Wearing their coats in a cold New England winter, Prince William and Kate strained to enjoy a stroll through the defenses of Boston Harbor during their official visit to the city.
But if anyone needed protection, it was the royal couple themselves, who were bombed from Britain and California.
As their tour continued into day three, they were still dealing with the aftermath of William’s godmother, who left the royal family after making racist remarks about a black woman and the head of a domestic violence charity.
Then another rocket fired over Hollywood Montecito hit her: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a trailer for their upcoming Netflix Series.
In regards to dramatic music, Harry has said that he must “do whatever it takes to protect his family” and that “no one knows what goes on behind closed doors”.
The only thing colder than time was Kate’s look during the minute-long clip, an unflattering look at a black and white photograph.
The publication caused another wave of headlines on both sides of the ocean, some comparing it to Harry’s “declaration of war”.
In America, ABC news Harry and Meghan said they “crashed the party” and that there was a “split” in the royal spotlight. Correspondent Trevor Ault said that “a lot of people have doubts about the release date for the disclosure documentary.”
news week said the “royal couple’s Boston tour fell through” after the Netflix teaser “jumped on new royal bombs”.
According to the play, William, set on Harry and Meghan’s home set, could lose control of the story with two days left. In another joke, an American magazine called the trailer for the documentary “explosive”.
In London, Time it has been claimed that sources close to the Cambridges nicknamed the Sussexes “The Kardashians”.
William and Kate did what the royal family has always done in times of crisis: keep calm and move on. On the spot, it was like Netflix never existed.
Crowds cheered everywhere, memories of being booed at a Boston Celtics basketball game earlier in the visit faded in the rearview mirror.
On Thursday, they visited a green start-up incubator and Roca, a charity for at-risk youth, before embarking on an icy tour of the harbor where armed U.S. Coast Guard boats patrol the waters.
William and Kate had a moment of real connection with The Rock when she asked Jonathan Williams, one of the members, what else could be done for the young people in the community.
He said, “Let people know that if you feel you can open up and be vulnerable, they will be there for you.”
Outside of Rock, William shocked local resident Alex Cross when she asked if he could say hello to her mother in Tennessee, who was on the phone.
William playfully picked up the phone and said, “Mallory, hi! Where in Tennessee? I hope it’s warmer there!
There was also an adorable moment when William and Kate met an eight-year-old boy dressed as a royal guard, complete with a homemade bear hat.
The royal couple parted on Friday: Kate was scheduled to visit the Child Development Center at Harvard University, and William visited the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
They will reunite Friday night for the second Earthshot Awards, the centerpiece of the visit, where William will award $6 million (£4.91 million) to five environmental innovators.
It’s been described as Williams’ “Super Bowl moment” and he’ll be counting on MGM Music Hall stars like Billie Eilish, Ellie Goulding and Annie Lennox to keep all the attention on Boston, not Montecito.
The trump card of the Cambridges is an 80-year-old tourist from Washington who, among other things, comes to Boston to meet them: Joe Biden.
The meeting with the President is a real turnaround for William and Kate, but the fallout won’t last long: the Netflix series Harry & Meghan is reportedly due to air next Thursday.