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Kate and William's US visit to Boston cost $170,000

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 30: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, kick off Earthshot celebrations by lighting up Boston at Speaker’s Corner by City Hall on November 30, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Prince and Princess of Wales are visiting the coastal city of Boston to attend the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, an event which celebrates those whose work is helping to repair the planet. During their trip, which will last for three days, the royal couple will learn about the environmental challenges Boston faces as well as meeting those who are combating the effects of climate change in the area. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Kate and William on the first day of their trip to Boston last year. (Getty Images)

William and Kate’s visit to the US last year for the Earthshot Prize award ceremony cost host city Boston $170,000 (£140,000), it has been reported.

The event last December was one of the highlights of the Prince of Wales’s official calendar and was dubbed the future King’s “Super Bowl” moment.

The ceremony was a star-studded affair that took place on the final day of the three-day tour, but it was largely overshadowed by controversy surrounding Prince William's godmother, Lady Susan Hussey, and the release of a trailer for Harry and Meghan's controversial Netflix documentary.

Now, the Boston Herald has reported that the total cost of the visit came in at a cool $170,407.52.

Most of these costs went on the extra policing required for a royal visit, totalling $105,267.57.

A further $58,772.92 was spent on "staging, tents, flowers, lights, etc" for the events the Prince and Princess of Wales attended.

Around $5,000 was spent on security and custodial overtime and the rest was reportedly made up with the staff costs for the emergency medical services needed.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 01: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white, colour version not available) Catherine, Princess of Wales walks onto the stage during rehearsals for the Earthshot Awards at MGM Music Hall at Fenway on December 01, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. Prince William, established The Earthshot Prize to uncover and scale the innovative solutions that will repair our planet within the next ten years. Each year for the next decade, five solutions will be awarded £1million and the accolade of becoming one of only 50 winners of The Earthshot Prize. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Earthshot)
Kate at a rehearsal for William's Earthshot Prize Awards in Boston in 2022. (Getty Images)

The primary focus of their trip to Boston was the award ceremony for the Earthshot Prize — an initiative set up by William in 2020 to find solutions to the climate crisis through innovative technologies.

Upon their arrival in Boston, the spokesperson for the Prince of Wales was forced to immediately address the controversy surrounding William's godmother, who had asked a charity executive — Ngozi Fulani — repeatedly where she was "really from" during a reception at Buckingham Palace.

Hussey immediately stepped down from her voluntary role as Lady of the Household, after decades of working as the late Queen's lady-in-waiting.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 02: Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Rami Malek backstage after The Earthshot Prize 2022 at MGM Music Hall at Fenway on December 02, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Prince and Princess of Wales are visiting the coastal city of Boston to attend the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, an event which celebrates those whose work is helping to repair the planet. During their trip, which will last for three days, the royal couple will learn about the environmental challenges Boston faces as well as meeting those who are combating the effects of climate change in the area. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Kate and William's Earthshot Prize Award Ceremony in Boston was overshadowed by other controversy. (Getty Images)

William's spokesperson said: "Finally - I want to address the story relating to a guest attending a reception at Buckingham Palace last night. This is a matter for Buckingham Palace but as the Prince of Wales spokesperson I appreciate you're all here and understand you'll want to ask about it. So let me address it head on.

"I was really disappointed to hear about the guests' experience at Buckingham Palace last night. Obviously, I wasn’t there, but racism has no place in our society.

"The comments were unacceptable, and it is right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate effect."

A trailer promoting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix docuseries was released on Thursday, with the timing interpreted by some royal commentators as a snub to William and Kate.

William also met president Biden whilst he was in Boston after a tour of the John F Kennedy Presidential Library — Kennedy's "moonshot" speech in 1961 has acted as an inspiration for the Prince of Wales when creating the Earthshot Prize.

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