Excitement grows at Boston City Hall Plaza ahead of Prince William and Princess Catherine's royal visit
BOSTON – This week's royal visit is expected to bring thousands of people into Boston. Rainy and windy weather in the city can't dampen the growing excitement around town.
With a rain coat identical to Princess Catherine's, Courtney Calkins is ready to stand out in any kind of weather to see the royal couple up close.
"I'm a huge, huge fan of the royal family," said Calkins, who arrived around 8 a.m.
Calkins, a high school senior, and her mother drove to Boston from Syracuse, New York on Tuesday, not wanting to miss the chance to see Prince William and Princess Catherine in person on their first trip to the U.S. in eight years.
"I wanted to support her and I wanted her to live one of her bucket list dreams," Calkins' mother said.
"I'm hoping to get some good pictures of William and Kate. If they end up doing a handshake, maybe shake their hands. I got some flowers I'd love to give them to them," Calkins said.
This is William and Catherine's first trip outside of the UK since the Queen Elizabeth's death, and since they took on the roles of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
"This trip matters. First trip outside UK establishing them on a global stage and William in particular establishing him as a leader in this world of climate change and environmental change," BBC royal correspondent Daniela Relph said.
They have a busy schedule. The royal family will be visiting Roca Inc., a non-profit in Chelsea serving at risk youth along with Greentown Labs in Somerville.
On Friday, Prince William will visit the JFK Library in Dorchester while Princess Catherine visits Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child.
That will all lead up to the glamorous event on Friday - the Earthshot Prize awards.
Relph said Boston is the perfect location for the royal couple's climate-focused mission.
"Boston is a natural fit for the Earthshot Prize. It's a passion project for William. The Kennedy connection, the Moonshot connection, it aligned with Earthshot with its ambition, its sense of urgency," she said.
William and Catherine are traveling to Boston on a commercial flight. They'll be welcomed at Logan Airport by Gov. Charlie Baker and then will attend the ceremony at City Hall at 4:30 p.m.
