Kate Middleton and Prince William wrapped their first day in the US with avisit to one of Boston’s beloved sports teams.
The Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance on Wednesday nightat the TD Garden to watch the Boston Celtics take on the Miami Heat.
The famously sporty couple sat courtside with former professional basketballplayer and Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey, Celtics legend Thomas”Satch” Sanders, and the team’s two principal owners and their wives. Kate andWilliam chatted with those seated next to them and clapped enthusiasticallythroughout the game, which the Celtics won.
William and Kate, both 40, shared a behind-the-scenes photo of the Celticswarming up before the game. “Let’s go Celtics, let’s go!” they captioned thepicture.
The couple arrived in Boston on Wednesday ahead of the second annual EarthshotPrize Awards ceremony, which will take place on Friday. During the basketballgame, there were moments nodding to the arrival of Earthshot in the city.During the Celtics’ tradition of recognizing a “Hero Among Us” during eachgame, they honored a local 15-year-old climate activist for their workpositively impacting the community. During a break in the game, William andKate stood up to chat with the teen.
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton
The couple also met members of the Celtics family, including representativesof the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, which provides grassrootsprogramming and strategic funding to local organizations serving at-riskpopulations. They also heard about the “Curbside Care” mobile unit, whichthrough a partnership with Boston Medical Center will provide comprehensive,streamlined care to mothers and infants in the first six weeks of life rightat patient doorsteps — an issue of importance to Kate.
Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Britain’s Catherine, Princessof Wales, with Emilia Fazzalari wife of Wyc Grousebeack (R), Governor-electMaura Healey (2L) and mayor of Boston Michelle Wu (L) attend the NationalBasketball Association game between the seventeen-time World Champion BostonCeltics and the Miami Heat at TD Garden in downtown Boston,on November 30,2022. (Photo by BRIAN SNYDER / POOL / AFP) (Photo by BRIAN SNYDER/POOL/AFP viaGetty Images)
BRIAN SNYDER/POOL/AFP via Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton
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This isn’t Kate and Prince William’s first time at an NBA game. When theyvisited New York City in 2014, the couple had front-row seats as they watchedthe Brooklyn Nets play the Cleveland Cavaliers — while sharing a box ofpopcorn!
Their outing also included some star encounters, from posing for pictures withLeBron James to shaking hands with Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Their night out at the Barclays Center also included the ultimate moment ofgoing to a professional sports game: an appearance on the Jumbotron!
Singer Beyonce and Husband Jay-Z greets The Duchess of Cambridge in the gameof the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center onDecember 8, 2014 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Beyonce, Kate Middleton and JAY-Z
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ visit to Boston officially kicked offearlier on Wednesday, when they appeared at Boston City Hall alongside MayorMichelle Wu. There, they started the countdown to the Earthshot Prize Awardsceremony by lighting landmarks across the city green.
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In a speech outside Boston City Hall, William thanked the “hardy Bostonians”for braving the rainy weather.
“We cannot wait to celebrate the Earthshot Prize finalists later on this week,and we are both looking forward to spending the next few days learning aboutthe innovative ways the people of Massachusetts are tackling climate change,”