"Over the last few weeks it has been incredible to witness the level of excitement from people here wanting to be part of this. The excitement in New York has been absolutely phenomenal," Danny Lopez, the British consul-general to New York told the Telegraph.
The couple arrived at New York's JFK airport at around 4.30 pm on Sunday, before making their way to the luxury Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan's Upper East Side, which was a favorite of Princess Diana in the 1990s. The Union Jack flag was flown at the hotel for the occasion, while the Empire State Building was lit up in its colors. Outside the hotel, hundreds of fans braved the cold to catch a glimpse of the couple.
The Daily Beast reports that on Sunday evening the royals attended a fundraising dinner hosted by British advertising guru and WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell that was attended by 30 of New York's richest philanthropists. The dinner reportedly raised over $2 million for their royal charity, the American Friends of the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
Further stops on the couple's busy tour include the Duke's working lunch at the World Bank, the Duchess' visit to a local child development center in New York, and a trip to an NBA basketball game. Their final engagement will be a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the University of St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Dinner; St. Andrews is the university where the couple first met.
