Racist remarks at Buckingham Palace mark the start of Prince William’s US visit for the Earthshot Prize

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It was already touted in British tabloids and on social media as “the brothers’ battle for American hearts and minds”.

Now another element has entered the fray, an incident of racism involving one of the most important members of the Buckingham Palace household, the lady-in-waiting and close confidante to the late Queen and godmother to Prince William, Lady Susan Hussey, aged 83.

The palace was quick to censor the incident, calling it “unacceptable and deeply regrettable”. Prince William’s Kensington Palace spokesman said ‘racism has no place in our society… It is right that the individual has stepped down with immediate effect’.

But it couldn’t have come at a more delicate time for the Prince and Princess of Wales who arrived in Boston for a crucial three-day visit, their first to the United States since 2014 and their first with their new titles.

They are on the US East Coast to announce the winners of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize in a glittering ceremony at the home of the late President John F. Kennedy, whose groundbreaking Moonshot Prize sent a rocket to the moon. inspired the awards.

For William, this visit is about showcasing his passion for being a changemaker in the conservation space, but no doubt it will also provide a vital opportunity for the American people to see what the future of conservation looks like. modern, avant-garde British monarchy. pensive and young.

A very important meeting with President Joe Biden will underscore that William and Catherine are the royals to watch here the heir and his wife have big ideas about how they can help make the world a better place.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are in Boston to attend the Earthshot Award Ceremony. (Reuters: John Tlumacki) Harry and Meghan’s Ripple of Hope

But many voices in the more combative corners of the British and American media suggest a very different narrative.

Four days after the stay in Boston, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will also be on the east coast of the United States, in New York, to receive a humanitarian award which initially seemed far-fetched but, in light of this recent scandal, gains credibility.

The Ripple of Hope Award is in memory of another Kennedy, JFK’s brother Robert, and honors “exemplary leaders who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance the ‘equity, justice and human rights’.

Harry and Meghan will receive the award alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Previous winners have included Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama and Al Gore.

In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry gave a behind-the-scenes account of their experience as senior royals. (Harpo Productions via Reuters)

Since leaving royal work in 2020 and moving to the United States, the nation has mostly welcomed them with open arms. Revealing their “truth” the following year to Oprah Winfrey on a show that was watched by 17.8 million people in the United States the night it aired, and ultimately nearly 50 million worldwide only did increase this popularity. The Ripple of Hope award is for what Bobby Kennedy’s daughter, Kerry Kennedy, called their “courage” to speak out.

“They went to the oldest institution in UK history and told them what they were doing wrong, that they couldn’t have structural racism within the institution, that they didn’t couldn’t entertain a misunderstanding about mental health,” Kennedy, a human rights lawyer and president of the awards, told Spanish media.

“They knew that if they did that there would be consequences, that they would be ostracized, that they would lose their family, their position within this structure, and that people would blame them,” he said. she continued. “They did it anyway because they felt they couldn’t live with themselves if they didn’t question that authority.”

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to search, up and down arrows for volume. Watch time: 1 min 6 sec 1 min 6 sec British royal aide apologizes and resigns after making racist comments This is going to be an interesting ride…

This is William’s first visit to the United States since his brother moved there, but they are unlikely to meet.

It’s also worth noting that despite all the thread commentators are up to, the timing of the awards show is definitely coincidental.

Prince William’s plans were in place long before Ripple of Hope was announced.

But ever since the two siblings parted ways, the alleged emotional rift between them has obsessed the media and these US events are only bolstering the reporting.

Both awards also spotlight both sides of American royalty, the brothers of the Kennedy family. Caroline Kennedy, who is the US Ambassador to Australia and JFK’s daughter, will be on hand to show William and Catherine around the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Her father’s institution is a “proud partner” of the Earthshot Awards.

Friday’s ceremony will be awash with celebrity stardust, from singers Annie Lennox and Ellie Goulding to actor Rami Malek as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales themselves.

Meanwhile, the Ripple of Hope in New York will have its own spice, hosted by Alec Baldwin.

In the background, of course, are the Sussex couple’s next offering: a Netflix TV documentary about their love affair and life, set to air in the coming weeks, and the revealing memoir of Prince Harry Spare, on sale January 10.

It’s going to be an interesting ride.

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