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BOSTON (WHDH) - Day two of Prince William and Princess Catherine’s visit to Boston featured stops in Somerville and Chelsea, as well as East Boston where the royal couple stopped to learn how the city’s dealing with a changing shoreline.
Walking Piers Park on Thursday afternoon, the Prince and Princes of Wales toured the waterfront with environmental leaders and Mayor Michelle Wu, discussing the future of the shoreline that is being shaped by rising sea levels – all part of the royal couple’s three-day visit ahead of the Earthshot Prize ceremony on Friday.
The group toured the area despite biting cold and harsh winds and ventured across the pier to the park’s pavilion and beyond. The royals listened to officials recount the history of Boston and what is being done to ensure the park, Boston Harbor and city itself are preserved in the face of climate change.
The discussions also included the city’s resiliency projects. Speaking with 7NEWS after the tour, Mayor Michelle Wu said the royals had wanted to see, up-close, how current and previous projects have been making an impact.
“We talked about the innovation that we’re seeing with the parks under construction here, the new green spaces that have been created and how they double as not only climate protections, but spaces for fun and community and much-needed health benefits, as well.”
At one point during the tour, 7NEWS cameras spotted the group burst into laughter during the tour: the result of humor in the face of frigid temperatures.
“We were talking about wanting to bring them back when some of the new parks are done and some of the infrastructure is fully-installed, and everyone vowed that it would be in summer next time,” Wu said.
The visit came ahead of Friday’s ceremony for the Earthshot Prize, which was founded by Prince William and the Royal Foundation in 2020, inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s “Moonshot” speech with an aim to discover the best solutions to help repair the planet.
During the ceremony, Prince William will award one million pounds ($1,203,080) to five winners for their groundbreaking solutions to saving the planet. Entertainment at the event will include Billie Elish, Annie Lennox, Chloe x Halle, and Ellie Goulding. Actor Rami Malek will also be on hand at the ceremony.
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Watch 7NEWS’ full, impromptu interview with Mayor Michelle Wu:
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