Chad Rachman-Pool/gGetty ImagesNow that the royals' whirlwind trip to New York City has come to an end, they'll certainly need some rest!
Prince William and Kate Middleton had a jam-packed schedule that ultimately ended at the Metropolitan Museum of Art gala for their alma mater, St. Andrews, but before they could settle into their seats, William and Kate visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum; The Door, an educational center; and even stopped by the Empire State Building, where the prince met Mayor Bill de Blasio at the Innovation is GREAT reception at the Shutterstock office.
Before meeting the mayor, however, William and his wife met someone very special. So special, in fact, that the duke gave his phone number to him! The duke and duchess were so impressed with Steven Prescod's show about his father's incarceration, that William offered to help the 22-year-old bring his story to the world stage.
"William said he wanted to help me put this together. He gave me his contact number and said to reach out to him. They brought hope to me," he said. "I had a low period in my life and never in a million years did I expect I would be performing for the duke and duchess."
They were impressed with everyone else's performances, too. William made a few remarks to the students, telling them that all of their work should be presented in London's theater district. "That was incredible, guys," he said. "It was amazing and should be on in the West End. When's your next performance?"
Unable to stay for too long, the prince made his way to one of New York's most notable skyscrapers, the Empire State Building. Although it was a formal meet-and-greet with the mayor, the duke was able to have some fun playing with toys and electronics! Ayah Bdeir, CEO of littleBits, gave Prince William a keytar to try to play like a rocker, prompting some laughs from around the room. The real secret to come out of the visit, though, was what Prince George thinks of littleBits and other electronics.
"He had so much fun," Bdeir said of Prince William's experience with the devices, adding that the little prince has interests of his own, too! "[Prince William] told me that his son George has been playing iPad games and loves them, and that this was a good way to teach him the inner workings of electronics."
Awww!
But we are kind of amazed that a 1-year-old can successfully work an iPad!
New Yorkers have been keeping track of William and his pregnant wife's whereabouts, which surprised de Blasio because he told the duke that they can be "hard to impress and a little jaded"—ouch!—but the "warmth and energy" the royals have received from New Yorkers have left the mayor feeling "proud of my city!"
Despite all the fun William had at the gorgeous skyscraper, he eventually had to leave to get ready for the royal appearance at the Met! Honoring their former university, the prince and Kate looked flawless, as she was dressed in a dark green Jenny Packham dress.
But they weren't the only stars to arrive at the party! Other notables included Anna Wintour, Olivier Sarkozy, Mary-Kate Olsen, Seth Meyers and Renée Fleming. Talk about a star-studded event!
The royals were greeted by Thomas P. Campbell, director and CEO of the museum, and a group of eight recent St. Andrews graduates who were dressed in the school's traditional red robes. Once inside, George's dad made a quick speech that was funny and meaningful.
"It goes without saying to all of you in this room that the education we received there was first class. Louise [Richardson], you may need to close your ears at this point but it's often said by the undergraduates of St. Andrews that you leave the university in either one of two states: either married or an alcoholic," the royal joked.
"By joining us here this evening, you are supporting not only a remarkable, independent institution steeped in history, but you are doing something far more important but which may not seem so obvious. You are also helping to fight cancer, to overcome heart disease, to eradicate famine, to understand violence and to seek ways to bring about peace," he added. "You are helping to see deeper into space, to understand why humans act they way they do, to unfold the beauty of language and literature, to explore history and to conserve the wildlife in our oceans and habitats. And you just thought you were coming for dinner."
Cheers to that!
E!'s new scripted series The Royals premieres Sunday, March 15 at 10/9c! Follow The Royals on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates!