Sussexes ‘will not distract’ Waleses on their trip to the States

THE Prince and Princess of Wales “won’t be distracted” by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they travel to the US next week, royal sources said.

The couple will carry out three days of engagements in Boston, culminating in an Earthshot Prize ceremony they hope will push the awards into the global spotlight.

It is their first official visit to the US since the Sussexes moved to California and comes in the run up to a publicity blitz from the Duke and Duchess, whose Netflix documentary series is released within a fortnight, followed closely by the Duke’s “intimate and heartfelt” memoir, Spare, published on Jan 10.

Royal and government sources privately acknowledge that the trip offers the chance to reposition the Royal family in American hearts and minds, casting them in their own light rather than the version suggested by the Sussexes.

However, a foreign office source claimed the visit had not been planned with the Sussexes in mind, saying: “The palace team are highly cognizant of Meghan and Harry, but equally, they’re not scared of their shadows on this.

“William is the future King. Harry has taken his path, she’s doing her podcast, they’ve got their issues, but the palace isn’t going to run scared of that, so kudos to them.”

The inaugural Earthshot Prize was held in London last year and while it was hailed a great success, it did not generate significant attention abroad. “America is your best chance of projecting it internationally,” the source said. “That was the logic behind wanting to do it in Boston.”

The ceremony, which takes place on Friday evening, will be shown across the US on public broadcaster PBS next Sunday. It will also be aired on Multichoice in Africa and on the BBC.

Hannah Jones, chief executive of the Earthshot Prize, told The Sunday Telegraph: “Our goal is to become a global brand and we are one year into it. It’s very early days and it’s quite incredible the amount of momentum we have already got. We’re just building up.”

The choice of Boston as host also fits with the premise of the event. Inspired by the concept of moonshots, it is hoped that the prize will stimulate environmental breakthroughs just as former president John F Kennedy’s mission to put a man on the moon became shorthand for ground-breaking goals.

The city is home to the Kennedys and offered the Prince’s team the chance to work with the JFK Library Foundation. By chance, days after the Waleses join forces with Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and grandson, Jack Schlossberg, the Sussexes will receive the prestigious humanitarian Ripple of Hope award from Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F Kennedy.

The Earthshot Prize will award £50million in prizes over 10 years as it seeks to find solutions to repair and protect the planet. The Prince of Wales will not let noise drown it out. One wellplaced source said: “Our number focus next week is the Earthshot Prize and we won’t be distracted by other things.”