Photos show British royal visits to the U.S. through history as King Charles III makes a state visit

King Charles III is making a state visit to the U.S. this week, marking the first time the British monarch has visited the U.S. since becoming king in 2022. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit the U.S. from Monday to Thursday. On Tuesday, Charles will address a joint meeting of Congress and the royal couple will attend a banquet dinner at the White House. Then on Wednesday, they will visit New York City.

Though it’s Charles’ first state visit to the U.S. as king, he traveled here 19 times before his coronation. Many of his royal relatives have also made memorable trips over the years, with experiences ranging from trying a hot dog for the first time to dancing with actor John Travolta.

Here’s a look back at some British royal visits to the U.S., both official and unofficial.

1939: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visit Washington, D.C.

The first official state visit of reigning British monarchs was in June 1939, when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later known as the Queen Mother, visited the U.S. before World War II. During a picnic hosted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, King George VI ate a hot dog for the first time.

1951: Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip visit Washington, D.C. 

In October 1951, then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the White House as it was undergoing renovations. They stayed at the Blair House with President Harry Truman, and Princess Elizabeth gifted the president with a 17th‑century framed mirror and oil painting and a candelabra.

1957: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip return to Washington

Now, as queen, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip returned to the U.S. for a formal state visit in October 1957 to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. 

The royal couple visited Arlington National Cemetery to lay wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and attended a state dinner at the White House 

The British monarchs also went to a Maryland football game, where Queen Elizabeth famously asked the governor, “Where do you get all those enormous players?”

1965: Princess Margaret’s 14-day tour

Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister, visited Washington, D.C., in November 1965 as part of a 14-day U.S. tour. She attended a formal dinner at the White House with President Lyndon B. Johnson. 

At the top of her U.S. tour, she made stops in California, where she rode a cable car in San Francisco and met Alfred Hitchcock on the set of “Torn Curtain” in Hollywood.   

1976: Queen Elizabeth II visits for bicentennial

Queen Elizabeth II made a state visit to the U.S. in July 1976 to help celebrate America’s bicentennial — 200 years of independence from Britain. Hosted by President Gerald Ford and first lady Betty Ford, the British monarchs attended a state dinner in the White House Rose Garden, visited the U.S. Capitol and laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery.

The queen presented President Ford with a soup tureen that featured a painted image of the White House and Independence Hall. 

1985: Prince Charles and Princess Diana visit Washington, D.C. 

Prince Charles and Princess Diana met with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan at the White House in November 1985. The visit included tea and a gala dinner where Diana famously danced with actor John Travolta to music from “Saturday Night Fever.”

1991: Queen Elizabeth II returns to Washington, D.C. 

Queen Elizabeth II returned to Washington, D.C., in May 1991, when President George H. W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush hosted a state dinner. The queen ceremonially planted a tree, a little-leaf linden, on the South Lawn. 

In what eventually became known as the “talking hat” speech, because the lectern was not adjusted for her height, only the queen’s hat was visible over the microphones to the audience as she delivered remarks. Two days later, she joked in a speech to Congress, “I do hope you can see me today.” 

2007: Queen Elizabeth II attends the Kentucky Derby

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip’s last official visit to the U.S. came in May 2007, when she was hosted by President George W. Bush to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown.

The royal couple attended a white-tie state dinner, visited the Children’s National Medical Center and laid a wreath at the World War II Memorial. 

Prior to their stop in D.C., the British monarchs appeared at the 133rd Kentucky Derby. The queen was a racing fan and owned and bred racehorses. 

2014: Prince William and Catherine visit NYC and Washington

Prince William and his wife Catherine, now the Princess of Wales but then known as the Duchess of Cambridge, visited the U.S. in December 2014 for a three-day visit. It was Prince William’s first meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House. 

The prince also spoke at the World Bank and attended a Brooklyn Nets game in New York, where he and Catherine met Jay-Z and Beyoncé as well as NBA star LeBron James.

2015: Prince Charles and Camilla visit U.S.

Then-Prince Charles and Camilla, known at the time as the Duchess of Cornwall, came to the U.S. on a four-day official tour in March 2015, where the royal couple met with President Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden at the White House.

“I think it’s fair to say that the American people are quite fond of the royal family,” Obama said.

The future king and queen also visited the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery and George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia, and made a stop in Louisville, Kentucky. 

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