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Exploring why Kate Middleton chose to skip Prince William's New York trip
Prince William visits New York City for Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit without Princess Kate.
Prince William has arrived in New York City for a two-day visit this week, without his wife, Princess Kate, by his side.
The 41-year-old Prince of Wales is in the U.S. to attend the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit on Tuesday, where he will reveal the finalists for this year’s awards.
The Earthshot Prize is an initiative that Prince William launched in 2020 to encourage and reward innovative solutions to the world’s most urgent environmental problems.
The awards will be given out annually until 2030, with the 2023 ceremony taking place in Singapore on Nov. 7.
The Duke of Cambridge is traveling solo, while Princess Kate, also 41, remains in the U.K. with their three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
The royal couple, who have the assistance of their longtime nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, try to balance their royal duties with their family life. They often drive their kids to school and make sure one of them is home for dinner most nights.
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They also want to give their children a normal childhood as much as possible, while preparing them for their future roles as royals, especially Prince George, who is second in line to the throne after his father.
“It’s a massive balancing act,” a palace insider quoted to PEOPLE.
“William and Kate are doing the right thing, protecting him so he can have as normal a childhood as possible, but he’s also dipping into duties as a future monarch.”
The Princess of Wales had her own engagement in the U.K. on Monday. She visited the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, one of the Royal Navy’s two main air stations and one of the busiest military airfields in the U.K.
Princess Kate recently took over the role of Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm from Prince Andrew, who held it until 2022. The role was bestowed on her by King Charles, who is her father-in-law and the current monarch.
Prince William’s trip to New York will be brief. He will likely return to the U.K. soon after his events in the U.S. are over, as King Charles and Queen Camilla are also traveling abroad that week. The royal couple will visit France from Sept. 20 to Sept. 22 for a state visit that was postponed from March due to riots in France at the time.
Although Prince William does not have to be in the U.K. when his father is away, he is one of the King’s Counsellors of State — one of the royals who can perform constitutional duties for King Charles if he is out of the country or unwell.
Princess Kate may not be with Prince William in New York, but she supports his Earthshot Prize project wholeheartedly. She joined him at the previous award ceremonies, including the first one held in London in 2021.
