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Live updates: The Prince and Princess of Wales are visiting Boston. Here’s what they’re up to.

The royal couple is in Greater Boston for three days, beginning Wednesday.

By Christopher Gavin, Ross Cristantiello, Abby Patkin, Clara McCourt, Dialynn Dwyer, and Kevin Slane

updated on December 2, 2022

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The British are …here.

William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, began a three-day visit to the Boston area on Wednesday, that kicked off with a meeting with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and will culminate with a star-packed awards ceremony for the prince’s Earthshot Prize at MGM Music Hall at Fenway on Friday.

In between, the royal couple will make several stops, including a visit to climate tech startup Greentown Labs in Somerville and Chelsea nonprofit Roca on Thursday, and separate visits to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on Friday.

The trip, the first outside the United Kingdom for William and Catherine since taking on their new roles as Prince and Princess of Wales in September, revolves around the prince’s global environmental prize cermony.

Boston is, after all, an apt choice for the festivities: The Earthshot Prize draws inspiration from President John F. Kennedy’s moonshot challenge in the 1960s by taking the same sense of urgency and applying it to creating solutions to reverse environmental damage over the next decade.

Prizes will be awarded for five categories: protecting and restoring nature, cleaning the air, reviving the oceans, building a waste-free world, and fixing the climate, according to the foundation. The five winners will each receive 1 million pounds.

Here’s everything to know about the trip:

And here are the latest updates on the royal visit to Boston:

Here’s what happened at the Earthshot Prize award ceremony

Prince William and Princess Catherine wrapped up their three-day trip to Boston on Friday evening at the Earthshot Prize award ceremony, capping off the royal couple’s first visit to America in nearly a decade. 

During a Friday evening ceremony at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Prince William announced five environmental entrepreneurs and innovators who were awarded £1 million prizes for their “groundbreaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet.” 

Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot challenge in the 1960s — which sought to put a man on the moon within the decade — the Earthshot Prize aims to fund solutions to put the world on a path toward a stable climate by 2030.

Standing on a stage covered in trees and other assorted greenery, the prince emphasized the global importance of the projects undertaken by each of the winners, who hail from Kenya, India, Oman, Australia, and the royal couple’s own United Kingdom.

“I believe that the Earthshot solutions you have seen this evening prove we can overcome our planet’s greatest challenges. And by supporting and scaling them we can change our future,” the Prince of Wales said. “Alongside tonight’s winners and finalists, and those to be discovered over the years to come, it’s my hope the Earthshot legacy will continue to grow, helping our communities and our planet to thrive.”

Prior to the ceremony, a number of notable names ditched the traditional red carpet in favor of a “green carpet,” including former soccer superstar David Beckham (who also spoke during the ceremony), actor Rami Malek, musician Annie Lennox, actress Shailene Woodley, singer Ellie Goulding, R&B duo Chloe x Halle (who performed during the ceremony), U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, and actress Catherine O’Hara.

In the U.S., the Earthshot Prize ceremony will begin streaming on Monday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. on PBS.org and the PBS app, and at 8 p.m. on the PBS YouTube channel. PBS will also broadcast the event on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m.

You can find out more information about each of the five winners of the Earthshot Prize 2022 below, as well as on the Earthshot Prize website.

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.

Photos: See who walked the ‘green carpet’ at Prince William’s star-studded Earthshot Prize ceremony

Celebrities from around the globe walked the “green carpet” in Boston Friday evening, guests of Prince William and Princess Catherine as the royal couple hosted the second annual Earthshot Prize award ceremony.

Arrivals began in the early evening outside MGM Music Hall at Fenway, where Prince William will bestow five £1 million prizes to environmental entrepreneurs and innovators for their “groundbreaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet.”

A mix of environmentally-conscious celebrities, Boston-area business leaders, and political figures began arriving shortly after 4 p.m., greeting crowds that lined Lansdowne Street. Among those attending were former soccer star David Beckham, actor Rami Malek, musician Annie Lennox, actress Shailene Woodley, singer Ellie Goulding, R&B duo Chloe x Halle, U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, and actress Catherine O’Hara.

Click here to see all of the photos from The Earthshot Prize green carpet.

Biden shares memories of the late queen in visit with Prince William

Overlapping in their respective visits to Boston, President Joe Biden met with Prince William on Friday afternoon at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester.

“Where’s your top coat?” Biden jokingly asked William as the two greeted each other in front of the museum around 3 p.m. “You look freezing.”

The prince commented on the “spectacular setting” as the pair stood at the water’s edge, chatting briefly before walking toward the building. Prince William thanked Biden for traveling to London for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September, and both shared memories of the late queen, according to a spokesperson for the prince. 

The president and the Prince of Wales spent 30 minutes together at the JFK library, the spokesperson said. 

“The President was keen to learn about the Prince’s Earthshot Prize and some of the stories from the finalists, including the Great Bubble Barrier, a 2022 finalist in the Revive Our Oceans category,” the spokesperson said. 

Biden, who is attending a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reception Friday night, will not make an appearance at the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.

At JFK Library, Prince William gets a personal tour — from the Kennedys

Throughout his time in Boston this week, there has clearly been the legacy of at least one Bostonian weighing heavy on Prince William’s mind.

Leading up to his Earthshot Prize awards ceremony on Friday, the Prince of Wales has been quick to profess President John F. Kennedy’s “moonshot” challenge that ushered in the age of space exploration as the not-so-subtle inspiration behind his own work to spotlight pioneering solutions for environmental issues.

On Friday afternoon, the prince got a special look into that bit of history from 60 years ago alongside one of the people closest to the former late president: Kennedy’s own daughter and the U.S. Ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy.

The British royal met with the heir to the famed American political dynasty at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester, where the two got to look over a copy of the president’s famed 1962 moonshot speech that featured the commander in chief’s handwritten notes, according to a pool report from Town & Country.

With them was Kennedy’s son and daughter, Jack Kennedy Schlossberg and Tatiana Schlossberg.

The group also looked over a 1/8th model of the Gemini capsule given to the president by the personnel of McDonnell Aircraft Corporation on Dec. 9, 1962.

During the tour, Kennedy stopped to point to a signed photo of Queen Elizabeth II, given to the Kennedys during a presidential visit to Buckingham Palace.

“There’s the one from your grandmother,” Kennedy told William.

“Oh yeah, 1961,” the prince responded.

The group then attended a private lunch at the complex.

A spokesperson for the Prince of Wales shared excerpts of William’s remarks during the event: “Just over a year ago, we committed to bring the Earthsot Prize to Boston, the birthplace of your father, and the man who inspired our mission,” the prince said. “The 2022 winners announced later today are the next step on our collective journey. Their stories are inspiring, and their solutions are game changing.”

During his time at the library, Prince William was expected to meet with President Biden.

Shortly after Air Force One landed at Logan Airport around 2:20 p.m., the prince’s spokesperson told reporters the Prince “is likely to discuss” with Biden the Earthshot Prize ceremony and “will share the legacy of last year’s finalists and the impact they’re having globally.”

“He’s also keen to express his thanks to the American people for the warm reception he and the Princess have received this week,” the spokesperson said.

‘Hopefully this will be the first of many,’ Princess Kate says of visit to Harvard

Crowds flocked to Church Street in Harvard Square on Friday to greet the Princess of Wales as she stopped by The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. The visit was billed as part of Princess Kate’s “ongoing work to elevate the importance of the early years to lifelong outcomes.” 

The Harvard center has previously partnered with the princess’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

During the event, she heard from researchers and spoke about her own early years project, according to reporters on the scene. She took notes during the conversation and also signed a visitors book that had been signed by then-Prince Charles in 1986. 

“Hopefully this will be the first of many,” the princess said of the visit to the Harvard center, according to reporters at the scene. 

After the event, Kate greeted the crowds lining the sidewalks, shaking hands and taking selfies.

Prince William pens essay on his optimism for the planet: ‘In Boston, we want to demonstrate what we can all do to help’

Hours ahead of when his Earthshot Prize awards ceremony takes the stage at MGM Music Hall at Fenway on Friday, Prince William opened up about his strong hope in humanity’s ability to navigate the challenges of the climate crisis in an essay published by HuffPost.

“I am an optimist. A stubborn optimist. I believe in the power of human ingenuity and I’m thrilled to bring The Earthshot Prize to the U.S.,” the Prince of Wales wrote.

“This week, in Boston, we want to demonstrate what we can all do to help put the world on a path toward a stable climate, where communities, nature and oceans thrive in harmony.”

The prince explains how President John F. Kennedy’s drive to reach the moon within a decade’s time served as an inspiration to him in founding the awards. 

“Today the 2022 cohort of winners will be unveiled at the second annual awards ceremony, which takes place in Boston ― the birthplace of President John F. Kennedy, a world-renowned center of scientific research and innovation, and a city committed to leadership on climate renewal,” William wrote.

Prizes will be awarded to winners working to create solutions to environmental damage in five categories: protecting and restoring nature, cleaning the air, reviving the oceans, building a waste-free world, and fixing the climate. The five winners will each receive 1 million pounds. 

Read the full essay on HuffPost.

Prince William to meet with President Biden at JFK Library in Dorchester

President Biden will meet with Prince William on Friday afternoon at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester, according to the president’s schedule released by the White House.

The president will fly to Boston Friday afternoon from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and arrive at Logan Airport.

After he lands in Boston, Biden will travel to the JFK Library to meet with one half of the royal couple, as Princess Catherine will be in Cambridge touring Harvard University’s Center, according to her schedule.

After some speculation, Biden will not attend the Prince’s Earthshot Prize awards ceremony. During the event, the president will be at a reception in Boston for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He will then leave Boston for Camp David in Maryland.

William and Kate bundle up for harborside visit in East Boston

With temperatures hovering around 40 degrees and a moderate windchill, it wasn’t the balmiest of harborside walks for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who stopped by the East Boston waterfront Thursday afternoon.

The royal couple learned about some of the climate challenges Boston is facing, visiting Piers Park to see firsthand how rising sea levels are affecting the city’s shoreline.

Hosted by Mayor Michelle Wu and joined by representatives from Boston Harbor Now, Stone Living Lab, the Trustees of Reservations, and The Harborkeepers, William and Kate also learned about innovative climate resilience solutions to protect East Boston from rising seas, according to their travel itinerary.

The visit coincided with an announcement from Stone Living Lab — which focuses on nature-based approaches to climate adaptation, resilience, and restoration around Boston’s waterfront — about its collaboration with a 2021 Earthshot Prize finalist, Living Seawalls. 

Living Seawalls designs panels mimicking habitat features from natural shoreline ecosystems to be fitted in scalable mosaics onto artificial structures, according to its website.

The cold weather didn’t deter the royal couple from making connections as they engaged with other individuals representing MassPort and the Boston Children’s Museum.

Carole Charnow, the museum’s president and CEO, spoke about plans to protect the space, telling William that “hopefully the children will be playing in the waters next time you come here.”

“Hopefully not in temperatures like this!” he replied.

According to a pool report, Prince William said he’d like to return to Boston when the temperatures are a bit less brisk.

“We might come back when it’s a bit warmer. It’s beautiful along the waterfront.”

Royal couple have special moment with high-risk youth in Chelsea 

During a stop at Chelsea’s Roca Inc. Thursday afternoon, the Prince and Princess of Wales learned more about the nonprofit’s science-based strategy for disrupting incarceration, poverty, and racism.

The royal couple also met with some of the high-risk youth who have taken part in Roca’s programs for young men and young mothers. 

“What more do you think could be done for young people in the community?” Kate asked Jonathan Williams, one of the participants, according to a HuffPost pool report. 

Letting people know they’re there for you, he answered, adding, “when you feel that you can open up, and be vulnerable.” 

“Well I hope you give yourself a pat on the back as well, you got yourself here,” the Prince of Wales told Williams. “These guys have provided you with the support and the outside bit, but you’ve done it yourself.”

The couple, who share three children, also proved to be naturals as they visited with a roomful of kids who were working on craft projects. Both royals immediately crouched down to engage with the children, with William helping a little girl look through a window for her mother, according to the pool report. 

“Thank you everybody for having us here. We’ve loved chatting with a few of you,” he said as the visit wrapped up, praising Roca’s “incredible work” and the “inspirational team you’ve got around you.”

Watch William and Kate greet crowds on streets of Chelsea

Selfies, handshakes, and flowers.

All were exchanged between William, Kate, and a crowd of royal fans on the streets of Chelsea Thursday afternoon as the Prince and Princess of Wales set out on an impromptu walkabout after their stop at local nonprofit Roca.

Videos from the scene showed a loving embrace of and, from some, a diehard enthusiasm for the British dignitaries.

Yes, even here in New England, the land of proud colonial revolutionaries, the crown still holds sway.

From the sea of cell phones and hands held high to snag a perfect shot emerged a sign, emblazoned with the Union Jack and a greeting: “Welcome to Chelsea The future King and Queen of England.”

Inside the royal visit to Somerville’s Greentown Labs

The Prince and Princess of Wales kicked off their second day of their eco-centric trip around the Boston area with a stop at Somerville’s Greentown Labs, touted as Norh Amerca’s largest climate technology start-up incubator.

The royal couple pulled up in their hybrid Range Rover around 10:20 a.m. to screams and cheers from hundreds of onlookers, according to a pool report from The Boston Globe.

Standing at the door were Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Greentown Labs CEO Emily Reichert, and Joe Curtatone, the former Somerville mayor who is now at the helm of the Northeast Clean Energy Council, a clean energy business association.

Inside, William and Kate asked questions about the lab and its history before meeting with five either current or former Greentown Labs-affiliated businesses:

• c16 Biosciences, the company searching for decarbonized alternatives for the consumer products supply chain.
• QuantAQ, which is producing internet-connected air quality sensors that can test for air pollutants.
• Open Ocean Robotics, which is creating solar-powered autonomous boats that provide real-time oceanic information. (Julie Angus, CEO and co-founder, showed the couple real-time data from a boat in the harbor of Victoria, British Columbia, where the company is headquartered. “Five knots? That’s quite quick,” an astonished William quipped while looking at a computer monitor. “It’s amazing it hasn’t capsized.”)
• Nth Cycle, a business working to decarbonize the critical mineral supply chain.
• Sublime Systems, a company behind low-carbon cement.

At one point during the visit, William approached a window where he could see lab personnel at work waving and smiling back at him.

“Anything interesting?,” he joked.

The royal couple also met briefly with four past winners or finalists of the prince’s Earthshot Prize, the global environmental award acknowledging solutions to reverse environmental damage over the next decade.

As the lab’s garage doors opened for the pair to leave, the couple was greeted by 8-year-old Henry Dynov-Teixeira, who donned a King’s Guard costume and kept ready a bouquet of flowers to give to Kate.

“First of all it was crazy meeting the prince and princess,” Henry told reporters afterward. “And second of all, they told me that I had really, really nice flowers.  And they said, ‘Oh my gosh, thank you very much,’ when I gave it to them.”

‘A huge honor’: Chelsea nonprofit awaits visit from royal couple

Excitement over the royal couple’s trip to Boston extends to nearby Chelsea, where nonprofit Roca Inc. awaits a visit from the Prince and Princess of Wales Thursday.

Molly Baldwin, the organization’s founder and CEO, called it “a huge honor” to host Prince William and Kate for the visit, slated for noon.

“These two people are among the most famous people on the planet,” she said, praising the couple’s work in mental health, homelessness, and addiction. “I mean, they’re clearly leaning in … and they’re doing some great work.”

Baldwin believes there’s a “synergy” between that work and Roca’s mission to disrupt incarceration, poverty, and racism. The organization — which has sites in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Connecticut — works with high-risk young people aged 16 to 24, also engaging police and other systems at the center of urban violence.

The prince and princess will spend time with participants from Roca’s programs for young men and young mothers during their visit. They’ll also learn more about the organization’s intervention model, which is rooted in cognitive behavioral theory and – according to Baldwin – “relentless outreach.”

Roca looks to address trauma and teach young people emotional regulation, giving them a buffer between their thoughts and their actions, she explained.

“The key is to create a safe environment for them to learn about and practice this emotional regulation, because we believe that once you can sort of heal the trauma, you free the person,” Baldwin said.

Roca has results to back up this approach: In Massachusetts, four out of five young men who came to Roca stopped engaging in violence, and 70% of young men did not recidivate within three years, according to the organization’s website.

Given the royal couple’s overlapping interests, Thursday’s visit could be a learning experience on both sides, according to Baldwin.

“We hope, most of all, to tell the country and the world that hey, there are a lot of young people we’ve really hurt, and they are not connecting to resources,” she said. “And it may be harder, it may be scary, it may take a long time, but we can find a way with them and they can learn the skills to be the sort of brilliant people that they want to be.”

Here’s what to know if you need to get around Chelsea or Somerville (or to Market Basket) during the royal visit

Traffic in the Boston area is bad on a good day. On Thursday, it’ll likely be even worse for some Somerville and Chelsea residents.

That’s when the Prince and Princess of Wales are slated to make two stops in their three-day-long visit to the Bay State as the royals build up to Prince William’s awards ceremony for the Earthshot Prize on Friday.

On Thursday morning, the royal couple are stopping by Somerville’s Greentown Labs, the climate tech startup at 444 Somerville Ave.

City officials say there will be road and sidewalk closures to accommodate security personnel.

From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Somerville Avenue from Dane to School Street will be closed in both directions. Detours will divert eastbound traffic down Dane Street and onto Washington Street. Westbound traffic will be directed up Quincy Street to Summer Street and down Laurel Street.

The MBTA’s 87 Bus will be rerouted. More details are available on the MBTA’s website.

“Please seek alternate routes, or plan extra trip time if traveling in the area during this time,” city officials said in a statement.

Some in Somerville are aggrieved over how exactly the pomp and circumstance of a visit from the British royals will curtail their trips to one of New England’s own esteemed institutions.

“Bad day to go to Market Basket,” one person wrote in a now-viral post on a Somerville-centric Reddit page. “I bet the traffic will be terrible.”

Indeed the beloved local grocery chain has a location a stone’s throw away from Greentown Labs. 

“I have always disliked the royal family, but closing down street access to Market Basket MAKES THEIR REIGN INTOLERABLE!” another person penned on Twitter.

A spokesperson from Market Basket clarified to The Boston Globe that despite the road closures, the store will remain open during the nearby royal visit, with access from the side nearest Union Square.

Potential road closures and traffic impacts in Chelsea were not specified on the city’s website on Thursday morning, but there will undoubtedly be some impact in the area around Roca, the Chelsea-based nonprofit at 101 Park St.

The prince and princess plan to stop there from 12 to 1:15 p.m.

William and Kate witness impressive Celtics win

Prince William and Kate took in quite the show on Wednesday night, as they sat courtside during Celtics’ intense win over the Miami Heat. Powered by 49 points from Jayson Tatum, the Celtics won, 134 to 121, in a high-scoring rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.

The Prince of Wales appeared to be impressed by the Celtics star.

The royals caught the game after appearing at City Hall earlier in the evening. Prince William spoke alongside Governor-Elect Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu about the importance of Boston’s role in addressing climate change.

The four sat next to each other in TD Garden. Prince William was given an official NBA ball to toss around before the game got underway.

Later on, Healey helped memorialize the night for the visiting royalty by snapping a photo of the couple with the wife of Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, Emilia Fazzalari.

Prince William and Kate meet with Mayor Wu’s family

Prince William and Kate had a moment with Mayor Wu’s sons before appearing outside on Wednesday evening.  The royal duo met with Wu for a private audience in her 5th-floor office at City Hall.

The mayor was joined by her husband and her two sons Blaise, 7, and Cass, 5. The boys politely spoke with Prince William and Kate, according to pool reporting from The Boston Globe. The group was heard discussing composting, as Wu and her family are participating in a citywide pilot program. 

Kate then asked Wu’s sons about what they are learning in school. Blaise said he recently worked on a report about nocturnal animals.

Just after 5 p.m., the Prince and Princess of Wales and Wu’s family left her office. Governor-elect Maura Healey joined them. Photos of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1976 visit to Boston had been hung on both sides of the hallway outside Wu’s office before the visit, and the mayor pointed out the photos to the group.

Royals sit courtside at Celtics game Wednesday night

The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, attended the Celtics game Wednesday night at TD Garden.

The Celtics took on the Miami Heat. The royal duo sat courtside, next to Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey.

There were multiple moments during the game that nodded to the Earthshot Prize. Every home game, the Celtics recognize a “Hero Among Us” who has gone out of their way to positively impact the lives of others. Wednesday’s honoree will be a “local climate hero,” royal officials said.

The royals will meet representatives from the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, which supports grassroots programming and funding to local organizations that serve at-risk populations.

Prince William praises Boston outside City Hall, Healey and Wu welcome royals

Although the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived in Boston earlier in the day, the royals made their first appearance in front of a crowd just after 5 p.m. Wednesday evening. Speaking at City Hall Plaza, Prince William thanked the “hardy Bostonians” for gathering in the rain and wind. He elaborated on why Boston was chosen to host the second annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony this week. 

Prince William referenced John F. Kennedy’s iconic “Moonshot” speech from 1962, where the president challenged America to innovate beyond limits the country had seen before. 

“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 than in President Kennedy’s hometown, in partnership with his daughter and the Foundation that continues his legacy,” Prince William said. 

Prince William said that Boston was an “obvious” choice to host the Earthshot Prize ceremony, which recognizes breakthrough solutions for a number of climate-related issues. Boston’s abundance of world-class universities, research facilities, and its “vibrant” start-up culture were all factors in the city’s favor, he said. 

William also thanked Mayor Michelle Wu for prioritizing climate policies. 

“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,” Prince William said. “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.”

Before William took the stage, Attorney General and Governor-elect Maura Healey addressed the crowd. Healey said that the mission of the Earthshot Prize is more important than ever as the world still reels from a “summer of climate calamities.”  

“The need for innovation and leadership has never been more clear,” she said. “One thing that the royal highnesses bring is a spirit of optimism. The Earthshot awards highlight the promise. While the climate crisis is our greatest challenge, it is also our greatest opportunity.”

Wu elaborated on the new, “climate resilient,” City Hall Plaza that opened to the public earlier this month. Every drop of rain that fell as she spoke, Wu said, was being captured by permeable pavings and green infrastructure to prevent runoff and support plant life in the area. 

The mayor then said it was a “great honor” to host the Earthshot Prize ceremony this year, and praised the royals for their work. 

“Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales, represent a new era of leadership and service,” Wu said. “They are bringing our generation’s determination, ingenuity, and resilience to tackle our most pressing challenges  in time for our children and our future grandchildren to thrive.”

After Prince William concluded his speech, the gathered leaders joined together to press a button and light up City Hall and landmarks across the city green.

Prince William speaks at Boston City Hall Plaza

Biden intends to meet with the Prince and Princess of Wales on Friday

President Joe Biden intends to greet the Prince and Princess of Wales while all three are, coincidentally, in Boston on Friday, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Details of the meeting were still in the works on Wednesday afternoon though, soon after the royal couple’s flight landed in Boston, Jean-Pierre told reporters during a press briefing in Washington, D.C.

While the royal visit is centered around Prince William’s Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, Biden is in town for a fundraiser to help support Democrats in Georgia’s Senate run-off election next week.

‘To the people of Boston, thank you’: What Prince William said after arriving in the Hub

After arriving in Boston, Prince William thanked Massachusetts for warm tributes to his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who he said remembered her own 1976 trip here “with great fondness.”

Read the Prince’s full statement:

“Catherine and I are delighted to be back in the United States and are extremely grateful to Governor Baker and The First Lady of Massachusetts for their warm welcome into Boston.

“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.

“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.

“To the people of Boston, thank you. I’m so grateful to you for allowing us to host the second year of the Earthshot prize in your great city. Catherine and I can’t wait to meet many of you in the days ahead.”

Gov. Charlie Baker will lunch with the royal couple

As William and Catherine arrive in Boston, the couple will get their first welcome to the Bay State from Gov. Charlie Baker.

The royal visitors from across the pond will have lunch with Baker and his wife, Massachusetts first lady Lauren Baker, a spokesperson for the royal couple told reporters Wednesday morning.

Notably, the Prince and Princess of Wales are taking a commercial flight into Logan Airport on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the prince’s environmental prize awards ceremony on Friday. From there, they’ll travel the Boston area in a hybrid Range Rover.

The royal couple’s first scheduled public appearance in the Hub is slated for 4:30 p.m. outside Boston City Hall, where the two, along with Mayor Michelle Wu and U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, will kick off the Earthshot celebrations by lighting up City Hall and other landmarks in green.

The Prince, Wu, and Kennedy are expected to give short remarks.  The appearance comes as the region is forecast to experience rain and high winds, with gusts up to 50 mph in the city, according to the National Weather Service. The event, however, is rain or shine.