Duke and Duchess take courtside seats at NBA game in New York before meeting Beyonce, Jay Z and LeBron James

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoying the New York basketball match Credit: Reuters

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have mingled with high-profile sports and music stars at an NBA game in New York.

The pair enjoyed courtside seats at the game between local team the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers, before meeting Jay Z and Beyonce, who were sat opposite them, during a break in the game.

During the match, campaigners held a peaceful protest campaigning for justice for the family of Eric Garner, who died in July after a New York Police Department officer placed him in a chokehold during an arrest.

Many of the sports stars at the event wore t-shirts supporting the protesters Credit: Reuters

Cleveland's star player Lebron James wore a T-shirt bearing the slogan "I can't breathe" said to be the last words of Mr Garner.

He later joined the royal couple for photographs and presented them with Cavaliers jerseys, a maroon one for Prince George that said "George 1" on the back and a yellow top emblazoned with the words "Cambridge 7."

The 6ft 8in basketball star also gave the couple a gift-wrapped box of cupcakes from his home town of Akron, Ohio.

William and Kate smile at the Cavaliers jerseys given to them by basketball legend LeBron James Credit: Reuters

William told James that the basketball game was "Really good" and revealed to the star that his earlier trip to the White House "was quite daunting."

James asked the Duke what size shoes he wore and William replied: "Half the size of yours," pointing at his huge feet.

Earlier, the couple had attended a wildlife reception in New York that was co-hosted by Hillary Clinton.

William gave a speech to guests in which he warned that the wildlife black market is "thriving" in Western nations.

During the event, Kate discussed the benefits of singing to babies with the former secretary of state.

Mrs Clinton told the Duchess: "We're trying to encourage more people to sing ... because the research suggests that it's beneficial."

She said that she often sang to her daughter Chelsea, but that there came a point when her daughter was a toddler when she would say to her mother: "No sing, no sing!"

Hillary Clinton told Kate that she sang to her daughter as a baby Credit: Reuters

Later today William and Kate will pay their respects to the victims of 9/11 in a visit the World Trade Centre's Memorial and Museum.

The Duke will also visit the Empire State building and view the Manhattan skyline from the 86th floor.