British royal Prince William is scheduled to hold Oval Office talks with US President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday.

It will be the prince's first visit to Washington and is part of the royal intinerary for a US trip starting in New York at the weekend. Prince William is traveling to the Big Apple with his wife, Kate, on Sunday.

The prince will make a solo day trip to Washington and is scheduled to meet separately with US Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, at the White House.

He will also speak at the World Bank about efforts to fight illegal wildlife trafficking as part of the royal visit.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest released a statement saying that "the president welcomes the prince's work in this global fight against what is both a national security threat and a devastating environmental problem."

Obama "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," Earnest added.

The Obama administration launched its National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking in February, in parallel with initiatives run by the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade.

lw/mkg (AP, AFP, Reuters)