After eight years of absence, prince William and Kate Middleton are preparing to fly again for the United States.
The new Duke of Cornwall has indeed confirmed the news in a video released Wednesday, September 21, on the occasion of the summit of the Earthshot Prize in New York, which rewards engineers committed to environmental issues.
But if he was initially to attend the event in person, the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II, and her funeral, decided otherwise.
In video, the speech of the Prince of Wales on the occasion of the "Earthshot Prize" in New York
“While it is the saddest of circumstances that prevents me from joining you in person today, I am pleased to be able to join you on video as you gather in New York for the Innovation Summit of the Earthshot prize”, he began in this sequence recorded at the Windsor estate.
"In this time of mourning, I find great comfort in your continued enthusiasm, optimism and commitment."
Committed to the climate
Prince William and his wife will take advantage of their trip to Massachusetts to make several visits on the theme of climate change.
And in particular in Boston to take part in the second ceremony of the Earthshot Prize Awards, which will take place on December 2.
“Environmental protection was a cause dear to my grandmother.
I know she would have been delighted to hear about this event and the support you all give to our Earthshot finalists, the next generation of committed environmental pioneers,” said the heir to the British throne, in the video.
A meeting with the Sussexes?
According to the British tabloids, the new Prince of Wales would have "deliberately" chosen to go to Boston "because of its distance from California".
This is in any case what the editor of the
Daily Mail
Richard Eden said at the end of July, as noted by
The Express
.
An opinion shared by
Mail on Sunday
journalist Charlotte Griffiths.
“They [Kate and William] went to the opposite coast.
That's quite revealing, isn't it?
Imagine if they had chosen California!
Since then, the death of Queen Elizabeth II would seem to have eased tensions between the two sons of King Charles III.
But probably not to the point of imagining a meeting between Wales and the Sussexes.
Read alsoPowerful and unexpected: the photos of William, Harry, Kate and Meghan side by side in Windsor, in memory of the queen
The first trip for eight years
Full screen
William and Kate on their first official trip to the United States.
(Los Angeles, July 10, 2011.) Robyn Beck / AFP
The last time Kate Middleton and William visited the United States was in New York in December 2014. The Princess of Wales was then pregnant with her daughter Charlotte.
Before that, the couple had made their very first trip across the Atlantic in 2011, shortly after their marriage, visiting… Los Angeles.
No one knows for now if this time their children – Prince George (9 years old), Princess Charlotte (7 years old) and Prince Louis (4 years old) – will be on the trip.