The Princess of Wales in Gabriela Hearst and Alexander McQueen for Chilly Waterfront Walk

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited East Boston’s waterfront this afternoon.

Emily Nash of Hello shared a video. 

William and Kate take a walk in Piers Park, Boston, with @MayorWu and @RevMariama to hear about how Boston is working to combat rising sea levels. It was 2 degrees C and felt a lot colder! ❄️ #RoyalVisitBoston #EarthshotPrize2022 pic.twitter.com/FamxMYh8p5

— Emily Nash (@emynash) December 1, 2022

The royals were joined by Mayor Michelle Wu (2nd from right) and Reverend Mariama White-Hammond (far right), Boston’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space.

A Kensington Palace news release reports the Prince and Princess were there to “learn about the significant climate challenges that the city itself faces,” and “to see the changing face of Boston’s shoreline as the city contends with rising sea levels.”

Below, members of the public gathered at the park.

More about the engagement from 7News.

The group toured the area despite biting cold and harsh winds and ventured across the pier to the park’s pavilion and beyond. The royals listened to officials recount the history of Boston and what is being done to ensure the park, Boston Harbor and city itself are preserved in the face of climate change.

You saw both Mayor Wu and Reverend White-Hammond at yesterday’s City Hall welcome. Also part of the group today, Lisa Wieland, CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority (MassPort), seen in the grey coat.

The royals met representatives from several key environmental organizations. 

The groups represented included the following: 

• Boston Harbor Now is a member of the host committee for this year’s Earthshot Prize. The group notes on its site that it is “working to re-establish Boston as one of the world’s truly great coastal cities. Everything we do is in partnership with public agencies, communities, and private and non-profit partners.”
• Stone Living Lab is described on its site as conducting “…transformative research and outreach to make vulnerable coastal regions adaptive to climate change while enhancing natural and built environments.”
• Trustees of Reservations is “…here to protect and share the Massachusetts places people love for their exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value. For their trails, their history, their gardens, their beaches,” per the group’s website. 
• The Harborkeepers is a waterfront advocacy group working to build “…Coastal Community Resiliency & Fostering Environmental Stewardship in East Boston.”   

People reports in this story that the royals “… spoke with members of the community about their experiences with flooding and storm surges, as well as the projects underway to mitigate the risks of climate change while promoting equity among the diverse residents of East Boston.

Another view of the Princess. 

Lizzie Robinson of ITV shared a video. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Boston Harbour to hear about the changing face of the city’s shoreline as it contends with rising sea levels #RoyalVisitBoston pic.twitter.com/mdwUpeGIyz

— Lizzie Robinson (@LizzieITV) December 1, 2022

We return to the 7News piece. 

The discussions also included the city’s resiliency projects. Speaking with 7NEWS after the tour, Mayor Michelle Wu said the royals had wanted to see, up-close, how current and previous projects have been making an impact.

“We talked about the innovation that we’re seeing with the parks under construction here, the new green spaces that have been created and how they double as not only climate protections, but spaces for fun and community and much-needed health benefits, as well.”

At one point during the tour, 7NEWS cameras spotted the group burst into laughter during the tour: the result of humor in the face of frigid temperatures.

“We were talking about wanting to bring them back when some of the new parks are done and some of the infrastructure is fully-installed, and everyone vowed that it would be in summer next time,” Wu said.

If it looks like it was cold, it was: temps were in the upper 30s, and it was windy.

Mayor Wu added a hat as the group approached the water.

Now for our look at what Kate wore. 

She wore a coat by Alexander McQueen. The double-breasted design features peaked lapels, long sleeves with padded shoulders and buttoned cuffs, front flap pockets, a welt pocket at the chest, and a single back vent. It is very much like this Alexander McQueen coat shown at Farfetch (sold out), but in a rich brown hue.

With thanks to Carly at Kate Middleton Style, it looks like the Princess wore Uruguayan-born designer Gabriela Hearst, whose brand is headquartered in New York,  beneath the coat.  More specifically, the Peppe Turtleneck ($790) and Epper Skirt ($1590).

Both pieces are crafted in a blend of 70% cashmere and 30% silk. The turtleneck is a fitted style in a ribbed knit. The skirt features a finer rib, an elastic waist (center photo), and angled ribs at the hip.

The boots are the bespoke Gianvito Rossi pair first worn to a November rugby match. 

I do not know the scarf or gloves brands. I don’t believe the gloves are one of the Princess’s Cornelia James pairs but could be wrong.   

UPDATE: Cornelia James tells me the Princess was wearing their Imogen Merino Wool Gloves ($173).

UPDATE JAN 2023: I do not think the gloves worn were the Imogen, I cannot see a bow on them.

The Princess’s hair was partially pulled back. 

Her earrings are the Daniella Draper Luxury Maxi Cupid Hoops ($3100) worn for the day’s earlier engagements.

If you missed the earlier post, here is the post covering the Roland Mouret suit seen earlier today.