Kate Middleton and Prince William’s U.S. Visit Cost Boston Six Figures

Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s visit to Boston for three days late last year was not cheap for the city. Making sure the Prince and Princess of Wales were safe cost the city $170,407.52, according to city data obtained by the Boston Herald on Feb. 6. Most of the cost went to police overtime.

William and Kate visited Boston from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, 2022, to host the second-annual Earthshot Prize event. They also visited local politicians and met with President Joe Biden. They attended a Boston Celtics game at TD Bank Garden on Nov. 30, sitting courtside. The couple stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel on Boylston Street.

This was the royal couple’s first trip to the U.S. since 2014 and came amid the ongoing drama between Willam and his younger brother, Prince Harry. It also happened just weeks after William become second in line to the British throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8.

According to Boston city data, the city spent $105,267.57 on policing the entire event. The description for the line item read “see backup,” referring to a document that Boston Public Records Chief Shawn Williams did not include in response to the Herald‘s records requests.

The office of tourism spent $58,772.95 on “staging, tents, flowers, lights, etc.” Another $5,000 went to property management for “mostly custodial and security overtime.” The remaining total went to EMS staffing. The total included in the documents did not include salaried employees in the mayor’s office and other city offices.

The next major event for the royal family is in May, when William’s father, King Charles III, will have his formal coronation. This is the first coronation of a new U.K. monarch in 70 years. The event will take place over a three-day weekend, with the coronation service itself on May 6 at Westminster Abbey.

There has been rampant speculation that Harry will not attend, but sources told The Daily Mail that the family “fully” expects he and his wife, Megan Markle, will be there. “Members of the family have told me that both Harry and Meghan will definitely come. They fully expect that,” the insider said. “And they should realize that there is only one subject that many members of the Royal Family will be willing to discuss… and that’s the weather.”