Prince William and Kate Middleton began their itinerary for their U.S. visit in New York City on Monday. The packed trip will have the royal couple meeting with the most elite figures in American culture.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in the Big Apple on Sunday for their whirlwind three-day trip. Spectators gathered outside their Manhattan hotel for hours leading up to their arrival, hoping to catch a glance of the couple's first trip here, CNN reports.

The Empire State Building also showed its enthusiasm for the famous visitors, changing their famous lights to red, white and blue -- the colors of the U.K.'s Union Jack flag.

Middleton will be busy throughout the trip, attending a full day of activities including a children's craft group with Chirlane McCray, Mayor Bill de Blasio's wife and the first lady of New York City. She will also attend a conservation reception with Chelsea and Hillary Clinton.

Kate's husband will take a brief retreat from New York Monday morning to venture to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Barack Obama in the White House. Prince William's visit illustrates the "special relationship" fostered between the U.S. and Britain, the White House said.

After the meeting with the president, William will give an address at a World Bank session about illegal wildlife trading.

After his return to New York, the couple will make their way to Brooklyn to attend an NBA game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers. During the basketball matchup, William and Kate may rub shoulders with American celebrity royalty like partial-owners of the Nets, Jay Z and Beyoncé.

On Tuesday, the couple's plans include a tour of the 9/11 memorial and a charity dinner for their alma mater, St. Andrews University, at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

Kate, who is pregnant with their second child, has canceled events in the recent past due to acute morning sickness. Their son, Prince George, did not travel across the pond with his parents.

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