Prince of Wales declares himself a ‘stubborn optimist’ for the future of the planet as he pens an opinion piece for the Huffington Post ahead of tonight’s Earthshot Prize Awards
- The Prince of Wales has written an op-ed for the Huffington Post about why he is optimistic for the future
- Prince William and Kate Middleton are touring Boston ahead of the Earthshot Prize Awards this evening
- So far their visit has been overshadowed by a race row at Buckingham Palace and Harry & Meghan trailer
- Royal Family news LIVE: Kate Middleton and Prince William continue three-day Earthshot tour in Boston
The Prince of Wales has labelled himself a ‘stubborn optimist’ regarding the future of the planet in an opinion piece for the Huffington Post ahead of the Earthshot Prize Awards this evening.
Prince William, 40, who is currently touring Boston in the US with the Princess of Wales before attending the awards ceremony this evening, revealed he created the Earthshot Prize inspired by John F Kennedy’s Moonshot speech in the 1960s – and he wanted to bring the second awards ceremony to the East Coast city because it was the birthplace of the late President.
Describing the Prize, which awards innovation in environmental conservation and sustainability, he said: ‘If it sounds ambitious, optimistic, and hopeful ― that’s because it is.’
He added optimism was the ‘foundation’ on which the Earthshot Prize was built, and went on to praise the efforts of the finalists from last year’s awards against a background of increasing natural climate disasters.
The Prince of Wales (pictured with Kate Middleton at Boston Town Hall at the Earthshot launch on Wednesday evening) has written an op-ed for the Huffington Post ahead of the Earthshot Prize Awards this evening describing himself as a ‘stubborn optimist’ about the future of the planet
The Prince and Princess of Wales (pictured on a visit to Boston Harbour Defences on Thursday) are touring the East Coast city ahead of the awards
Prince William and Kate were brought back together with the African-American Reverend (right) who lectured about the ‘legacy of colonialism’ at their Earthshot launch on Wednesday – hours after the Palace was dragged into an ugly race row
Reverend White-Hammond is the Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for Boston and specializes in ‘challenging folks to see the connections between immigration and climate change’
The couple arrived at Boston Harbor Defenses on Thursday afternoon, where they met up with Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, who gave a speech at the Earthshot launch in which she urged people to ‘consider the legacy of colonialism’
William and Kate were also reunited with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who helped them to launch the Earthshot Prize
The couple pulled off an outfit change in between their second and third engagements of the day, arriving at Boston Harbor Defenses at around 3PM ET having spent the morning visiting two different suburbs
The couple were accompanied by several burly security guards as they arrived at their latest engagement, which will see them ‘exploring the past, present, and future of the city’s waterfront’
‘Every day we learn of a new fact or figure, or we reach an alarming milestone that marks our seemingly inexorable ― and rapid ― march toward climate catastrophe,’ he wrote, citing 15 weather disasters in the last year in the US alone.
However, he praised the efforts of last year’s finalists in preserving coral reefs and protecting marine areas, which he said was creating momentum in the fight to protect the environment.
Encouraging people to share his optimism about the future of the planet, he said: ‘Dire predictions about our natural world aren’t the only side to this story and they don’t have to be our future.’
Yesterday the Prince and Princess of Wales came together with Reverend Mariama White-Hammond for their third official engagement on Thursday, which saw them visiting Boston Harbor Defenses despite the biting cold to learn about the impact of rising sea levels on the city’s shoreline.
If the couple felt any awkwardness at being reunited with Reverend White-Hammond – who urged the crowds at their Earthshot Prize launch on Wednesday to ‘consider the legacy of colonialism and racism’ as the Prince and Princess watched on from the wings – they did not allow it to show on their faces.
Magdalena Ayed of Harborkeepers told DailyMail.com that many people have been curious as to why the Royal couple picked Boston to visit.
‘There’s a lot of curiosity,’ Ayed pointed out. ‘People are asking why would they pick Boston as a US city and we feel honored.’
William and Kate were smiling as they arrived at the harbor – having taken a two-hour break in between events, which may well have given them a chance to discuss some of the controversies that have overshadowed their US trip, from the Buckingham Palace race row sparked by the Prince’s godmother to the release of an explosive trailer for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Netflix documentary this morning.
When Ayed was asked whether she felt the trip had been overshadowed by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, she responded: ‘It’s interesting, Harry and Meghan will be in New York next week. I think people are playing inspector Clouseau, they are like hmmm, it’s interesting.’
Such were the biting temperatures that the Prince of Wales apologized for keeping his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets.
‘I don’t want to be rude,’ he told local residents gathered to meet him on the pier at Boston harbor. ‘I’m keeping them in my pockets. When I can feel them again it will be better.’
The Prince and Princess of Wales were at the harbor to learn how the city is dealing with rising sea levels and the changing face of the shoreline.
On arrival at Piers Park, they were greeted by Boston city mayor, Michelle Wu, Rev Mariama White-Hammond and Lisa Wieland, CEO of Massport, which maintains the park.
As they walked along the pier, the royals were introduced to three groups of local residents who talked them through the regeneration of the pier and surrounding park, the various challenges caused by rising sea levels and the plans in place to mitigate them.
Kathy Abbott, CEO of Boston Harbor Now, said afterwards of the Prince: ‘I offered him my hand warmer. He said no thank you.’
Asked how the Royal family were perceived in America, she said: ‘Everybody that I’ve talked to is incredibly excited that they’re here.
Elizabeth Solomon, from the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag, who is also an Earthshot host committee member, said she had spoken to the royals about creating a relationship between the tribe, the Crown and the British people.
Asked how the royals had reacted, she said: ‘Nothing, there were no questions.’
The couple then met Vidya Tikku, trustees of the Reservations, Carole Charnow of Boston Children’s Museum and Lisa Wieland of MassPort.
Charnow told them about plans to protect the children’s museum, adding: ‘Hopefully the children will be playing in the water next time you come here.’
She said the Prince had replied: ‘Hopefully not in temperatures like this.’
The Princess, wrapped up in knitwear by New York designer Gabriella Hearst and a coat by Alexander McQueen, spoke about how important it was for children to be able to ‘get near to nature in order to appreciate the importance of protecting nature,’ Charnow said.
As they left on Thursday, the Prince and Princess met a group of park workers who asked if they had enjoyed the basketball last night.
William said his wife had asked if he wanted to shoot any hoops.
‘Ten feet up? It’s a long time since I’ve done that,’ he laughed.
He added: ‘We might come back when it’s a bit warmer. It’s beautiful along the waterfront.’
A small throng had gathered at the park gates in the hope of catching a glimpse of the couple as they got back into their car.
‘William, do you have any single friends?’ One shouted. Several others yelled: ‘We love you.’
The Prince and Princess were at the harbor to learn how the city is dealing with rising sea levels and the changing shoreline
Princess Kate was all smiles as she waved to fans as she and Prince William attended their third official engagement on Thursday, which saw them visiting Boston Harbor Defenses to learn about the impact of rising sea levels on the shoreline
Although insiders insisted that Kate and William were ‘determined’ not to get side-tracked from their mission to launch the Prince’s Earthshot Prize awards in the US, the issues of race and equality were quickly brought to the forefront of the event by Reverend White-Hammond’s speech.
Just minutes before William and Kate took to the podium at the launch event, the Reverend, who serves as the city’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space, gave a strong speech in which she told the crowd to ‘consider the legacy of colonialism and racism’, particularly when it comes to their impact on climate change.
She continued: ‘The ways it has impacted people across the world and its connection, its deep connection to the degradation of land and our planet that we are all seeking to reverse.
‘The stories lost, the species made extinct, but also the persistence of people in the face of oppression and the fundamental dignity of all of our relations.’
Although no mention was made about Lady Susan Hussey – former lady-in-waiting to the Queen and William’s own godmother – who was accused of making racist comments to black domestic abuse campaigner Ngozi Fulani at a Buckingham Palace event on Tuesday night, few could fail to connect the controversy with Reverend White-Hammond’s remarks.
The couple were once again greeted by a host of well-wishers who they happily waved to as they walked through the harbor
The couple smiled happily despite the very frosty weather in Boston
William and Kate observed the ways in which the Boston shoreline has been transformed by rising sea levels
William and Kate did appear to be struggling with the dropping temperatures slightly as the afternoon wore on and the sun started to go down
The group appeared to be having a very in-depth conversation as they strolled along the harbor
During their visit, the couple also met community members who will speak to them about ‘their experiences of the neighborhood’s vulnerability to climate change-caused flooding and storm surge’
Tomorrow will bring the biggest event of their tour: a glitzy award ceremony where they will announce the five winners of this year’s Earthshot Prize in front of a star-studded audience that will include the likes of Billie Eilish and Annie Lennox
Sussexes’ bombshell Netflix trailer has ‘been DELIBERATELY timed to take away from the Cambridges’ landmark US tour’, experts say
The release of the trailer for Harry and Meghan’s Netflix docuseries has been ‘deliberately designed’ to ‘take away’ from the Cambridges’ landmark US tour, a royal expert has claimed.
The explosive trailer for the $100 million series dropped today, with the couple sharing an intensely personal reel of never before seen photos including several of the duchess crying.
Calling the Sussexes ‘unpredictable’, Mr Fitzwilliams said that the trailer’s release was ‘obviously timed to take away from the Wales’ trip to Boston’, adding that Meghan and Harry ‘like control their narrative’.
‘The timing draws attention away from William and Catherine’s visit to Boston, which is highly prestigious,’ he said. ‘William is launching the Earthshot Prize and meeting Biden, which is very very prestigious.’
Mr Fitzwilliams said their trip had already been ‘overshadowed’ by the race row that saw the late Queen’s chief lady-in-waiting – and also Prince William’s godmother Lady Susan Hussey – resign after being accused of racially insulting Sistah Space founder Ngozi Fulani and refusing to believe she was British.
Saying that the timing of trailer release was ‘certainly unhelpful’, he continued: ‘If you look at it, it would appear there’s a lot for the Palace to be concerned on. What will they reveal?
‘There’s one [photo] where Meghan looks distressed, what is the context behind that? What will they reveal about the way they believe they were treated by the Royal Family?’
However, when the Reverend joined William and Kate on Thursday, it was to focus on the impact of rising sea levels and the impact that the issue is having on the world’s shorelines – with the couple also meeting community members who will speak to them about ‘their experiences of the neighborhood’s vulnerability to climate change-caused flooding and storm surge’.
The royals strolled along the harbor alongside Reverend White-Hammond and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu – with William and Kate appearing to grow increasingly chilly as the afternoon wore on and the sun went down.
They were both seen hunching up their shoulders with the cold and William – who went without gloves – kept his hands in his pockets as they walked along the shoreline.
It has been a long day of events for the couple, who kicked off the day at a climate innovation company located in a suburb of the city, before they traveled to a nearby non-profit organization that focuses on young people who are affected by urban violence.
However, tomorrow will bring the biggest event of their tour: a glitzy award ceremony where they will announce the five winners of this year’s Earthshot Prize in front of a star-studded audience that will include the likes of Billie Eilish, Annie Lennox and Rami Malek.
William and Kate will no doubt be hoping that their day does not begin in the same bombshell circumstances that today’s did. This morning saw their tour overshadowed in dramatic fashion by the release of Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary trailer, in which the Sussexes strongly hinted that they will launch fresh attacks against the royal family.
However, the Prince and Princess of Wales have not let the controversy surrounding the trailer – which features a lingering shot of the two of them displayed while dramatic music plays in the background – prevent them from carrying out all of their tour duties.
Before the couple arrived at Piers Park, a US Coast Guard boat was seen patrolling the harbor with three officers on board – two of whom sat in the cabin while a third watched on from the bow, where a large automatic gun was mounted.
Every effort appears to have been taken to ensure the couple’s safety for the tour, during which they have been accompanied by multiple security guards, as well as members of the local police force.
Once again, William and Kate were joined by Boston Wu, who also spoke alongside them at the official launch of Earthshot on Wednesday night, as well as several representatives from local environmental groups, including Boston Harbor Now, Stone Living Lab, the Trustees of Reservations, and The Harborkeepers.
Princess Kate completed an outfit change ahead of their appearance at Boston Harbor Defenses, changing out of the burgundy Roland Mouret suit that she wore for the first two events of the morning and into a bold orange turtleneck dress and long brown coat.
Kate looked very chilly at one point during the afternoon event – during which temperatures in Boston began to drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit
William was also seen putting his head in his hands at one point – perhaps annoyed that he’d forgotten a hat
Kate had her brown hair pulled back in a half updo, which allowed her to show off a pair of embellished gold hoop earrings
She waved happily at the waiting photographers and crowds as she exited the couple’s hybrid Range Rover, which was specially chosen for the trip in keeping with the environmental theme of the Earthshot Prize
She flashed a hint at the ribbed orange turtleneck dress she was wearing under her long coat as she exited the vehicle
Once again, William and Kate were joined by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who also spoke alongside them at the official launch of Earthshot on Wednesday night
In preparation for the couple’s arrival, officers from the US Coast Guard were seen patrolling the harbor on a boat armed with a large automatic weapon
The boat was pictured making its way through the water around the area where Kate and William were due to appear
The mother-of-three added a pair of brown gloves to protect her against the chilly Boston weather, and she topped off the look with a pair of brown suede boots and a brown scarf that was tucked into the collar of her coat.
She also had her brown hair pulled back in a half updo, which allowed her to show off a pair of gold hoops that dangled from her ears.
William also added a coat and scarf to his look, opting for a grey design that he wrapped around his neck and tucked into his navy blue jacket.
He also appeared to have changed for their latest event, swapping out the dark grey suit he wore in the morning in favor of a navy design.
Both maintained what has become their must-have accessory for the tour: a beaming smile.
William and Kate were seen arriving at Boston Harbor around two hours after they completed their second engagement of the day – where they were given a rousing dose of positivity from a crowd of fawning US fans.
Following their first two engagements of the day, which saw them visiting a climate innovation company and a non-profit organization that works with youths at risk of urban violence, William and Kate spent time greeting a group of well-wishers who had gathered in the frosty weather in the hopes of catching a glance at the royal pair.
Princess Kate completed an outfit change ahead of their appearance at Boston Harbor Defenses, changing out of the burgundy Roland Mouret suit that she wore for the first two events of the morning
The couple got the opportunity to enjoy some beautiful fall foliage in Piers Park, having spent much of the morning indoors
Kate was bundled up in a turtleneck dress and a long brown coat, however she appeared to be feeling a bit of a chill
The couple met with several representatives from local environmental groups, including Boston Harbor Now, Stone Living Lab, the Trustees of Reservations, and The Harborkeepers
They were given insights into how climate change is impacting the shoreline – and spoke to community members who have been affected by rising sea levels
One particularly emotional fan broke down in tears when Kate approached her, before taking the Princess’s hand and thanking her for ‘everything she has done’.
‘You’ve been so lovely, thank you for everything,’ the woman said while holding Kate by the hand, having burst into tears when she saw the mother-of-three making her way over to her.
The moment was one of many touching interactions between the royals and their fans – a surefire sign that the controversies that have overshadowed their first US tour in eight years have certainly not dampened their own popularity.
Indeed, the crowds of delighted well-wishers will no doubt have served as a very welcome moment of lightness for Kate and William, who started their day off with the news that Meghan and Harry had released a bombshell first look at their upcoming Netflix documentary – just hours before the Prince and Princess were due to kick off day two of their tour.
The walkabout came hours after the couple kicked off the second day of their three-day Boston tour – under the cloud of Prince Harry and Meghan’s Netflix trailer release.
But despite controversy hanging in the air, the couple put on a brave face as they embarked on a visit to Greentown Labs, a climate innovation company, where they were greeted by a young boy who dressed up as a member of the King’s Guard.
The couple looked delighted as they were introduced to eight-year-old Henry Dynov-Teixeira outside of Greentown Labs in Massachusetts, where the youngster had been waiting for the chance to show off his replica of a King’s Guard uniform – which included a faux bearskin hat and bold red jacket.
After handing a bouquet of red roses to a grinning Kate, cheeky Henry then asked her why the couple’s son, Prince George had not accompanied them on the trip, with the Princess replying that he’d had to stay at home in order to attend school.
After their second engagement of the day, Kate and William took part in an impromptu walkabout, during which one young fan burst into tears at seeing the Princess
The young woman could be seen (far right) with her hand over her face as she broke down at the prospect of meeting Kate
Still, if young Henry was disappointed to have missed the chance to meet another future King, he didn’t let that dampen his joy at meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales, telling DailyMail.com: ‘First of all it was crazy meeting the Prince and Princess. It was crazy. I wasn’t actually that nervous now that I think about it when I actually did it.’
He added: ‘I’m going to scream and tell my best friend that I am famous now!’
Following their trip to Greentown Labs, Kate and William made their way to the nearby suburb of Chelsea, where they paid a visit to Roca, a non-profit organization focusing on high-risk young people between the ages of 16-24 years old at the center of urban violence.
There, the pair were pictured interacting with several young children, helping out with an arts and crafts session. They also met with several women in the young mothers’ program, as well as current members and alumni from the organization’s young men’s program.
During that time, they were given the chance to interact with several young children, with Kate looking particularly delighted at having the chance to spend time with a young girl who toddled around the room as she and William spoke to several program members.
Roca is an organization that works to reduce levels of trauma, violence and imprisonment, create sustained employment, and improve parenting.
The group also works closely with critical public systems such as police officers, judges, correction officers and child protection services to help build policies and practices that produce better outcomes for young people who are the primary victims or drivers of violence.
Kate gamely smiled for photos with the waiting crowds, many of whom waiting in frosty temperatures for hours
The Prince and Princess looked overjoyed to be meeting so many well-wishers, many of whom presented Kate with flowers
The couple were under the watchful eye of several security guards as they shook hands with the crowds of people who had turned out to greet them
One person held up a festive sign that read: ‘Welcome to Chelsea The Future King and Queen of England’
Despite the scandal surrounding their tour, both Kate and William put on a brave face throughout their morning engagements
William and Kate spoke with several women who have been the victims of violence – and they spoke with several staff members about the steps that can be taken to better protect young people.
Throughout both engagements, William and Kate had wide smiles on their faces – giving away no indication that, behind the scenes, the royal family is struggling with potentially-devastating scandals.
Hours before Kate and William kicked off day two of the tour, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dropped an explosive teaser for their upcoming Netflix show – which is part of their $100 million deal with the streaming giant – in which they shared an incredibly intimate series of never-before-seen images, including several of Meghan crying, while hinting that they are preparing to launch a fresh series of attacks on the royal family.
The Princess of Wales looked elegant in a burgundy suit, which she paired with a pretty pink pussy bow blouse and matching maroon heels, adding a touch of high-fashion flair in the form of a Chanel handbag.
Meanwhile Prince William matched his wife in a burgundy sweater, which he wore under a dark grey suit.
The couple pulled up outside of the venue for their first engagement of the day in a hybrid Range Rover, specially selected to match the climate message of their trip.
During this morning’s event, the Prince and Princess ‘learned about climate innovations which are being incubated in Boston’, and they will also meet with the CEO of Greentown Labs and the President of the Northeast Clean Energy Council to ‘learn about the history’ of the company and ‘how it is contributing to global efforts to address the climate crisis’.
The Prince and Princess of Wales also got an adorable reminder of home during the second day of their US tour this morning, when they were greeted by an eight-year-old boy who had dressed up as a member of the King’s Guard
Young Henry presented the Princess with a bouquet of red roses – and he later told DailyMail.com of his meeting with the couple: ‘It was crazy meeting the Prince and Princess. I wasn’t actually that nervous now that I think about it’
Following their trip to Greentown Labs, Kate and William made their way to the nearby suburb of Chelsea, where they paid a visit to Roca, a non-profit organization focusing on high-risk young people at the center of urban violence
Kate and William took part in an arts and crafts session with several young children at Roca, with the Princess seen helping one youngster with some paper shapes
One cheeky young boy made funny faces at the camera while William helped another youngster with his art project
William and Kate’s cheery expressions gave away little indication of the many controversies brewing within the Monarchy – both of which have dramatically overshadowed the couple’s three-day tour to Boston.
The latest scandal to blight the pair’s trip is the release of the first teaser trailer for Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary in which the couple hinted that they will launch a fresh series of attacks on the Royal Family – with Harry heard saying: ‘No one sees what goes on behind closed doors’ just before an image flashes up of Meghan holding her head in her hands while speaking on the phone.
In another photo, Meghan, 41, is seen sitting next to Harry, 38, on a sofa, with the duchess holding both hands up to her face while he looks exasperated. The other black and white snaps provide an intimate snapshot of their life, and include Meghan cradling her baby bump, Harry playing the guitar and the couple dancing at their wedding.
The trailer finally cuts to the Duchess, who says: ‘When the stakes are this high, doesn’t it make sense to hear our story from us?’
Its release could hardly come at a worse time for William and Kate, who are on the second day of a visit to the US which has been overshadowed by a Buckingham Palace race row, which worsened on Thursday when one of the UK’s leading lawyers claimed that Lady Susan also asked him about his heritage at the same palace function.
Nazir Afzal, 60, Chancellor of the University of Manchester and ex-chief prosecutor of the CPS under Sir Keir Starmer, reacted to the row by declaring: ‘Racism is never far away’.
Ms Fulani has made headlines around the world after Buckingham Palace was engulfed in a toxic race row that saw the late Queen’s chief lady-in-waiting – and also Prince William’s godmother – resign after asking her ‘which part of Africa are you from?’
The Princess toted a burgundy Chanel handbag to match her suit and she accessorized with a pair of gold earrings
William matched his wife in a burgundy sweater – and looked cheerful as he arrived at the venue, despite bracing for fresh attacks from his brother Harry in the Sussexes’ upcoming Netflix trailer
Mr Afzal tweeted: ‘I was at the Buckingham Palace reception at which Lady Hussey questioned the heritage of a brilliant DV expert Ngozi Fulani. She only asked me my heritage once & seemed to accept my answer – Manchester currently!’
Last night, the Prince and Princess of Wales sat courtside at a Boston Celtics game, where they joined 20,000 fans cheering on the players as they went head-to-head with the Miami Heat.
On their first day in the city during a landmark US tour, William and Kate were brought into the TD Garden stadium to sit close to the action alongside the Celtics’ owners Wyc Grousbeck and wife Emilia Fazzalari.
Kate and William, who were also flanked by Massachusetts Governor-elect Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, stood for the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, performed by a previous semi-finalist from the reality TV series The Voice.
The royal couple put on brave faces as faint boos could be heard around the arena when they were introduced by a stadium announcer and shown on the Jumbotron.
Other fans in the crowd could be heard loudly cheering ‘USA, USA’ when the Prince and Princess appeared on the screens above the court.
But the royal couple kept smiling and took photos with fans. They cheered on the high-scoring game as the packed crowd ramped up the atmosphere for the 17-time World Champions game against the Miami Heat.
Last night, William and Kate sat courtside at a Boston Celtics game
Their attendance at the basketball game came after William and Kate officially launched this year’s Earthshot at a ceremony held at Boston City Hall
Her speech came just hours after William’s Kensington Palace spokesperson condemned the ‘unacceptable’ comments made by his godmother, Lady Susan Hussey, at an event at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night
There is no doubting that William and Kate had hoped the evening’s match – the second in their official list of engagements during their whirlwind three-day trip to Boston – would go off without a hitch, given the awkward moment at the Earthshot launch just hours before the game.
As the Prince and Princess Wales watched on from the wings at the launch event, African-American Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, who founded a youth organization focused on ‘teaching the history of the civil rights movement’, said: ‘On this day, I invite us all to consider the legacy of colonialism and racism.’
She referenced the ‘ways it has impacted people across the world and its connection, its deep connection to the degradation of land and our planet that we are all seeking to reverse. The stories lost, the species made extinct, but also the persistence of people in the face of oppression and the fundamental dignity of all of our relations.’
Although there was no direct reference to Lady Susan, few could fail to connect the controversy with Reverend White-Hammond’s remarks.
Having started her speech by ‘acknowledging the ancestral lands we stand on today’, the Reverend went on to express gratitude to William and Kate for choosing to host this year’s Earthshot Prize in Boston.
‘Now you all know we are a city of many firsts. We are honored to be the first American city and the first city outside of the United Kingdom to host the Earthshot Prize,’ she continued.
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