Prince William and Catherine begin US visit in Boston by paying tribute to Queen and Diana
By Natalie Oliveri|
T?he Prince and Princess of Wales have begun a three-day visit to Boston by paying tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
But their arrival has been marred by a fresh racism row at Buckingham Palace and calls for the royal family to "consider the legacy of colonialism and racism" at their first engagement in the city.
This latest scandal comes just months after Prince William and Catherine's tour to the Caribbean, which was plagued by criticism of its "colonial overtones" and "tone deaf" imagery.?
READ MORE: William and Catherine's US tour overshadowed by new racism row?
Prince William did his best to be positive ahead of his arrival in the United States by referencing his late grandmother's visit to Boston nearly 50 years ago and calling her "one of life's optimists".
William's tribute to the Queen?
His wife Catherine did her own part to include William's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in their historic visit by wearing a pair of her diamond and sapphire earrings.
Diana was greatly admired in the United States and this visit by Prince William and Catherine is being seen as one of huge importance in strengthening US-UK relations.
The jewels were first worn by Catherine at Trooping the Colour in June, celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.?
She matched the earrings with a dark navy pants suit and navy turtleneck.
?The Prince and Princess of Wales touched down on a commercial British Airways flight on Wednesday afternoon local time.
It is their first overseas visit since the death of the late monarch on September 8.
In a statement, Prince William said: "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."
READ MORE: Meghan about empowering women and girls on stage in US?
That visit by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh saw the royal couple wave to crowds at City Hall before riding through the historic city in an open-top car.
The Queen and Prince Philip also took in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Prince William and Catherine will be in Boston for three days, with engagements focusing on sustainability and the environment while Catherine will visit Harvard University for her Early Years work into childhood development.
The main reason for their visit will come on Friday when Prince William and Catherine walk the green carpet for the Earthshot Prize Awards, one of the Prince of Wales' most ambitious and important projects to date.
He said: "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."
'Consider the legacy of colonialism and racism'
During their first engagement, Prince William and Catherine helped to launch the countdown to the Earthshot Prize Awards by lighting up Boston's City Hall green and other landmarks across the city.
But it was a speech by Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, the city's Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space, that has raised eyebrows.
Prince William and Catherine watched from the sidelines as the reverend addressed the gathered guests.
"On this day, I invite us all to consider the legacy of colonialism and racism," she said.
"?The ways it has impacted people across the world and its connection, its deep connection to the degradation of land and our planet that we are all seeking to reverse.
"The stories lost, the species made extinct, but also the persistence of people in the face of oppression and the fundamental dignity of all of our relations."
No reference was made to the scandal engulfing Buckingham Palace, or the royals themselves.
But it came just hours after the godmother of Prince William, and the late Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting for more than 60 years, Lady Susan Hussey stood down from her honourary role.?
Palace staffer quits after race comments
The 83-year-old? made "unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments" towards Ngozi Fulani, the British-born director of the east London charity Sistah Space, during a reception hosted by the Queen Consort on Tuesday.
Buckingham Palace launched an immediate investigation and Lady Susan later stepped down.
Lady Susan was one of three courtiers kept on in unpaid honorary roles to aid King Charles after the death of Queen Elizabeth and was on duty at the reception to welcome guests and represent the royal household.
Crown Princess Mary, Queen Rania of Jordan, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Sophie the Countess of Wessex were among the VIP guests, along with 300 others.
Fulani claimed Lady Susan "moved my hair" to see her name badge, before asking persistent questions about "what part of Africa" she was from.
Writing on Twitter after the event, she said she had been "stunned to temporary silence", finding it "such a struggle to stay in a space that you were violated in".
"I think it is essential to acknowledge that trauma has occurred and being invited and then insulted has caused much damage," she said.?
The palace said it took the incident "extremely seriously" and confirmed Lady Susan had "stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect".?
Prince William: 'It's right they have stepped down'?
Before landing in Boston, Prince William condemned the comments in a statement issued via his spokesperson.
"I was really disappointed to hear about the guest's experience at Buckingham Palace last night," the spokesperson for Prince William said.
"Obviously, I wasn't there but I think it's really important to note that racism has no place in our society.
?"These comments were unacceptable, and it's right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate affect."
The spokesman added that Prince William thinks "the course of action taken is correct".
?For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here
