Caroline Kennedy and John Kerry no-show William and Kate's event

2022-12-01

Caroline Kennedy and John Kerry both FAIL to show up to William and Kate’s Earthshot event in Boston amid embarrassing race row in the UK – as their first American trip in eight years gets off to inauspicious start

Caroline Kennedy and John Kerry both failed to show up for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Earthshot event in Boston on Wednesday evening
Kerry, presidential envoy for climate, informed the Prince and Princess earlier today that he would ‘sadly no longer be able to attend,’ but did not clarify why
Kennedy, daughter of President John F. Kennedy and US Ambassador to Australia, said she experienced ‘disrupted travel plans’ due to weather
That weather, however, appeared to have led to very few cancellations at airports in Boston and in New York, according to FlightAware
The no-shows come as the Williams and Kate’s first trip to the United States in eight years has been overshadowed by a racism scandal rocking the royals

Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Secretary John Kerry both failed to show up for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Earthshot event in Boston on Wednesday evening.

Kerry, the presidential envoy for climate, informed the Prince and Princess earlier today that he would ‘sadly no longer be able to attend,’ but did not clarify why.

Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy who is currently serving as the US Ambassador to Australia, said she experienced ‘disrupted travel plans’ due to the harsh weather lashing the east coast.

That weather, however, appeared to have led to very few cancellations at airports in Boston and in New York, according to FlightAware.

Kerry and Kennedy were supposed to join the royal couple as they spoke at the opening of the Earthshot Prize awards, which were named after JFK’s ‘moonshot’ speech. The awards commemorate people who have made significant contributions to environmentalism.

Neither Kennedy nor Kerry could be reached for comment.

The high-profile no-shows come as the Williams and Kate’s first trip to the United States in eight years has been overshadowed by a racism scandal rocking the royal family back in the United Kingdom.

The prince and princess arrived in Boston just hours after William’s godmother was accused of making racist remarks at an event hosted by Queen Consort Camilla, who has herself been accused of racist behavior.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Earthshot event in Boston on Wednesday evening was overshadowed by a racism scandal rocking the royal family

Caroline Kennedy and John Kerry both failed to show up for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Earthshot event in Boston on Wednesday evening

The scandal involved Lady Hussey, 83, a former lady-in-waiting to the late Queen, who quit her role in the royal household on Wednesday after she allegedly refused to believe a black domestic abuse campaigner, Ngozi Fulani, was British and asked her: ‘What part of Africa are you from?’ as they spoke at an event at Buckingham Palace yesterday.

William’s spokesperson spoke out to condemn Lady Hussey’s ‘unacceptable’ comments hours before the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived in the US, saying: ‘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.’

The prince and princess arrived in Boston just hows after William’s godmother was accused of making racist remarks at an event hosted by Queen Consort Camilla, who has herself been accused of racist behavior

The incident has already begun to overshadow the royal trip to Boston.

Just minutes before William and Kate took to the stage at the Earthshot event, Reverend Mariama White-Hammond – the city’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space – gave a strong speech in which she told the crowd to ‘consider the legacy of colonialism and racism’, particularly when it comes to their impact on climate change.

As the Prince and Princess Wales watched on from the wings, Reverend Hammond, who founded a youth organization focused on ‘teaching the history of the Civil Rights Movement’, said: ‘On this day, I invite us all to consider the legacy of colonialism and racism.’

She continued: ‘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.’

Although no mention was made of Lady Susan Hussey – who is William’s own godmother – few could fail to connect the controversy with Reverend White-Hammond’s remarks.

Having started her speech by ‘acknowledging the ancestral lands we stand on today’, the Reverend went on to express gratitude to William and Kate for choosing to host this year’s Earthshot Prize.

Before she began working for the City of Boston, Reverend White-Hammond was an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, having previously founded a youth organization that focused on ‘teaching the history of the Civil Rights Movement’

‘Now you all know, we are a city of many firsts. We are honored to be the first American city and the first city outside of the United Kingdom to host the Earthshot Prize,’ she continued.

Her comments about colonialism come months after another of William and Kate’s international engagements – a March tour to the Caribbean to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – was shrouded in controversy over accusations that elements of it smacked of ‘colonialism’.

Critical royal observers led by Meghan’s cheerleader-in-chief Omid Scobie and BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond slammed a series of ‘tone deaf’ PR moments – leading to more social media criticism despite the couple’s warm welcome on the ground.

However, even as the Reverend’s remarks about racism and colonialism lingered in the air, William stepped out onto the stage with a smile on his face – following appearances by Maura Healey, the Governor-elect of Massachusetts and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu – to express his ‘delight’ at hosting his first engagement in Boston.

‘Catherine and I are absolutely delighted to be with you today, for our first engagement in the great city of Boston, as we start the countdown to the Earthshot Prize Awards this Friday,’ he said.

‘Thank you to Mayor Wu and Reverend White-Hammond for all your support for the Earthshot Prize.’

He went on to reference assassinated JFK’s Moonshot speech, describing it as ‘challenge to American innovation and ingenuity.’

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