Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge

President Obama will host Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, for a meeting in the Oval Office on Monday, December 8.  The Vice President and Dr. Biden will also host The Duke of Cambridge for a separate meeting in the White House.  The Duke of Cambridge, who is visiting New York with the Duchess of Cambridge on December 7-9, will travel to Washington on December 8 to deliver remarks at the World Bank, where he will discuss efforts to fight illegal wildlife trafficking.  The President welcomes the Prince’s work in this global fight against what is both a national security threat and a devastating environmental problem.  In February, in support of the President’s Executive Order and in parallel with efforts at the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, which The Duke of Cambridge attended, the Administration announced its National Strategy for Combatting Wildlife Trafficking.  That Strategy mobilizes the entire U.S. government to combat this threat.

This will be The Duke of Cambridge’s first visit to Washington, DC.  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.  This visit underscores the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.