A Glimpse Into Historical Visits of British Royals to America
As the current British king embarks on his inaugural state visit to the United States this week, it's worth taking a stroll down memory lane to reminisce about previous royal visits. Though this is the king's first official visit since his coronation, he has visited the US 19 times prior to taking the throne.
The reigning king and queen's four-day visit includes a joint meeting of Congress, a banquet at the White House, and a trip to New York City. The king has a long familial history of American visits, with many of his royal relatives having made their own memorable trips, from first encounters with hot dogs to dancing with famous actors.
Historical Royal Visits
Let's take a look back at some of the most iconic British royal visits to the U.S.
- The first official state visit by reigning British monarchs happened in June 1939. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later known as the Queen Mother, were the guests of honor at a picnic hosted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This visit marked King George VI's first encounter with a hot dog.
- In October 1951, the then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip enjoyed a visit to the White House while it was under renovation. They resided at the Blair House with President Harry Truman. The princess gifted the president a 17th-century framed mirror and oil painting along with a candelabra.
- Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip returned to the U.S. in October 1957 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. They also visited Arlington National Cemetery and attended a state dinner at the White House. Queen Elizabeth famously quizzed the governor, asking, "Where do you get all those enormous players?" during a Maryland football game.
- Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister, embarked on a 14-day U.S. tour in November 1965, which included a formal dinner at the White House with President Lyndon B. Johnson. She also made stops in California, where she rode a cable car in San Francisco and met Alfred Hitchcock on the set of a movie in Hollywood.
- Prince Charles, the 21-year-old heir to the throne, made his first official U.S. visit in July 1970. Accompanied by his sister, Princess Anne, he met with President Richard Nixon, enjoyed a formal White House dinner, and attended a baseball game with the president's daughter.
- In July 1976, Queen Elizabeth II visited the U.S. to join in celebrating America's bicentennial — marking 200 years of independence from Britain. The queen presented President Gerald Ford with a soup tureen featuring images of the White House and Independence Hall.
- In 1985, Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited Washington, D.C., where they met with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan at the White House. This visit is remembered for the gala dinner where Diana danced with actor John Travolta to music from "Saturday Night Fever."
- Queen Elizabeth II returned to Washington, D.C., in May 1991, and became known for her "talking hat" speech, where only her hat was visible over the microphones as she delivered her remarks.
- In May 2007, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip attended a state dinner, visited a children's hospital, and laid a wreath at the World War II Memorial. They also appeared at the 133rd Kentucky Derby, as the queen was a racing fan and owned and bred racehorses.
- In December 2014, Prince William and his wife Catherine visited the U.S. for three days. This trip marked Prince William's first meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House.
- Then-Prince Charles and Camilla visited the U.S. on a four-day official tour in March 2015. They met with President Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden at the White House, and also visited the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, and George Washington's Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.
These visits have been an essential part of strengthening the bond between the U.S. and the U.K., and they continue to be a significant part of diplomatic relations. This week's visit by the current king and queen will undoubtedly add another chapter to this rich history of royal visits.