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Prince William and Princess Kate: Mixed reaction on day one of tour explained

The royal couple are in Boston

kate middleton prince william smile courtside basketball
Gemma Strong
Online Digital News Director
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Prince William and Princess Kate were met with cheers and applause as they made a surprise appearance at the basketball on Wednesday.

CANDID: Princess Kate and Prince William appear in incredible behind-the-scenes tour photo

On the first day of their visit to Boston, the couple surprised onlookers as they took their seats courtside to watch Boston Celtics take on Miami Heat.

WATCH: Prince William and Princess Kate surprise crowds at Boston NBA game

With the start of their tour slightly overshadowed by 'unacceptable' comments made by Lady Susan Hussey, the royals appeared to win over the crowd inside TD Garden – although the sounds of booing could be heard as they were introduced by a stadium announcer.

READ: Princess Kate's surprise basketball appearance has royal fans all saying same thing

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We spoke to HELLO!'s Royal Correspondent Emily Nash, who was there on the night, to find out more about some of the Bostonians' reaction to William and Kate at the game.

prince william kate middleton basketball boston 1z© Photo: Getty Images

William and Kate were in high spirits as they watched the game

"[At the basketball], there was a sort of mixed reaction to them," Emily reveals. "But I think it was largely because Boston is a city that's proud of its heritage of Irish immigrants. So, you know, naturally not everyone's going to be really excited about seeing members of the British royal family."

READ: William and Kate pay touching tribute to the late Queen as they arrive in Boston

MORE: Why Prince William and Princess Kate are 'super excited' to arrive in the US

She continues: "But on the whole, I'd say it was a very warm reception. And I think a lot of people hadn't realised initially who was there. And as we were leaving, people were sort of saying, 'Oh, look, you know, the royals were here' and they were quite surprised. So you have to remember this is a massive event for the city anyway."

prince william kate middleton basketball boston© Photo: Getty Images

The royals are known to love their sports

Nevertheless, William and Kate were clearly in high spirits at the event. "William and Kate, as we know, love sports. They love a bit of competition," Emily notes. "They seem to be asking lots of questions, taking in all the action and getting to meet some of the players. I think they had a great night they were in due to stay for the first few quarters and they ended up staying for the whole match."

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