http://www.people.com/people/p...222_20879699,00.html


Prince William to Meet with President Obama During Royal Couple's U.S. Trip

BY TARA FOWLER AND SIMON PERRY 12/05/2014 AT 03:50 PM EST

With just two days to go before Prince William and Princess Kate's trip to the United States, the couple's official schedule has finally been released – and it includes Prince William rubbing elbows with some high-powered politicians.

The three-day visit kicks off on Sunday, when the pair arrive in New York and head to the Carlyle Hotel on Manhattan's Upper East Side. That evening, they'll attend a private dinner for their Royal Foundation.

On Dec. 8, the prince will make a short side trip to Washington, D.C., where he'll meet with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. He'll also meet with Vice President Joe Biden. William will then attend an anti-corruption conference at the World Bank and address attendees at a luncheon on Monday, urging a clampdown on the trade in animal parts, particularly ivory.

"The President welcomes the Prince's work in this global fight against what is both a national security threat and a devastating environmental problem," the White House said in a statement. "The President looks forward to thanking The Duke of Cambridge for the hospitality shown to him by the Royal Family during the President's recent visits to the United Kingdom."



Said White House press secretary Josh Earnest at his daily briefing: "We'll have a little royalty in the house on Monday."

This won't be the first time William has met the president. In May 2011, shortly after the royal wedding, a newly wed William and Kate met with the president and the first lady, Michelle Obama, in Buckingham Palace before America's first couple attended a luncheon with Queen Elizabeth.

For William, his speech before the World Bank is "an incredibly important part of the trip for him," a palace source told PEOPLE. "It will see him deliver a substantial speech on a high-profile stage on a topic he is passionate about and doing a lot of work to drive forward. Speaking with the president of the World Bank at the World Bank is hugely important."


When William returns to New York City, he will continue to promote his conservation efforts, attending a reception for the Tusk Trust and United for Wildlife partners. There, he will meet with Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. In 2013, the Clinton women launched an $80 million campaign to stop the ivory trafficking that threatens African elephants with extinction.

The mother-daughter duo's interest in the issue dates back to when they traveled to Africa in 1997 as first lady and first daughter. Since then, Chelsea, who worked with a friend to curate a line of elephant-themed gift items to benefit elephant conservation earlier this fall, has called the elephant crisis both a moral and ecological one, and said she fears her baby girl, Charlotte, "could grow up in a planet without elephants."

While William is in the nation's capital, Kate will stay in the Big Apple, where she will visit the Northside Center for Child Development in Harlem with the first lady of New York, Chirlane McCray. Kate will then attend a lunch at the British consul general's residence.

And for those of you worried about the royal baby bump, a royal source confirms there will be medical assistance on hand, though a doctor will not be traveling with the couple.

William and Kate, both 32, will reunite on Monday evening, when they catch an NBA game at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

Below, check out their full schedule, which has been "tailored to both their interests," the palace source told PEOPLE.

• Dinner with supporters of the Royal Foundation, New York: William and Kate will attend a private dinner shortly after their arrival in N.Y.C. Sunday, where they'll meet with advocates for their foundation.

• The White House, Washington D.C.: The Duke will meet with President Obama in the Oval Office on Monday.

• World Bank, Washington D.C.: William will attend the International Corruption Hunters Alliance conference on Monday, where he will give a speech about his fight against the illegal trade in wildlife. "It is new territory as it will see him speak on policy which he has never done before," a palace source said.

• Northside Center for Child Development, Harlem: On Monday, Kate and the first lady of New York will participate in gift-wrapping with volunteers, as well as meet with students.


• Lunch at British consul general's residence, New York: Later, Kate will dine with various members of the British community residing in the city.

• Conservation reception at British consul general's residence, New York: When he returns to New York on Monday, William will attend a reception in recognition of the conservation work carried out by Tusk and United for Wildlife partners. There, he'll meet Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. "What this also does is reinforces to the world the commitment that William has to conservation, the deep passion he has for it," Charlie Mayhew, chief executive of Tusk Trust charity, said.

• Brooklyn Nets v. Cleveland Cavaliers, Barclays Center, Brooklyn: The couple will attend an NBA game together Monday evening in recognition of the partnership between United for Wildlife and NBA Cares.

• National September 11 Memorial Museum, New York: The pair will visit the museum on Tuesday morning.

• The Door/CityKids, New York: The royal couple will take a tour of the youth organization Tuesday, including viewing various arts performances.

• Creativity Is GREAT reception, hosted by NeueHouse, New York: Later that day, the couple will attend a reception in celebration of the British talent in the creative industries based in New York.

• Innovation is GREAT reception, hosted by Shutterstock at the Empire State Building: William will present the GREAT Tech Awards winners with their trophies on Tuesday.

• St. Andrews' 600th anniversary dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: The dinner is a highlight of the trip, according to the palace, and the main reason the visit was scheduled for these days. Kate and William will attend together on Tuesday evening before they finally head home.

• With reporting by SANDRA SOBIERAJ WESTFALL

The poor devils -- having to sit through an NBA game ...

NBA?
What is NBA?

Little brother was flying helicopters in Afghanistan when I was deployed there. His unit was parked about 2 miles down the ramp.

Bumped into him in the chowhall, I treated him as just a bloke.

Their lot are pretty passionate hunters.