Why William and Kate are planning a trip to the US following the Queen's funeral

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Following the sad news of Queen Elizabeth II's death earlier this month, members of the royal family attended a number of services, vigils and processions to honour the late monarch.

Prince William and Kate Middleton greeted well-wishers at Windsor Castle alongside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and the Prince and Princess of Wales also visited Sandringham where they spoke to members of the public who attended to pay their respects.

This week, the royal couple returned to Windsor for their first public outing since the Queen's state funeral. The official period of mourning continues for the royals until next week, and as a result William and Kate cancelled a number of planned engagements. However, they visited Windsor Guildhall yesterday to thank the staff and volunteers who were involved with the late Queen's funeral proceedings.

Now, it has been reported that the Wales' will be heading overseas with a trip to the US planned for later this year.

William and Kate will be travelling to Boston in December to attend the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, an initiative set up by the former Duke of Cambridge to provide environmentalists across the globe with the funds to support their ongoing work. It awards five winners annually with a £1 million grant and is expected to take place every year until 2030.

The Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit took place in New York this past Wednesday, and while William was unable to attend in person he spoke to campaigners via a pre-recorded video.

He told those present: 'Protecting the environment was a cause close to my grandmother’s heart, and I know she would have been delighted to hear about this event and the support you are all giving our Earthshot Finalists – the next generation of environmental pioneers.

'During this time of grief, I take great comfort in your continued enthusiasm, optimism and commitment to the Earthshot Prize and what we are trying to achieve.'

In the video, William said while the 'saddest of circumstances' meant he was unable to attend the New York event, he and Kate are 'so excited' about their upcoming trip to Boston.

Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this difficult time.

Jadie Troy-Pryde
News Editor

Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.