chelsea, where they will visit Roca, nonprofit organization that focuses on helping high-risk young people between the ages of 16 and 24, according to the palace.

William and Kate will meet with leaders of the organization and with participants in the young mothers' and young men's programs.

Friday: Earthshot Awards at MGM Music Hall

Friday's main event will be the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, which will be held Friday night at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, located close to Fenway Park.

The ceremony, which will air around the world on Dec. 4, will see five winners awarded $1 million grants each to scale their solutions to help repair planet Earth.

The ceremony will also include live performances by Billie Eilish, Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding and Chloe.x.Halle, and will feature actors including Rami Malek, Catherine O’Hara, Shailene Woodley and Daniel Dae Kim as hosts and presenters.

MORE: Kate, the Princess of Wales, dazzles in Lover's Knot Tiara at state banquet

Earlier in the day Friday, Kate and William will each attend separate events.

Kate, who has made early childhood education a focus of her royal work, will meet with researchers at The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

William plans to tour the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum along with Caroline Kennedy.

William has said that President John F. Kennedy's "moonshot" challenge in 1962 to land a man on the moon within 10 years was the inspiration behind his Earthshot Prize, which has a goal to find solutions to repair the planet within the next 10 years.

The John F. Kennedy Foundation partnered with Earthshot Prize to bring this year's awards ceremony to Boston, according to the organization .

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In Photos: The Prince and Princess of Wales Visit Boston and Harvard

The Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020, was inspired by the 1961 Moonshot initiative, which worked to send an American to the Moon within a decade. Earthshot similarly aims to spark and incentivize urgent optimism, innovation, and action to help repair the planet.

On Thursday, the prince and princess of Wales toured Piers Park in East Boston with Mayor Michelle Wu and Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, the city’s chief of environment, energy, and open space.

At Piers Park, the royals had a first-hand look at the climate challenges facing Boston Harbor. Massachusetts recently broke ground on Piers Park II, which will establish more greenspace along the East Boston waterfront with key resiliency features to help protect the area from flooding and rising sea levels.

The princess has focused her work on promoting the physical, emotional, and cognitive development of children around the globe. As part of the trip, she will visit the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child, which aims to drive science-based innovation to aid children facing adversity. The Center works with policy, research, and philanthropy leaders to improve children’s learning capacity, health, and social mobility.

The Harvard Center on the Developing Child works in collaboration with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which the princess established in 2021 to drive awareness and provide support to underserved children around the globe.

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood — a dedicated unit within the princess and prince’s philanthropic organization — promotes and commissions research to address challenges faced by children under the age of five. The Centre also leads campaigns to raise awareness about the important role early years play in shaping a child’s future.

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BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William and Kate Middleton watch the first half of the Celtics game against the Miami Heat at the TD Garden on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Gov.-elect Maura Healey laughs with Prince William during the first half of the Celtics game against the Miami Heat at the TD Garden on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William and Kate Middleton watch the first half of the NBA game against the Miami Heat at the TD Garden on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William and Kate Middleton watch the first half of the Celtics game against the Miami Heat at the TD Garden on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William and Kate Middleton watch the first half of the Celtics game against the Miami Heat at the TD Garden on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. Massachusetts Gov.-elect Maura Healey is sitting next to Prince William. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: From left, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Gov.-elect Maura Healey, Prince William and Kate Middleton stand during the National Anthem before the Celtics game against the Miami Heat at the TD Garden on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Boston, MA - 113022: The visit of Prince of Wales William and Princess of Wales Kate to Boston City Hall on Wednesday,November 30, 2022 in Boston, MA.(Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) '

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September.(John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachussetts, on November 30, 2022. (Photo by John TLUMACKI / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN TLUMACKI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Boston, MA - 113022: Mayor Michell Wu and her family show photos of the Queens visit in 1976 during the visit of Prince of Wales William and Princess of Wales Kate to Boston City Hall on Wednesday,November 30, 2022 in Boston, MA.(Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Boston, MA - 113022: Mayor Michelle Wu and her family and governor elect Maura Healey walk with Prince of Wales William and Princess of Wales Kate in Boston City Hall on Wednesday,November 30, 2022 in Boston, MA.(Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Boston, MA - 113022: Mayor Michelle Wu and her family show photos of the Queens visit in 1976 during the visit of Prince of Wales William and Princess of Wales Kate to Boston City Hall on Wednesday,November 30, 2022 in Boston, MA.(Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The royal couple are greeted by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, not pictured, at the airport. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive at Boston Logan International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. They were met by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, rear, and first lady Lauren Baker. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald

Boston City Hall last November. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: A crowd gathers to see Prince William and Kate Middleton outside Boston City Hall on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey greets the Prince and Princess of Wales Boston City Hall on November 30, 2022, in Boston, MA. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey greets the Prince and Princess of Wales during their visit to Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: From left, Kate Middleton, Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu gather outside Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 in. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William speaks outside Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William, Kate Middleton and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu gather outside Boston City Hall on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive in Boston on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022, the first of their three-day trip to Boston. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks outside Boston City Hall on November 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey greet Prince and Princess of Wales visit Boston City Hall on November 30, 2022 in , BOSTON, MA. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William addresses a crowd gathered outside Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu greets Kate Middleton and Prince William during their visit to Boston City Hall on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu greet Kate Middleton and Prince William during their visit to Boston City Hall on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: Prince William addresses a crowd gathered outside Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Boston, MA - 113022: On Monday, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, arrived in Boston. The couple are making their first trip to the U.S. in eight years. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Boston, MA - 113022: From left, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu along with her family, Prince William, Kate Middleton and Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey outside Boston City Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022 in Boston, MA.(Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

From left, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, join Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu in pushing a button described as a button to illuminate buildings in Boston in green light, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

BOSTON, MA - November 30: A crowd gathers to see Prince William and Kate Middleton outside Boston City Hall on Monday, Nov. 30, 2022. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Prince William thanked “all the hearty Bostonians” who spent the Wednesday afternoon getting rained on as they waited for him to speak for a total of about 2 minutes and 20 seconds — and his wife Princess Kate to remain silent in the background.

William, who’s next in line for the British monarchy and the eldest grandson of the late Queen Elizabeth II, is in town to present his “Earthshot” prize for climate innovations — inspired by former President John F. Kennedy’s “Moonshot” initiative — on Friday.

“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 this space race,” William told the umbrella-wielding crowd as the rain continued to fall heavily. “And where better to hold this year’s award ceremony than in President Kennedy’s hometown, in partnership with his daughter and the foundation that continues his legacy.”

William, Kate, Wu and Healey all spoke in the newly christened “Speakers Corner” of the recently reopened City Hall Plaza a few hundred feet from where the Boston Massacre happened in the leadup to the Revolutionary War. The Union Jack British flag flapped in the swirling winds on the third flagpole outside of City Hall next to the U.S. and city banners.

William and Kate landed in this former British colony on Wednesday afternoon, and they were slated to see the sights and hit up a Boston Celtics game, continuing with the green theme of the brief presser, before going to the JFK Library and then holding the award ceremony in the Fenway area on Friday. No word on whether the old English monarchy is going to hit up the New England Patriots game in town Thursday night.

Wu, speaking at the press conference, thanked them for coming, noting that they bring “our generation’s determination, ingenuity and resilience” — she’s 37 and the royals are 40 — to the climate-change fight.

“Boston is committed to being the greenest city in the country,” Wu said. “And we are infusing climate progress into everything we do.”

And Healey, the current state attorney general who takes the new office in January, said, “This is our chance to create great paying jobs, protect our communities and address environmental injustice that have persisted for far too long.”

The event itself only ran a bit over half an hour, plus a several-minute performance from Boston Children’s Chorus. The longest portion of which was the Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, the city’s environmental chief, vamping for better than 15 minutes about her personal activism as the royals, Wu and Healey schmoozed inside out of the elements.

Per the pool report, Healey, Wu, City Councilor President Ed Flynn and the royals had tea and cake in the Eagle Room in the mayor’s offices, joined by Wu’s two kids and husband.

Wu talked about environmental issues, and Flynn said he talked about veterans’ issues.

This is the first time since 1976 that British royals have been in City Hall; then, William’s grandmother joined Mayor Kevin White for the U.S.’s bicentennial anniversary of the country declaring independence from England.

Even though the speaking program was wet and brief, many of the observers nonetheless went home satisfied.

Angela Potier told the Herald she showed up at noon because she’s so fascinated by the British monarchy in general.

“I’m just interested in the head of state being different from government,” the Bostonian said. ” I’m a huge royal fan.”

She’d befriended other interested young people, swapping pics with Boston University student Daniel Juweid.

Juweid, a Jordanian native, said he just wanted to catch the spectacle of it all.

“Just who they are,” he said.

And Candice Lem-Trzeinka, who works nearby, said she had been excited to hear their environmental vision.

“I love the way he likened it to the Moonshot,” she said.

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