'Fab Four' royal reunion in US? William, Kate to be in Boston days before Harry, Meghan to be honored in NY
Close timing and proximity of events spark speculation that couples could plan to meet during trips
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prince William and Princess Kate could potentially have a royal reunion with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on the East Coast in December.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are set to attend the second annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Boston on Dec. 2, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be honored a few days later at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFKHR) organization's Ripple of Hope Award Gala in nearby New York.
On Monday, RFKHR announced that Harry and Meghan have been named this year's Ripple of Hope Award laureates along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Siris Capital co-founder Frank Baker and Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A spokesperson for the organization told Fox News Digital that the couple has confirmed their attendance at the gala on Dec. 6.
Prince William and Princess Kate could potentially have a royal reunion with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the U.S. in December 2022. (Chris Jackson)
The Sussexes were chosen to receive the prestigious award in "recognition of their work on racial justice, mental health, and other social impact initiatives through their Archewell Foundation," per a press release from the organization.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"When The Duke and Duchess accepted our award laureate invitation back in March, we were thrilled. The couple has always stood out for their willingness to speak up and change the narrative on racial justice and mental health around the world," Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and Robert F. Kennedy's daughter, said in a statement.
She continued, "They embody the type of moral courage that my father once called the 'one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change.'"
RFKHR is a nonprofit human rights advocacy organization that was named after the late U.S. Senator after he was assassinated in 1968.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be honored at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization's Ripple of Hope Award Gala in New York in December 2022. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The Ripple of Hope Award is bestowed on "exemplary leaders who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights," according to the press release.
RFKHR highlighted Harry and Meghan's work on initiatives including supporting Afghan refugees, advocating for paid parental leave, donating to organizations working in war-torn Ukraine, campaigning for vaccine access globally and collaborating with the NAACP to create the first-ever Digital Civil Rights Award.
Past recipients of the Ripple of Hope Award include former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Colin Kaepernick, Stacey Abrams and Dr. Anthony Fauci, among others.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In 2020, William and the Royal Foundation along with British broadcaster David Attenborough launched the Earthshot Prize, which is awarded to five individuals in recognition of their contributions to environmentalism.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate Middleton, are set to attend the second annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Boston on Dec. 2, 2022. They are pictured at the inaugural Earthshot awards in 2021. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The award also has a tie to the Kennedy family as its name was inspired by former President John F. Kennedy's famous 1962 "Moonshot" speech in which he pledged to land a man on the moon and bring him back safely by the end of the decade.
In 2021, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation announced that it had partnered with the Earthshot Prize. The inaugural Earthshot Prize award ceremony was held in London on Oct. 17, 2021. Emma Thompson, Emma Watson and David Oyelowo joined Kate in presenting the awards.
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The 2022 iteration of the awards ceremony will be held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in the Boston suburb of Dorchester in Massachusetts.
In a video address at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit last month, William said, "Both Catherine and I are so excited to be coming to Boston in December, and we look forward to seeing you all very soon." The trip marks the first time that William and Kate have visited the U.S. in eight years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The close timing and proximity of the two events has sparked speculation that the foursome could meet up.
The close timing and proximity of the two events has sparked speculation that the royal foursome could plan to meet up in the U.S. (Chris Jackson - WPA Pool)
Relations have been tense between the four since Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior royals in 2020.
The feud has reportedly been further exacerbated by accusations of racism against an unnamed royal family member that were made by Harry and Meghan in a 2021 television special hosted by Oprah Winfrey.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, the couples made surprise joint appearance together while on a walkabout to view floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II following her death last month.
On Sept. 19, they attended Queen Elizabeth's funeral service where William and Harry walked side by side behind their grandmother's coffin as it was moved from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.