NYC Rolls Out Red Carpet For William And Kate
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- If you haven't perfected your bow and curtsy, now's the time as British royalty has arrived in the Big Apple.
Escorted by a massive entourage and the NYPD, Prince William and Duchess Kate checked into their Upper East Side hotel Sunday evening as they began their first visit to the city.
As CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported, dozens of people crowded the street corners outside the Carlyle Hotel for hours in the cold, hoping to get a little glimpse of the royal couple.
"We just want to see them. Even if it's just a glimpse. We just want to see them, said Valerie Carpenter, of Philadelphia.
"Just cause they're historical figures in today's age, and they're great role models and everything about them is super elegant and classy," Emily told 1010 WINS' Gary Baumgarten.
"We just love the royal family," said Elizabeth Escott, of Pennsylvania. "Like their is like a fairytale. It's so intriguing."
"We watched the wedding on TV. And the fact that they're like, somewhere close to us in the United States is worth driving," said Paula Escott.
Security is very tight at the Carlyl Hotel. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said the NYPD will be protecting the royal couple throughout their visit.
NYC Rolls Out Red Carpet For William And Kate
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a full schedule of events in New York, including a visit to the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum and a basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
William is also set to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday while visiting Washington to attend a World Bank conference. At that meeting, he is expected to speak about combating illegal trade in wildlife parks.
Kate is slated to tour a New York child development center with the city's first lady, Chirlane McCray.
Their visit will also include some events with other high-profile guests. Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton are accompanying William and Kate to a New York reception highlighting conservation efforts.
At a black-tie scholarship fundraiser for the University of St. Andrews, other special guests are expected, including Tom Hanks and opera singer Renee Fleming. The ticket price went up to $10,000 per seat.
The couple met at St. Andrews, where they both earned degrees from the Scottish school.
Interview With Royal Expert Victoria Arbiter
Royal expert Victoria Arbiter called the visit "a business trip."
"Really, this trip is all about fundraising," Arbiter told CBS2's Andrea Grymes in an in-studio interview. "I think William backhoeand Kate are eager to raise the profile of their charities and also meet American organizations, foundations, individuals that perhaps share the same vision as they do."
Arbiter said observers are most excited about seeing William and Kate, who are expecting their second child in April, at the NBA game.
"I think everyone's eager to spot William and Kate on the kiss cam," she said.
To watch the full interview with Arbiter, click on the video above.
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