New York • Britain's Prince William sat down with President Barack Obama in Washington on Monday and unveiled an effort to curtail illegal wildlife trading while his wife, Kate, made an impression of a down-to-earth duchess on preschoolers and prominent British expats in New York.
In the first full day of the popular royal couple's first visit to either place, William went to the White House and spoke at a World Bank conference. Kate wrapped Christmas gifts and helped children decorate picture frames while touring a child development center with New York City's first lady, then talked technology, theater and more with a British-success-story guest list at a lunch at the consul general's home.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are on their first official trip to the U.S. since 2011. William, speaking at the World Bank, announced a new task force to develop recommendations within a year on how the transportation industry can help stop wildlife trafficking, calling it "one of the most insidious forms of corruption and criminality."
Meanwhile, the duchess and first lady Chirlane McCray met with families and heard about the work of the Northside Center for Child Development, which offers mental health and educational services.
"Very nice to meet you," Kate told a classroom of 3- and 4-year-olds, who were embellishing picture frames with stickers. Kate and the first lady later wrapped children's Christmas presents in the center's gymnasium, with Kate joking that she hoped she'd be given a square package to tackle.
Later, Kate chatted with lunch guests including actor Matthew Rhys, TV and theater producer Colin Callender, Parsons The New School of Design fashion dean Simon Collins and tech news site Mashable founder Pete Cashmore. The royals' schedule for their three-day trip includes a visit to the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum, a reception highlighting conservation efforts with former U.S. first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton, a visit to showcase arts education at a youth organization, a Cleveland Cavaliers-Brooklyn Nets basketball game and a black-tie fundraiser for their alma mater, the University of St. Andrews.
Kate, dressed in a black coat by the British fashion brand Goat, was greeted with cheers from several dozen spectators as she arrived at the Northside Center. Aaron Victor and wife Crystal Pizarro had waited almost an hour on a freezing day with their 3-year-old daughter, London, to catch a glimpse of the duchess.
"It was a very good experience, and I'm glad she got to see her," Pizarro said.
The royals are visiting a city where thousands of people have protested over the past week to decry a grand jury's decision not to indict a white police officer in the chokehold death of an unarmed black man, Eric Garner. Activists planned to demonstrate at the basketball arena while the royals took in the game.
"If the royal family is here, we want to let them know what has happened in our city," said Carmen Perez, a co-founder of Justice League NYC, a group that planned to demonstrate.
Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, accept flowers from a student outside Northside Center for Child Development, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, in New York. Kate and Prince William are on a three-day visit to the U.S., their first official visit since a 2011 trip to California. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, accept flowers from a student outside Northside Center for Child Development, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, in New York. Kate and Prince William are on a three-day visit to the U.S., their first official visit since a 2011 trip to California. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge greets children outside the Northside Center after her visit, in New York, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014. Kate and Prince William are on a three-day visit to the U.S., their first official visit since a 2011 trip to California. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge greets children outside the Northside Center after her visit, in New York, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014. Kate and Prince William are on a three-day visit to the U.S., their first official visit since a 2011 trip to California. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, greets children outside Northside Center for Child Development, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, in New York. Kate and Prince William are on a three-day visit to the U.S., their first official visit since a 2011 trip to California. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, greets children outside Northside Center for Child Development, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, in New York. Kate and Prince William are on a three-day visit to the U.S., their first official visit since a 2011 trip to California. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Britain's Prince William is greeted by World Bank President Jim Yong Kim before speaking on illegal transportation of wildlife parts across borders during an International Corruption Hunters Alliance event, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, at the World Bank in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, sits next to four-year-olds April, left, and Sammy in a pre-school class at the Northside Center for Childhood Development, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014 in New York. Kate and Prince William arrived in New York City on Sunday, their first official visit to the U.S. since a 2011 trip to California and their first taste of the Big Apple.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, laughs while visiting a pre-school class at the Northside Center for Childhood Development, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014 in New York. Kate and Prince William arrived in New York City on Sunday, their first official visit to the U.S. since a 2011 trip to California and their first taste of the Big Apple. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)
Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge laughs as she mingles with members of the British community in New York from culture, arts, hospitality, and business before a luncheon at the residence of the British Consul General in New York, December 8, 2014. Prince William and his wife Kate are on their first visit to New York City, a whirlwind trip that includes visits to a Harlem child development center and the September 11 Monument and Museum. (AP Photo/Mike Segar, Reuters)
Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, greets Chirlane McCray, the wife of the mayor of New York City, upon arriving at the Northside Center for Childhood Development in New York, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014. Kate and Prince William arrived in New York City on Sunday, their first official visit to the U.S. since a 2011 trip to California and their first taste of the Big Apple. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible