queen's last overseas visit

The Queen of travel

Queen Elizabeth II 1926 - 2022

Queen Elizabeth II leaves Fiji during a royal tour in February 1977. Serge Lemoine/Getty Images

The Queen of travel Journeys of a lifetime

By Francesca Street and Mark Oliver, CNN September 13, 2022

S he was traveling the moment she ascended to the throne, and for much of the next seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II criss-crossed the world. Newly married and still just a princess, Britain’s future monarch was in Kenya with husband Prince Philip in February 1952 when she learned of her father’s death and her new regal status.

During her reign she would visit more than 120 countries, witnessing first-hand the revolutions in global travel that shrank the world as her own influence over it diminished.

The Queen lived through the advent of the Jet Age, flew supersonic on the Concorde, saw regimes change, countries form and dissolve, the end of the British Empire and the rise of globalization.

Here are some of the most memorable travel moments from her 70 years as monarch.

November 24-25, 1953

Less than six months after she was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London, Queen Elizabeth set off on her travels again. Her debut official state trip was an epic six-month tour of the Commonwealth -- the alliance of nations which were once British colonies. Traveling by air, sea and land she visited several countries, accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. First stop was the North Atlantic island of Bermuda, a British territory she would visit a further four times during her reign. The trip would go on to include stops in Jamaica, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Aden (now part of Yemen), Uganda, Malta and Gibraltar.

December 19-20, 1953

At Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in June 1953, Queen Salote Tupou III of the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga won over the British public when she sat, rain-soaked, in her open carriage. They also took an interest when Elizabeth returned the visit later in the year. The two queens enjoyed an open-air feast, watched Tongan dancers and admired a tortoise that legend said was presented by explorer Captain James Cook to the King of Tonga in 1777.

December 23, 1953 – January 30, 1954

New zealand.

The Queen voyaged to New Zealand during the Antipodean summer of 1953-4. Over the course of the trip, it’s estimated that three out of every four New Zealanders got a glimpse of her. In preparation for the Queen’s visit, some New Zealand sheep were dyed in the UK flag colors of red, white and blue. The Queen returned to the country nine times over the years, including in 2002 as she marked half a century on the throne.

April 10-21, 1954

Ceylon (now sri lanka).

A visit to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, coincided with the Queen’s 28th birthday. She visited the city of Colombo where crowds joined together to sing her “Happy Birthday.” She also visited the central city of Kandy, where she watched a procession featuring a reported 140 elephants and met local chiefs.

April 8-11, 1957

The Queen had visited France as a young princess, but her first state visit as monarch was a glamorous affair. She attended the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris, visited the Palace of Versailles, and dined at the Louvre with then-President Rene Coty. The Queen also laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe and visited the Scottish Church of Paris.

October 17-20, 1957

United states.

Having met President Harry S. Truman in Washington in 1951 during a visit before ascending to the throne, Elizabeth was no stranger to America when she arrived on her first trip as Queen. Her 1957 visit marked the 350th anniversary of the first permanent British settlement on the continent, in Jamestown. The monarch attended a college football game at the former Byrd Stadium in Maryland where she watched the home team lose to North Carolina. She met with President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the White House and later traveled to New York, where she and Prince Philip drove through the streets and admired panoramic views of the city from the Empire State Building.

February 1-16, 1961

The Queen and Prince Philip visited Pakistan in 1961, arriving in the port city of Karachi after completing a visit to India as part of a wider tour of South Asia. She drove through the streets of Karachi in an open-top car, before going on to visit Lahore, where a torchlight military tattoo took place in her honor and Prince Philip played in a game of polo.

February 26 to March 1, 1961

In Nepal, the Queen inspected troops in Kathmandu and met Gurkha ex-servicemen in Pokhara. The monarch rode on an elephant and visited the Hanuman Dhoka Palace complex in Kathmandu. She took part in the rather grim spectacle of a tiger hunt although didn’t shoot any animals herself. She instead recorded the experience on cine camera – a recording device that she often carried with her on her earlier foreign trips.

March 2-6, 1961

The Queen visited pre-revolution Iran at the end of her 1961 South Asian tour. Hosted by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, she toured ancient monuments including the ruins of Persepolis, once a capital of the Achaemenid Empire, later declared a World Heritage Site. She also saw Sheikh Lotfollah mosque in Esfahan and admired collections of the Archaeological Museum of Iran.

May 5, 1961

Vatican city.

In 1961, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to visit the Vatican. Dressed all in black, the Queen had an audience with Pope John XXIII, also attended by Prince Philip. She returned to the Vatican three more times during her reign, meeting Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.

November 9-20, 1961

Bombing incidents in the capital Accra left officials worried about the safety of the Queen’s visit to Ghana but, after deliberation, UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan confirmed it would go ahead. During the trip, the Queen famously shared a dance with Ghana’s then-president, Kwame Nkrumah. At the height of Cold War uncertainty, this seemingly innocuous moment was seen as significant in ensuring Ghana remained affiliated to Britain and not the USSR.

May 18-28, 1965

West germany (now germany).

The Queen’s visit to West Germany and West Berlin was viewed as a symbolic gesture of goodwill in the post-World War II landscape. It was the first royal trip to German territory for more than 50 years and photographs such as one of the Queen and Prince Philip in a car driving past the Brandenburg Gate had symbolic resonance.

November 5-11, 1968

Queen Elizabeth became the first reigning British monarch to visit South America when she landed in Brazil in late 1968. During the trip, the Queen wore a striking jewelry set made of Brazilian aquamarine, gifted to her in 1953 by the Brazilian president and added to over time. The monarch also attended a football match between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and presented the winner’s trophy to Brazilian footballer Pele.

October 18-25, 1971

On the first of two trips to Turkey -- the second took place in 2008 -- the Queen visited the Gallipoli peninsula to remember the Allied soldiers who died there during World War I. The monarch also explored the ruins of the ancient Greek empire city of Ephesus. A media highlight of the visit came when she was photographed leaping ashore from a barge, after disembarking from her ship, the Royal Yacht Britannia.

February 10-15, 1972

Accompanied by Prince Philip and daughter Princess Anne, the Queen was greeted on arrival in Bangkok by a carpet of flower petals. The monarch was given a golden key to the city of Bangkok, attended a state banquet and visited Bang Pa-In Palace, the Thai royal family’s summer residence, north of the capital.

October 17-21, 1972

The Queen’s visit to Yugoslavia was her first trip to a communist country. The Central European country no longer exists -- the areas that the Queen visited are now part of Croatia. During her trip, she met Yugoslav political leader Josip Broz Tito and traveled on his famous Blue Train.

February 15-16, 1974

New hebrides (now vanuatu).

The Queen and Prince Philip visited the Pacific island archipelago of Vanuatu, then known as the New Hebrides, in 1974. It’s said the royal couple’s visit to Vanuatu may have strengthened the belief among some locals on Tanna island that the Duke of Edinburgh was a divine being.

February 24-March 1, 1975

On her first of two visits to Mexico, the Queen toured ancient sites -- including the pyramids of Uxmal, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monarch also received local crafts, met school children and attended a banquet. While she was driven through Mexico City, the Queen was showered in confetti.

February 17-20, 1979

Saudi arabia.

In 1979, the Queen became the first female head of state to visit Saudi Arabia, on a tour of Gulf States. At Riyadh Airport, she was met by King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, pictured. The outfits she wore on the trip were carefully designed in accordance with Saudi Arabia’s conservative dress code for women. The Queen arrived on a British Airways supersonic Concorde aircraft and during the visit attended camel races and toured the National Museum.

October 26-27, 1982

The Queen visited Tuvalu, a group of nine islands in the South Pacific, in 1982. Upon arrival, the Queen and Prince Philip were carried in a flower-filled canoe from sea to shore. Thirty years later, in 2012, Prince William visited Tuvalu with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, who drank a coconut from a tree planted by Queen Elizabeth on this 1982 visit.

February 26 – March 6, 1983

On a star-studded trip to the United States, the Queen toured the 20th Century-Fox studios in Hollywood with then-First Lady Nancy Reagan and met Frank Sinatra, who she’d previously met in the 1950s, at a party given in her honor. The Queen and Prince Philip also visited Yosemite National Park in California, pictured.

November 10-14, 1983

The Queen returned to Kenya in 1983 for a state visit. When she was there 31 years previously, she'd learned that her father had passed away and she had become Britain’s reigning monarch. In 1983, the Queen and Prince Philip revisited the Treetops hotel, pictured, where they were staying at the time she was told the news.

October 12-18, 1986

The Queen’s trip to China was the first -- and, so far, only -- state visit by a British monarch to China. With Prince Philip by her side, the Queen visited the Great Wall of China, pictured, as well as the Forbidden City in Beijing.

October 17-20, 1994

In 1994, in another royal first, the Queen visited Russia. Over the three-day trip, the Queen met Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, pictured here with the monarch outside St Basil’s Cathedral, as well as Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The Queen also attended the Bolshoi Ballet. In her traditional Christmas Day speech broadcast later that year, the Queen reflected on how times had changed, noting she “never thought it would be possible in [her] lifetime” to attend a service in Moscow’s famous cathedral.

March 19-25, 1995

South africa.

In 1994, after apartheid ended, South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth as a republic. The following year, the Queen traveled there, in a visit designed to renew ties between the two countries. The Queen met with President Nelson Mandela, pictured, and presented him with the Order of Merit.

October 12-18, 1997

The Queen visited India for the third time in 1997, her first public engagement since Princess Diana’s funeral just weeks before. The trip marked 50 years since India’s independence from Britain. Most memorably, the monarch visited the site of the Amritsar massacre, also known as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, of April 13, 1919. She also expressed regret at a state banquet in New Delhi for the “distressing” episode in which British soldiers gunned down hundreds of unarmed civilians. The gesture was seen by some as inadequate. “The Queen is doing everything she can to make India like her. But so far it does not seem to be working,” wrote the UK’s Independent newspaper at the time.

October 4-15, 2002

The Queen visited Canada many times. In 2002, her trip to the North American country coincided with her Golden Jubilee festivities, celebrating 50 years of her reign. During the trip, the Queen attended an ice hockey game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks, and dropped the ceremonial puck.

March 11-16, 2006

The Queen visited Australia 16 times as Head of State. In 2006, she traveled to Melbourne to open the Commonwealth Games. She was greeted by a welcoming party in Canberra, visited the Sydney Opera House, attended a Commonwealth Day service in St. Andrew’s Cathedral and toured Admiralty House, the Sydney residence of the Governor-General of Australia.

May 17-20, 2011

The Queen’s trip to Dublin was the first time a British monarch had set foot in the Irish Republic since its 1922 independence. At Dublin Castle the Queen delivered a well-received speech on the history of Anglo-Irish relations. In County Tipperary, she also toured the medieval Rock of Cashel, pictured, once a seat of power for Ireland’s ancient kings.

November 26-28, 2015

From 1949 to 1951, before she was Queen, Elizabeth and Prince Philip lived in Malta. In 2015, the monarch paid her last visit to the island, touring the Grand Harbour in a Maltese fishing boat and waving to members of the British Royal Navy.

United Kingdom

In the later years of her reign, the Queen cut back on foreign travel, passing on the mantle to the younger royals. In more recent years, royal tours have also been looked at with more skeptical eyes, as Britain reckons with its colonial past.

While she didn't travel abroad in the later years of her reign, the Queen continued to vacation in the UK. Most notably, the Queen’s ties with Scotland remained strong throughout her reign and her residence there, Balmoral Castle, was a favorite refuge. It was at Balmoral that the Queen died on September 8, 2022.

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Here’s every country Queen Elizabeth II visited in her 70-year reign

From Algeria to Zimbabwe, the Queen visited at least 117 different countries

Queen Elizabeth II, who died earlier today , was probably the best-travelled monarch in history. In her 70 years as UK monarch, Her Maj apparently travelled to at least 117 different countries – and covered over a million miles, according to The Telegraph .

The Queen travelled for loads of reasons, from ceremonial openings to official state visits, but she got around so much primarily because she was head of state for the Commonwealth: a political association of countries that were largely conquered by Britain back when it was an imperial power. RECOMMENDED: How the world is paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

In fact, Elizabeth II wasn’t just the Queen of the United Kingdom: during her time on the throne, she reigned over a total of 32 sovereign countries. Having started her reign in the final years of the British Empire, she ruled over a number of former British colonies as they became independent sovereign states. Many, but not all, later cut ties with the monarchy and became republics.

Queen Elizabeth II reigned, at various points, over Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Ceylon (later Sri Lanka), Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tanganyika (later Tanzania), Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda and, of course, the UK . She was also proclaimed as queen by Rhodesia, the predecessor to Zimbabwe.

By the time of her death, she was still the queen of 15 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the UK. She was the Queen of Barbados until November 2021, when the Caribbean nation became a republic.

As you’d expect, the Queen visited all of these places – and plenty more – during her 70-year reign. Here is a full list of all the countries and states the Queen travelled to during her reign, and the dates when she visited.

Algeria (1980)

Antigua and Barbuda (1966, 1977, 1985)

Australia (1953, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2011)

Austria (1969)

Bahamas (1966, 1977, 1985, 1994)

Bahrain (1979)

Bangladesh (1983)

Barbados (1966, 1977, 1985, 1989)

Belgium (1966, 1993, 1998, 2007)

Belize (1985, 1994)

Bermuda (1953, 1975, 1983, 1994, 2009)

Botswana (1979)

Brazil  (1968)

British Virgin Islands (1966, 1977)

Brunei (1998)

Canada (1957, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2010)

Cayman Islands (1983, 1994)

Chile (1968)

China (1986)

Cook Islands (1974)

Cyprus (1961, 1983, 1984, 1993)

Czech Republic (1996)

Denmark (1957, 1979)

Dominica (1966, 1985, 1994)

Estonia (2006)

Ethiopia (1965)

Fiji (1953, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1982)

Finland (1976, 1994)

France (1957, 1972, 1992, 1994, 2004, 2014)

Gambia (1961)

Germany (1990, 1992, 2004, 2015)

Ghana (1961, 1999)

Grenada (1966, 1985)

Guyana (1966, 1994)

Hungary (1993)

Iceland (1990)

India (1961, 1983, 1997)

Indonesia (1974)

Iran (1961)

Ireland (2011)

Italy (1961, 1980, 2000, 2014)

Jamaica (1953, 1966, 1975, 1983, 1994, 2002)

Japan (1975)

Jordan (1984)

Kenya (1952, 1972, 1983, 1991)

Kiribati (1982)

Kuwait (1979)

Latvia (2006)

Liberia (1961)

Libya (1954)

Lithuania (2006)

Luxembourg (1976)

Malawi (1979)

Malaysia (1972, 1989, 1998)

Maldives (1972)

Malta (1954, 1967, 1992, 2005, 2015)

Mauritius (1972)

Mexico (1975, 1983)

Morocco (1980)

Mozambique (1999)

Namibia (1991)

Nauru (1982)

Nepal (1961, 1986)

Netherlands (1958, 1988, 2007)

New Zealand (1953, 1963, 1970, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1995, 2002)

Nigeria (1956, 2003)

Norway (1955, 1981, 2001)

Oman (1979, 2010)

Pakistan (1961, 1997)

Panama (1953)

Papua New Guinea (1974, 1977, 1982)

Poland (1996)

Portugal (1957, 1985)

Qatar (1979)

Russia (1994)

Saint Kitts and Nevis (1985)

Saint Lucia (1966, 1985)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1966, 1985)

Samoa (1977)

Saudi Arabia (1979)

Seychelles (1972)

Sierra Leone (1961)

Singapore (1972, 1989)

Solomon Islands (1982)

South Africa (1995, 1999)

South Korea (1999)

Slovakia (2008)

Slovenia (2008)

Spain (1988)

Sri Lanka (1954, 1981)

Sudan (1965)

Sweden (1956, 1983)

Switzerland (1980)

Tanzania (1979)

Thailand (1972, 1996)

Tonga (1953, 1970, 1977)

Trinidad & Tobago (1966, 1985, 2009)

Tunisia (1980)

Turkey (1971, 2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands (1966)

Tuvalu (1982)

Uganda (1954, 2007)

UAE (1979, 2010)

USA (1957, 1976, 1983, 1991, 2007)

Vatican City (1961, 1980, 2000, 2014)

West Germany (1965, 1978, 1987)

Yugoslavia (1972)

Zambia (1979)

Zimbabwe (1991)

What will happen now that the Queen has died?

Will there be a UK bank holiday to mark the death of the Queen?

Everything you need to know about the Queen’s funeral

A military procession for the Queen is planned next week in London

Unusual things that will happen in London after the Queen’s death

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'Home away from home': A look back through Queen Elizabeth II's official visits to Canada

Of all the countries in the Commonwealth, Canada was the late Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite destination, judging by how many times she graced our shores.

Over the course of her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II officially visited Canada more than 20 times, ranging from sweeping royal tours to visits for anniversaries and special events.

Canada’s relationship with the monarch has always been significant. The Queen was head of state for 16 countries in the Commonwealth, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica, among others, but of these 16 countries, the Queen has visited Canada the most.

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“My mother once said that this country felt like a home away from home for the Queen of Canada,” the Queen said during her last visit to Canada, in 2010.

“I’m delighted to report that it still does, and I’m delighted to be back amongst you all.”

According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, she is the “most travelled monarch in history.”

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The first time that the Queen set foot on Canadian soil was when she was only 25 years old and still a princess — in 1951, she took her ailing father’s place to visit Canada with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Philip, who died on April 9, 2021, was particularly fond of Canada, and travelled to the country 46 times in total, including his many visits by the Queen’s side.

Two years after her first visit, in 1953, she was crowned Queen. She made a brief appearance in Gander, N.L. that year during a stopover on the way to tour other parts of the Commonwealth, but wouldn’t return for an official visit of Canada until 1957.

John Diefenbaker, the prime minister at the time, was eager to strengthen ties to Britain and cement the Queen’s role in Canada, and even had the Queen preside over a cabinet meeting during her brief visit.

During that trip, the Queen also opened Canada’s new Parliament, an event that she was proud to mention in her Christmas speech later that year, the very first televised Christmas speech from a British royal ever.

“Last October, I opened the new Canadian Parliament,” she said in the speech. “This was the first time that any sovereign had done so in Ottawa. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the loyalty and enthusiasm of my Canadian people.”

But her longest trip to Canada — and arguably the most important — occurred in 1959, when she toured all of the provinces, as well as both current territories, with Prince Philip for 45 days. This is still the longest tour any reigning monarch has made of Canada, and although the Queen visited Canada many times after, she never did so on this scale again.

Buckingham Palace instructed the visit to be referred to as a “royal tour” to emphasize the importance, and to position the Queen as comfortable in her role as Queen of Canada.

Although the Queen was greeted with crowds wherever she went, travelled more than 24,000 kilometres on this trip, shook nearly 5,000 hands and attended sixty-one formal functions, according to the book “Canada and the End of Empire,” the tour was not without controversy. Indigenous people were present at many events on her tour, often meeting with the Queen to perform dances or demonstrate cultural knowledge — but any issues such as treaties or land rights were not permitted to be brought up.

In the years to come, the Queen would make around 20 more official visits to Canada. Including brief stopovers, the Queen has been in Canada more than 30 times.

Most trips have involved ceremonial duties, tours of the country or charity work, but she has also come to Canada to act in an official capacity, such as when she opened Parliament in 1957, and when she delivered a Speech from the Throne again in 1977.

The speech to outline the federal government’s plans for the coming session of Parliament is usually read by the Governor General as the Queen’s representative. The Queen’s second time reading the speech herself in 1977 was part of her Silver Jubilee tour, the 25th anniversary of her ascending to the throne of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Another notable visit was when the Queen came to Canada in 1982 to sign the landmark Proclamation of the Constitution Act, the passing of which gave Canada full independence.

During her visits, the Queen often honoured Canada through her wardrobe. In 1957, on her first trip to Canada post-coronation, she wore a striking cream gown covered in sparkling green maple leaves to the state banquet at Rideau Hall, dubbed the “Maple Leaf of Canada Dress.”

During her tour of Canada in 1959, she wore a blue and pink evening gown designed by Sir Hardy Amies to a dinner at the Government House in Nova Scotia, which was embroidered with blooms representing mayflowers, the provincial flower of Nova Scotia.

In her later years, she was frequently seen wearing an iconic diamond brooch in the shape of a maple leaf, called the “Canadian Maple Leaf Royal Brooch.” It had been a favourite of her mother, and after it was passed down to the Queen, she wore it to Canada numerous times, as well as loaning it to family members such as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, when they visited Canada.

Over the years, the Queen developed strong relationships with Canada’s prime ministers, having met with many of them in person.

The Queen appointed Jean Chretien, Canada’s 20th Prime Minister to the Order of Merit in 2009, a distinction that is restricted to only 24 living people within the Commonwealth. It is given to “persons who have rendered exceptionally meritorious service to the Crown, in armed services or towards the advancement of arts, literature and science.”

Two other Canadian Prime Ministers had received the award before: William Lyon Mackenzie King in 1947, before the Queen took the throne, and Lester B. Pearson in 1971.

The very last time the Queen visited Canada was in 2010, for a nine day visit through five different cities, a trip that saw her celebrating Canada Day in Ottawa on Parliament Hill. Continuing her tradition of honouring Canada through her garments, she even had a favourite dress adjusted to add Canadian maple leaves in Swarovski crystals down the right shoulder and sleeve to wear to a state dinner at the Royal York Hotel.

“My pride in this country remains undimmed.” the Queen said the first day of the trip, speaking to a crowd in Halifax.

The Queen never publicly declared which city or region of Canada was her favourite to visit, but outside of her numerous trips to Ottawa, she visited Victoria, B.C., five times, and visited Winnipeg, Vancouver, Regina and Toronto four times as well, not counting her 1959 tour of the entire country or brief stopovers.

Despite a lack of consensus in Canada over whether we should maintain our ties to the monarchy, a debate that has simmered for decades, the Queen’s visits always brought out numerous Canadians eager to catch a glimpse of the monarch.

And her regard for Canada was evident across her reign, from start to end.

“Throughout the years, particularly since your Centennial year, I have watched Canada develop into a remarkable nation,” the Queen said in 2017, on the 150th anniversary of Confederation. “You have earned a reputation as a welcoming, respectful and compassionate country.

"On this eve of national celebrations, my family and I are with you in spirit.”

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Tracing Queen Elizabeth’s steps through the U.S.

By Danielle Paquette | Sep 10, 2022

During her seven-decade reign, Queen Elizabeth II visited more than two dozen cities across the United States. She chatted with Girl Scouts, football players, presidents and Frank Sinatra . She cheered on race horses in Kentucky. She requested a ham sandwich with the crust removed in Texas. She sported a tweed skirt-suit in Yosemite National Park.

Wherever England’s longest-serving monarch went, photographers followed, capturing generations of Americans in the throes of Royal fever (and more than a few signature handbags ).

Oct. 17, 1957 | Washington

Queen Elizabeth II heads to the White House as crowd's line Washington streets to see the royal monarch.

Oct. 18, 1957 | Washington

Queen Elizabeth II accepts a doll for Princess Anne from 7-year-old Pamela Springmann during a visit at Children's Hospital.

Queen Elizabeth II and Vice President Richard Nixon tilt their heads for a better view of the oil paintings on the interior of the Capitol dome during a tour.

Oct. 19, 1957 | College Park, Md.

Co-captains of North Carolina and Maryland meet Queen Elizabeth II before the start of a game.

Oct. 21, 1957 | New York

Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a mink stole, and Prince Philip, standing next to a viewing telescope, view New York City from the observatory roof of the Empire State Building. The Queen said, "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Queen Elizabeth II, in a plastic domed car, rides up lower Broadway through a shower of ticker tape and confetti during procession to City Hall.

Queen Elizabeth II addresses the United Nations General Assembly.

Her Majesty kicked off a seven-city tour of the nation’s east in 1976 with a stop in Philadelphia, where she unveiled a gift for the City of Brotherly Love: a Bicentennial Bell to celebrate 200 years of American independence from English rule. (The bell remains in storage .)

July 7, 1976 | Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip walk down the ramp of their aircraft near Washington.

July 7, 1976 | Philadelphia

Queen Elizabeth II is greeted by the Girl Scouts of America.

July 8, 1976 | Washington

Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the U.S. Capitol.

On her New York leg, Elizabeth was spotted squeezing through city throngs, underscoring the lighter security protocols of yesteryear.

July 10, 1976 | New York

Thousands surround Queen Elizabeth II as she walks from the Federal Building up Wall Street to Trinity Church with Mayor Abraham Beame.

J Walter Green

July 10, 1976 | Charlottesville, Va.

Queen Elizabeth II tours Thomas Jefferson's Monticello home.

July 11, 1976 | Boston

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip wave to spectators below from the balcony of the Old State House before the Queen descended to street level to address the crowd. The location is the site of the Boston massacre, an event which led to the Revolutionary War.

Elizabeth returned in 1983 for a trek through the West Coast. She visited a Southern California retirement home, led a champagne toast with then-president Ronald Reagan and absorbed the mountain views at Yosemite National Park.

Feb. 26, 1983 | San Diego

Queen Elizabeth II reviews the U.S. Marine Corps honor guard as she arrives for a State visit.

Feb. 28, 1983 | Sierra Madre

Queen Elizabeth II shares a smile with 97-year-old Sibyl Jones-Bateman after the monarch was presented with a bouquet during tour of the British Home retirement community near Los Angeles.

March 3, 1983 | San Francisco

President Ronald Reagan and Queen Elizabeth II raise their glasses in a toast during a state dinner at the M. H. de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.

Ed Reinke/AP

March 5, 1983 | Yosemite, Calif.

Park superintendent Bob Binnewies points out highlights from Inspiration Point to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Yosemite National Park.

The queen, a horse racing enthusiast, landed in Kentucky five times between 1984 and 2007, according to the Courier-Journal . She was known to turn up at horse farms, admiring the mares and foals.

May 23, 1986 | Versailles, Ky.

Queen Elizabeth II puts out her hand to her filly foal by the mare Christchurch and Alydar during a visit to Lane's End Farm.

May 27, 1986 | Lexington, Ky.

Queen Elizabeth II exchanges pleasantries with a line of Fayette County (Ky.) and Kentucky State Troopers on the tarmac as prepares to depart following a five-day visit.

Amy Sancetta/Associated Press

May 26, 1989 | Lexington, Ky.

Queen Elizabeth II is welcomed by a child upon her arrival during a private visit to the U.S.

David Banks

During her 1991 visit, Elizabeth addressed Congress. Lawmakers gave the monarch a standing ovation, while opponents of British occupation in Northern Ireland protested outside the Capitol.

May 14, 1991 | Washington

Queen Elizabeth II and President George H.W. Bush review the troops after the Queen's arrival at the White House.

May 15, 1991 | Washington

Queen Elizabeth II holds flowers presented to her at Drake Place, a housing project.

May 16, 1991 | Washington

Queen Elizabeth II is applauded by Vice President Dan Quayle and House Speaker Thomas Foley before her address to the U.S. Congress.

Doug Mills/AP

Elizabeth’s last U.S. state visit came in 2007, when she arrived for the 400th anniversary of England establishing its first permanent North American settlement in Jamestown, Va.

She dined with then-president George W. Bush, watched the Kentucky Derby through bulletproof glass and checked out Washington memorials.

May 4, 2007 | Lexington, Ky.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip look out of the window of an SUV as they leave the Bluegrass Airport after arriving.

Morry Gash/AP

May 5, 2007 | Louisville, Ky.

Queen Elizabeth II chats with Prince Philip as Susan Lucci (black hat) looks on at the 133rd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Rob Carr/AP

May 7, 2007, | Washington

President Bush smiles at Queen Elizabeth II before the start of a State Dinner at the White House.

Evan Vucci/AP

May 8, 2007 | Washington

Queen Elizabeth II and U.S. Park Service Director Mary Bomar walk around the National World War II Memorial during a visit by the Queen and Duke.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

May 8, 2007 | Greenbelt, Md.

Queen Elizabeth II accepts flowers from children while walking during a visit to the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Larry Downing

Elizabeth made her final stop on American soil in 2010 to address the United Nations General Assembly. “I believe I was last here in 1957,” she deadpanned to her New York audience.

July 6, 2010 | New York

Queen Elizabeth II leaves a wreath of flowers at the site of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack during her visit.

Lucas Jackson

Queen Elizabeth II speaks at the United Nations Headquarters.

Seth Wenig/AP

More from the Post

Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch

The queen’s travels, in photos

The latest from The Washington Post

Photo editing and production by Natalia Jiménez

The Queen’s 10 most memorable royal trips abroad

By Hope Coke

While most of us associate travel abroad with holidays, things were rather different for the Queen, who spent much of her lengthy reign traversing the globe in her capacity as monarch. From State visits to Commonwealth tours, she was a master (or mistress) of diplomacy, meeting a slew of high-profile world leaders (from the esteemed to the controversial), and visiting historic destinations – often in the company of her late, beloved husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Find out more about some of her most intriguing international visits below.

Commonwealth Tour: 1953-1954 When the Queen acceded the throne following the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952, she began her reign with a monumental tour of the Commonwealth of Nations – of which she had just become head. The longest Commonwealth tour to date, it lasted an impressive six months (from November 1953 to May 1954), and traversed 44,000 miles: taking in the West Indies, Australasia (encompassing Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands), Asia and Africa. It marked a significant moment for the new Queen as she fully embraced her role and the duty that came with it, as her and her husband, Prince Philip, left the young Prince Charles and Princess Anne behind for much of the trip. The family were then reunited in Malta, before they all sailed home together via Gibraltar aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.

USA: 1957 Although she had visited the USA prior to becoming Queen, October 1957 marked Elizabeth II’s first visit to the country in her capacity as monarch. She was hosted by the 34th US President, Dwight D Eisenhower, for a four-day State trip, during which she visited New York City, Washington DC and Williamsburg in Virginia. Eisenhower had first met Elizabeth when she was a young princess, so the reunion carried particular poignancy for them both.

India: 1961 India had been part of the British Empire within the Queen’s lifetime, with her own parents, King George VI and the Queen Mother (then Queen Consort) having been the last Emperor and Empress of India until the British Raj was dissolved in 1947. Coming in light of England’s problematic imperial history, it marked a new chapter in relations between the two countries when the Queen and Prince Philip made a State visit to India in 1961 – the first trip by a reigning British Monarch since the country gained its independence. The previous visit had taken place some 50 years before, in 1911, when King George V and Queen Mary of Teck were proclaimed Emperor and Empress of India at the Delhi Durbar.

Silver Jubilee Commonwealth Tour: 1977 To mark the significant milestone of 25 years on the throne, the Queen undertook a special Silver Jubilee tour in 1977. The monarch and Prince Philip travelled over 56,000 miles, visiting 14 Commonwealth countries, such as Western Samoa, Australia and New Zealand, as well as making their first ever trip to the island nations of Fiji and Tonga. The Queen is said to have personally wished to undertake such an ambitious tour, in order that she could share in her Jubilee celebrations with as many people as possible.

Germany: 1990 Although the Queen had paid numerous previous visits to West Germany during her reign, her trip in November 1990 marked her first journey to the country since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 – a significant historical moment as the Cold War de-escalated across Eastern Europe. The Queen was hosted by President Richard von Weizsäcker, and was greeted by some 600 children waving Union Jack flags as she visited the Laarbruch RAF base for an inspection. Making a rare trip alone, rather than in the company of the Duke of Edinburgh, the monarch then went to have tea with Von Weizsäcker at his Hammerschmidt Villa in the German city of Bonn.

Russia: 1994 Another historic event was the Queen’s visit to Russia in October 1994, constituting her first trip to the country. Hosted by Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a spokesman for Yeltsin commented on the significance of the moment, stating, ‘We realise that the British queen would never have visited a Communist country’. The Queen was joined by her husband, Prince Philip, first visiting Moscow (where they stayed at the Kremlin as Yeltsin’s guests), before going on to St Petersburg.

South Africa: 1995 The Queen visited South Africa as a young princess with her parents and sister, King George VI, his Queen Consort (later the Queen Mother) and Princess Margaret, and turned 21 during the tour. In a speech broadcast from Cape Town on her birthday, the future Queen pledged her commitment to the Commonwealth, promising that her ‘whole life… shall be devoted to your service’. Yet the dawn of Apartheid in 1948 meant the Royal Family did not visit the country for a number of years (despite the Queen technically being its monarch until 1961). So it was an important moment when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelled to South Africa aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in March 1995, coming as a gesture of support to its new government after the end of Apartheid, when they were hosted by new President Nelson Mandela.

Golden Jubilee Commonwealth Tour: 2002 To mark the 50th anniversary of her accession to the throne, the Queen undertook a special Golden Jubilee Tour to visit four Commonwealth countries – Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia and Canada – kicking off in February 2002. Festivities were somewhat subdued, however, in light of the sad death of the Queen’s younger sister, Princess Margaret, earlier that month. Yet there were some memorable moments during the trip nonetheless, such as a power cut during a banquet on the final night of the Queen and Philip’s stay in Jamaica.

By Rebecca Cope

By Dora Davies-Evitt

By Keith Dovkants

Canada: 2010 Elizabeth II was technically the Queen of Canada, albeit as a constitutional monarch with a largely symbolic function, represented by Governor Generals and Lieutenant Governors within the country. It’s perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that she has visited Canada more than any other country: an impressive 27 times during her reign. The most recent trip was in the sumer of 2010, when the monarch and the late Prince Philip were hosted by the 27th Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean. The couple’s visit coincided with Canada Day on 1 July, which they celebrated on Parliament Hill in Ontario. There, the monarch gave a speech to a crowd of some 100,000 revelers, wishing them ‘all the very happiest Canada Day.’

Malta: 2015 The Queen had not been abroad for some seven years prior to her death. Her most recent international trip, however, was to Malta, for the 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. Despite the official nature of the visit, during which she attended a summit with the theme of ‘The Commonwealth – Adding Global Value’, Malta also carries particular sentimental significance for both the Queen and her late husband, Prince Philip, who accompanied her on the trip. The royal couple lived in the country from 1949 to 1951, while Philip was stationed there as a naval officer before his wife became Queen. It is said to have been an extremely happy time for the young couple, adding particular poignancy to the fact that their 2015 visit was their last trip abroad together.

By Isaac Bickerstaff

By Chandler Tregaskes

By Harriet Johnston

Malta: last foreign country Queen Elizabeth visited

Aqra bil- Malti

The Maltese Islands were cherished by Queen Elizabeth and it is no secret that she considers the time she spent in Malta between 1949 and 1951 as among the happiest years of her life where she could live a relatively normal life.

In 1951 she also visited Gozo for the first time where a commemorative plaque was unveiled in what today is the Gozo General Hospital..

The Queen, at that time a princess, even visited the village of Sannat where, according to historical accounts, she admired little girls working lace.

Throughout her reign, Elizabeth visited these Islands several times for different reasons in 1954, 1967, 1992, 2005 and 2007 when the couple also celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in Malta.

The Queen’s last visit overseas was in Malta when in November 2015 she visited the Maltese Islands as the Head of the Commonwealth countries, when the CHOGM was held in our country.

In fact, she later assigned her son Prince Charles to attend the meetings of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth countries in her stead.

Of the 100 countries she visited during her reign, she used to say publicly that Malta was one of her favourite countries and in fact media speculation 7 years ago came to pass because our country was the last one she visited because she wanted the last country she visited to be a country which held a special place in her heart.

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Royal visits abroad

From a collection of information about Royal visits is a document relating to the visit of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret to Swaziland [today Eswatini] in March 1947. It is an address by the Paramount Chief of Swaziland, including a song performed by school children, translated into English. Document reference: FCO 141/17537.

You can download the full digitised document via Discovery, our online catalogue: Visit to Swaziland

Transcription:

THE ROYAL VISIT INTO SWAZILAND

Farewell Song by the Swazi Scholars at the

Mahamba Border

25th March – afternoon

— o —

I We are greatly honoured by the visit of the Royal family into Swaziland. At this moment, the Swazi scholars bid the Royal family – Good-bye as they now enter into the Union.

II May God the Almighty be with the Royal family, And so guard and guide them till they reach their respective destinations safely, and finally reach Home in peace.

This is the wish from the Swazi Scholars.

—- o —-

Translated into English

by Principal M.M. Dhlamini, Mahamba Secondary School.

A bunch of flowers to be presented to Her Majesty the Queen by the young Swazi Girls.

Documents on the same theme

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Here are all of the times Queen Elizabeth II visited Toronto

Hannah Alberga , CTVNewsToronto.ca Journalist

@HannahAlberga

Queen Elizabeth II died at 96 years old on Thursday after reigning the monarch for the longest spanning period in Britain’s history.

At just 25 years old, she stepped into her royal role following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952.

Here is a timeline of the Queen’s seven visits to Toronto over the course of her lifetime, according to footage from the CTV News Toronto and City of Toronto archives.

The Queen’s first visit to Toronto took place in 1951. At the time, she was a princess standing in place for her father who was ill. A royal motorcade took the princess down Queen Street West to Old City Hall.

Photos capture Elizabeth at other notable city sites, including the Royal York Hotel, where she would later return on future visits. She also made an appearance at Sunnybrook Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children.

Her first visit to the city in official capacity as The Queen took place nearly a decade later as part of a 1959 tour of Canada. During the 45-day tour, which encompassed 10 provinces and two territories, she waved from a car cascading down Bay Street.

Alongside Prince Philip, Elizabeth sailed into the Toronto Harbour aboard the Britannia. There, she was welcomed in Etobicoke at the 100th Queen’s Plate at the Woodbine racetrack.

The Queen’s following visit to Toronto took place just a few years later in June 1973. As part of an extensive tour of the province, she opened Scarborough’s new Civic Centre, and visited Queen’s Park and Ontario Place. At High Park, she attended a Black Creek Pioneer Village exhibit and was gifted a hand-made corn broom.

A year later, the Queen returned to Toronto to celebrate the city’s 150th anniversary. At the festivities she made appearances at Toronto’s festival of international culture and formally dedicated the Peace Garden on Nathan Phillips Square.

A crowd applauded her arrival at a gala dinner with Ontario Premier William Davis where a tiara crowned her head.

She also visited the Royal Ontario Museum and was greeted by thousands of members of the Italian community on St. Clair Avenue West.

On June 29, 1997, the Queen visited the Royal York Hotel where she joined Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien along with 900 others at a state dinner.

On Oct. 9, 2002, the Queen arrived in Toronto with Prince Philip to celebrate her Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years since she ascended the throne. Her visit to the city was part of a 12 day journey across the country to celebrate the occasion.

From June 29 to July 6, 2010, the Queen visited Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Waterloo and Toronto. This marked her twenty-second tour of the country.

Again, she made an appearance at Woodbine Racetrack for the Queen’s Plate, a race meeting she first attended in 1959.

This was the Queen’s last visit to Toronto. 

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A smiling Queen Elizabeth II waves to a happy crowd of on-lookers at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds in Toronto, Ont., June 26, 1973. While at the C.N.E. The Queen and Prince Philip were entertained by various dance troupes and choirs. (CP PHOTO)

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When Queen Elizabeth Visited Boston: Redcoats, the Royal Wave and American Cheering

British soldiers dressed in the red coats that were infamous during the time of the american revolution stood once again by massachusetts' old state house when the queen visited in 1976, by asher klein • published september 8, 2022 • updated on september 8, 2022 at 4:14 pm.

In her long time on the throne of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II visited Boston once, for an event marking a very crucial event in American history.

For her third visit to the United States, Elizabeth attended the Bicentennial ceremonies in 1976, and ended her trip where the country began: in Boston.

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Images from the time show her smiling as she walked through the streets with then-Mayor Kevin White. British soldiers dressed in the red coats that were infamous during the time of the American Revolution stood once again by Massachusetts' Old State House.

Tens of thousands of people came out to see Elizabeth and Prince Philip, The Boston Globe reported at the time.

"Everytime the queen smiled or let free one of her white gloved hands, barely bending the wrist fluttering regal waves, people responded in turn with beaming smiles, prolonged applause and an occasional American, but very un-British cheer," Robert Rosenthal and Nick King wrote.

But there were protests as well. As British soldiers marched in review past City Hall, demonstrators held up signs. Some read, "England: Get out of Ireland NOW!" and "No surrender to British imperialism."

Elizabeth was being remembered Thursday around the U.S. and the globe after her death at the age of 96. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu shared an image of the monarch in City Hall, which was then just seven years old, and called her an inspiration for her "grace & steadfast leadership."

Boston mourns the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose grace & steadfast leadership have inspired generations around the world. Our hearts are with her family, loved ones & the people of the UK. pic.twitter.com/d8YG7sRYTN — Mayor Michelle Wu 吳弭 (@MayorWu) September 8, 2022

Elizabeth would make six trips to the United States in her 70-year reign. During the visit for the bicentennial, when she was 50 years old, she also stopped in Philadelphia, New York City, Charlottesville, Newport and Providence.

American's Bicentennial Celebration was a national party marking 200 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. At a state dinner at the White House, Elizabeth and President Gerald Ford shared a dance.

After Boston, the queen traveled to Canada, where she opened the Montreal Olympics.

More on Queen Elizabeth II

Queen elizabeth ii, britain's longest-serving monarch, dies at age 96.

Operation Unicorn: Here's What Happens Now That Queen Elizabeth Has Died

‘Historic Reign': Local Officials React to the News of Queen Elizabeth II's Death

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King Charles Makes First Overseas Trip Since Cancer Diagnosis for D-Day 80th Anniversary in France

The British monarch traveled abroad with Queen Camilla a month after resuming forward-facing duties

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

Chris Jackson/Getty

King Charles is abroad for the first time since starting treatment for cancer.

The King, 75, stepped out in Normandy, France, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings with his wife, Queen Camilla , on June 6. The royal couple traveled to attend the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s event at the beachfront British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer.

The service was organized in honor of the massive military operation involving around 156,000 men, 7,000 ships and 10,000 vehicles that attacked German forces in Normandy on June 6, 1944. The campaign served as a crucial turning point in World War II and the beginning of the liberation of Nazi-occupied northwest Europe.

King Charles and Queen Camilla, 76, attended the British Normandy Memorial event with French President Emmanuel Macron and British veterans, where they met retired service personnel. The royals also opened the new Winston Churchill Education and Learning Centre, named after the prime minister who led the U.K. through World War II.

Standing in front of the massed names of the service personnel who died on the day and "in the many battles that followed," as King Charles put it, he said in a speech, that his grandfather George VI called the event "the supreme test."

They were a generation "of men and women who did not flinch when the moment came to face that test."

The King, who sported the Field Marshal No. 4 tropical service dress with medals and decorations, also spoke about his pride in being present at seven different commemorations in Normandy over the past four decades. "I shall never forget the haunting sights and sounds of thousands of be-medalled figures proudly marching past into a French sunset on these beaches," he said.

Moving into French, King Charles also praised the "warmth, and the generosity of the welcome" the people of Normandy had given the veterans, adding that it was "moving" and "memorable."

Talking of those who lost their lives, the monarch added, "Let us affirm that we will strive to live by their example; let us pray such sacrifice need never be made again; and let us commit to carrying forward their resounding message of courage and resilience in the pursuit of freedom, tempered by the duty of responsibilities to others, for the benefit of younger generations and those yet unborn."

"Our gratitude is unfailing and our admiration eternal," he concluded.

GARETH FULLER/POOL/AFP via Getty

The ceremony ended with the laying of wreaths at the memorial by King Charles and then President Macron, the playing of the national anthems, including God Save The King , and a flypast by the RAF Red Arrows.

King Charles' speech followed a rendition by singer Sir Tom Jones of "I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall." Jones' grandfather died in World War I and is buried in France.

King Charles' trip to France is his most major event since resuming public-facing duties in late April after Buckingham Palace announced that he was diagnosed with cancer and commenced treatment in February. The monarch continued to work behind the scenes during the interim period, undertaking state paperwork and hosting small audiences.

He returned to public duty with a visit to the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London (which has not been directly involved with his medical care) on April 30, where spoke about the emotional toll of such a diagnosis.

"It’s always a bit of shock when they tell you," the King said in conversation with one patient, according to Rebecca English of the Daily Mail .

Confirmation of King Charles' attendance at the British Normandy Memorial event on June 6 was full of personal connections. The monarch is patron of the Royal British Legion, the U.K.’s largest charity for the armed forces which helped organize the service and the Normandy Memorial Trust, which maintains the monument.

In September 2023, King Charles and Queen Camilla spent time with Macron and his wife, Birgitte , during their state visit to France. The trip was originally scheduled as the first overseas tour of the new royal reign before it was postponed amid national protests around the raising of the retirement age.

EDDIE MULHOLLAND/POOL/AFP via Getty

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The King and Queen are not the only members of the British royal family attending events in France on the anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Prince William stepped out to attend the Canadian commemorative ceremony at the Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 6, where he made a speech and laid a wreath at a ceremony attended by Canadian veterans of D-Day and World War II, as well as active personnel.

Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty

"I am honored to join you to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of the Canadian troops, who gave so much 80 years ago," Prince William said in part. "On June 6, 1944, as part of the 150,000 Allied troops that landed or parachuted into Normandy, 14,000 were from Canada."

"Far from home they stormed these very sand dunes behind me, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of British troops," he continued. "Standing here today in peaceful silence, it is almost impossible to grasp the courage it would have taken to run into the fury of battle that very day."

"I want to thank you, our veterans, for your extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice, on Juno Beach, and the liberation of Europe," William went on. He emphasized the special relationship that Canada and the U.K. continue to share and closed the brief speech by saying, "Thank you for our freedom and thank you for your service," in both English and French.

Vianney Le Caer/Shutterstock

Later, Prince William will join over 25 heads of state, veterans and European royals at the international commemorative ceremony at Omaha Beach in Saint Laurent sur Mer. The engagement brings the Prince of Wales' role as an international statesman into focus as he represents the British royal family.

On June 5, King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William made a rare engagement together on the eve of the D-Day anniversary for the U.K.’s national commemorative for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth, England.

KIN CHEUNG/POOL/AFP via Getty

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Japan state visit details revealed - date, royals involved and Princess Kate's absence

King charles and queen camilla will host emperor naruhito and empress masako this month.

Buckingham Palace has released new details of the Japan state visit, which will take place later this month. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla will host Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan from 25 to 27 June at Buckingham Palace, at the request of the government. 

Prince William , and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will also accompany the King and Queen during certain engagements. 

The state visit had originally been planned for 2020 but was postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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In a new statement, the Palace announced: "Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan will pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom as guests of His Majesty The King from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th June 2024. 

"Their Majesties The King and Queen will host the State Visit at Buckingham Palace." 

It has been confirmed that the Emperor and Empress of Japan will arrive at Stansted Airport on 22 June, three days prior to the state visit. 

Their Majesties will be greeted by His Excellency Mr Hajime Hayashi, Ambassador of Japan. The Viscount Brookeborough KG, Lord-in-Waiting, will greet Their Majesties on behalf of the King. 

Before the state visit begins, the Emperor will undertake a private schedule of engagements, including visits to Japan House and the Thames Barrier. 

On the first day of the official visit, the Prince of Wales - who has been taking care of Princess Kate and their three children amid the Princess' cancer treatment - will greet the Emperor and Empress of Japan, at their hotel. 

Prince William, 41, will travel with the couple to the Horse Guards Parade, where Their Majesties will receive a Ceremonial Welcome. 

The King and Queen will formally welcome the Emperor and Empress at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade. Presentations will be made, the Guard of Honour will give a Royal Salute and the Japanese National Anthem will be played. 

The Emperor, accompanied by King Charles, will inspect the Guard of Honour, formed of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards with the Band of the Welsh Guards. Afterwards, the Emperor and Empress will join the King and Queen, and Prince William, in a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace, where they will be met by a second Guard of Honour formed of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. 

Following lunch at Buckingham Palace, the royals will view a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to Japan before they visit Westminster Abbey, where the Emperor will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. 

In the evening, King Charles, accompanied by Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family, will give a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace. 

What else is on the itinerary?

Other visits on the itinerary include The Francis Crick Institute, the UK’s flagship biomedical research centre, the Young V&A and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. There will also be a banquet at the Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation. 

Aside from London, the Emperor will travel to Windsor to privately visit St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II. On their final day in the UK, the Emperor and Empress will also visit Oxford for a private programme of engagements including a visit to the colleges where Their Majesties studied. 

Who is Emperor Naruhito?

Born on 23 February 1960, Emperor Naruhito is the current Emperor of Japan and the oldest child of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. He became heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne when he was 29 following the death of his grandfather, Emperor Shōwa. 

At the age of four, Naruhito was enrolled in an elite Japanese school, graduating in 1982 with a degree in history; the ruler credited his fascination with the subject to his discovery of an ancient roadway on palace grounds during his youth. He later studied at Oxford and went on to meet many members of European royal families. During a party for Spain's Infanta Elena in 1986, he met Masako Owada. 

Meet Empress Masako

Born as Masako Owada on 9 December 1963, Masako became the Empress of Japan due to her marriage to Emperor Naruhito, who ascended the throne in 2019. Masako was born to a senior diplomat and former president of the International Court of Justice and was mostly raised in Moscow and New York City. 

After her education, Masako started working at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, being one of only 28 of 800 applicants to pass the entrance exams. At a party for Spain's Infanta Elena in November 1986, she met Prince Naruhito before their marriage in 1993. Masako sadly suffered a miscarriage in 1999, before giving birth to daughter Aiko in 2001.

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Election latest: Rishi Sunak heckled by GP at the end of 'torrid day'; Nigel Farage accused of 'bigotry' during debate

The latest updates from the general election campaign, as Rishi Sunak is heckled by a GP and Nigel Farage gets stuck in during a televised debate.

Saturday 8 June 2024 01:40, UK

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• New poll reveals what public think about PM leaving D-Day events early
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Snap findings from a More in Common poll of more than 1,000 viewers of last night's BBC debate suggest Nigel Farage came out on top.

According to the poll results , the audience is most likely to think Reform UK's leader won, with 25% picking him.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner comes in second with 19%.

Just 7% thought Tory Penny Mordaunt won, but 32% believe she'd be a better prime minister than Rishi Sunak - with 12% picking him.

Full Results

• Nigel Farage - 25%
• Angela Rayner - 19%
• None of the above - 14%
• Carla Denyer - 11%
• Stephen Flynn - 10%
• Penny Mordaunt - 7%
• Daisy Cooper - 5%
• Rhun ap Iowerth - 2%
• Don’t know - 8%

Almost half (47%) of 2019 Tory voters watching the debate thought that Mr Farage won the debate, while Ms Rayner leads among 2019 Labour and Lib Dem voters who tuned in.

The poll also shows viewers are most likely to think the SNP's Stephen Flynn (net +31), the Green Party's Carla Denyer (net +31) and the Lib Dem's Daisy Cooper (+30) did well in the debate.

Reform's original candidate for Clacton will stand as an independent against Nigel Farage in the upcoming general election.

Anthony Mack quit Reform after he was replaced by Mr Farage earlier this week to vie for the seat in Essex.

But that hasn't stopped him from trying to win there.

Mr Mack is expected to hold a press conference later today.

Olympic athletes, top musicians and an ex-soap actor are among those standing to become members of parliament at the general election.

The deadline for candidates to submit their nominations passed earlier today.

Notable names on the list include:

• Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, Labour, Mid Sussex
• Double Olympic gold medal rower James Cracknell, Conservative, Colchester
• Rock star Tom Gray from the band Gomez, Labour, Brighton Pavilion
• Former Coronation Street actor Marc Anwar, independent, Bury North
• Gogglebox's Josh Tapper, Labour, Hertfordshire
• Olympian Marc Jenkins, Conservative, Gower

Count Binface has announced he will stand against Rishi Sunak in his Richmond and Northallerton constituency.

Speaking on his podcast, Trash Talk, Binface said it would be like "Fury vs Usyk times a billion" in the July 4 election.

"That's right, I am here right now in Richmond and Northallerton and I can announce that I will be taking on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in electoral combat on July 4.

"You shirked D-Day Rishi, you can't miss the B-Day.

"That's right. Binface vs Sunak is going to be Fury vs Usyk times a billion. Bring it on."

Binface recently came 11th in the London Mayoral Elections, where he earned 24,260 votes.

It was reported last weekend that allies of Penny Mordaunt claimed Downing Street was keeping her "in a box" during the election campaign because Rishi Sunak's team see her as a threat.

Well, after her barnstorming performance in a TV debate against politicians from six opposition parties, the Leader of the Commons is well and truly out of her box now. And she mustn't be put back in it.

Her opening words in this 90-minute showdown were explosive. The prime minister, she declared, had been "completely wrong" to leave the D-day ceremonies in Normandy early. No pulling of punches there.

She said the PM was wrong, not once, not twice, but three times. No wonder Number 10 see her as a threat. If this was an audition for a leadership bid after the election, her friends will claim she passed with flying colours.

But once she'd dug her black stilettos out of the PM's back with her opening remarks, after that she was relentlessly on message in hammering Labour on its policies on tax, immigration and crime.

She was at her most combative on the Tories' controversial allegation – first made by Rishi Sunak in his TV debate with Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday – that Labour is planning a £2,000 tax grab if it wins the election.

This attack triggered the most heated clash of the whole debate, when Mordaunt traded blows with Labour's Angela Rayner on tax. It was a shouting match that went on long after presenter Mishal Husain attempted – but failed - to stop them.

It was all the more heated because the pair were standing next to each other at the end of the row of seven leading politicians, including Nigel Farage, the Lib Dems' Daisy Cooper and the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

For the rest of the debate, Rayner was slightly subdued, rather like Sir Keir had been against the PM on Tuesday. Rayner didn't even attack Sunak about D-day at the start. Nor did Daisy Cooper. Like Sir Keir, his deputy needs to raise her game.

Besides Mordaunt, on D-day Farage claimed Sunak had been unpatriotic and Flynn accused the PM of putting his own political career before public service and Normandy war veterans. Strong stuff.

Mordaunt also tore into Rayner over her previous voting record against renewing Trident. And the brightness of Rayner's red dress wasn't matched by a bright performance in the debate, although she improved as the debate went on. Mordaunt, incidentally, wore Thatcher blue. Remind you of anyone?

Throughout the debate, Farage was typically impish. His quips included claiming Starmer was "very dull" and "Blair without the flair". The PM, he joked, was "slippery Sunak". Yes, he's used those jibes before, but the audience enjoyed them.

Stephen Flynn had his good moments, most notably when he condemned Brexit, an attack on the Conservatives and Labour that the audience enjoyed.

But this debate was about Penny Mordaunt. It was her show, despite the large cast list. If she has been kept in a box by Number 10 up to now, the PM's allies will have been delighted on her attacks on Angela Rayner and Labour's policies.

But they won't have appreciated her blunt – and completely unprompted criticism – of the prime minister over the big story of the day, his D-day snub.

It was a story about a blunder of the PM's own making. It wasn't a gaffe, or an accident. It was sheer bad planning, terrible political judgment, embarrassing and highly damaging to Sunak and the Tory election campaign.

That, apparently was, Penny Mordaunt's view. And she said so. Number 10 won't be happy. A threat? You bet.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has been the victim of a hoax video call and messages from someone claiming to be the former president of Ukraine.

The government said it was making the incident public to stave off any attempts to manipulate footage of Lord Cameron.

The Foreign Office said a "number of text messages were exchanged followed by a brief video call between the foreign secretary and someone purporting to be Petro Poroshenko, former president of Ukraine".

Mr Poroshenko served as Ukrainian president between 2014 and 2019, and has remained a prominent figure in the country since leaving office.

"Whilst the video call clearly appeared to be with Mr Poroshenko, following the conversation the foreign secretary became suspicious," the Foreign Office said, adding contact details for other people were requested by the caller.

"Whilst regretting his mistake, the foreign secretary thinks it important to call out this behaviour and increase efforts to counter the use of misinformation."

Politicians have received repeated warnings in recent months about the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation, especially as artificial intelligence technology improves.

The prime minister is not the only one whose feet are being held to the fire over D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations.

Northern Ireland's first minister has been criticised for not attending, with only the deputy going instead.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said it had been an opportunity for Michelle O'Neill to act as a first minister for all.

"With men from across the island being remembered, I am disappointed that the deputy first minister was alone in Normandy and the other half of the joint office was absent.

"When we consider how so many from this island have only been able to openly remember their grandparents' war efforts in recent years, this was a missed opportunity for leadership and reconciliation."

He continued: "The first minister should recognise it was a mistake."

Mr Robinson also accused Rishi Sunak of undermining "the authenticity of the speech" he made at the British Normandy Memorial by departing early.

A spokesperson for the Executive Office said: "The Executive Office [TEO] receives many invitations and endeavours to attend as many events as possible.

"TEO is represented by the first minister, deputy first minister and junior ministers.

"This week, TEO was represented at events including the D-Day commemorations; business awards and the Your Time to Shine female leaders celebration event."

Crime is the last theme of the BBC's debate, with one audience member raising the issue of knife crime.

The Green Party's Carla Denyer says not all crime can be tackled by being "tough", explaining a generation of young people have grown up with services like youth centres closing.

Nigel Farage says "stop and search" must be done "in a very tough way".

"We are seeing a societal decline of law and order in this country," he says.

The Liberal Democrats' Daisy Cooper says the model of policing must be changed, with more community policing engaging with families and faith groups.

She says stop and search can be useful, but "suspicion-less" deployment of it has been used to target people.

Penny Mordaunt, the Conservatives Commons leader, says knife crime in London is "top of the list", but the host points out the West Midlands has a higher rate.

"We need more police and we need police who are embedded in communities," she says.

Labour's Angela Rayner says education and reversing cuts to neighbourhood policing is needed.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, of Plaid Cymru, says decision-making should be made closer to communities, calling for more devolution.

Stephen Flynn, of the Scottish National Party, says tackling poverty as a driver of crime is required, and those in poverty have been failed by the government.

The final 30 second concluding statements are under way. Angela Rayner goes first. "If you want change, vote Labour," she says, though it's as though she's memorising a script rather than talking with passion.

Carla Denyer, of the Greens, says Labour are offering more of the same and Labour has changed into the Tories. She got better as the debate went on. Iorwerth is lively and will have done his party some good here.

Penny Mordaunt is polished. "For a more secure future, vote Conservative," she says. She's been class here and shows why for the Tories, she's an underused asset. Daisy Cooper mentions sewage in rivers for the first time this evening. Why so late?

The last word goes to Nigel Farage, who says that unlike the others he doesn't need an autocue. He's right about that. He's been impish throughout, clearly enjoying himself. We'll see a lot more of him in this campaign. That's why he became party leader, of course!

We're staying with the BBC's seven-way political debate between senior figures in the UK's political parties.

"What matters to you more: Economic growth or successful climate policy?" asks an audience member.

Mr Farage says climate policies like net zero are unrealistic and unaffordable. 

"Nigel is going to keep your fact-checkers busy for a little while. Farage has been misleading you... so much of what he said there is simply untrue," says the Greens' Carla Denyer.

She criticises Labour for dropping a £28bn green investment  pledge earlier this year.

Labour's Angela Rayner says there will be investment including insulating homes and creating green jobs, but oil and gas will be part of the future.

The SNP's Stephen Flynn says Westminster is betraying future generations and his party maintains its commitment to net zero.

"We are facing an ecological emergency", and economic growth can come with tackling it, says the Liberal Democrats, calling for a national insulation scheme.

"Nothing is more important than protecting the environment that you will be living in in future," says Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The Conservatives' Penny Mordaunt says moving to green policies too quickly will "destroy supply chains".

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Netanyahu to address joint session of Congress next month

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint meeting of Congress on July 24 amid his nation's ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza , two sources familiar with the date confirmed to NBC News.

The timing of the address was first reported by Punchbowl News and comes after all four leaders in Congress issued a formal invitation to Netanyahu at the end of last month.

In their May 31 letter , Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries asked Netanyahu to appear before Congress "to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combatting terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”

Several Democrats have already indicated they plan to boycott the speech over Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza or have otherwise expressed concern that his address could deepen tensions in Congress.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said Tuesday that he wouldn't have invited Netanyahu to address Congress unless the Israeli leader committed to a two-state solution first. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., referred to the Israeli prime minister as a “war criminal” during an NBC News interview this week and said that he would not attend the speech.

President Joe Biden has publicly criticized Netanyahu's handling of the war in recent months and has said that more needs to be done to to ensure humanitarian aid flows into Gaza.

The same day congressional leaders extended their invitation to Netanyahu, Biden announced that Israel had put forward a three-part plan that he said would pave the way for a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and trigger the release of all hostages  who have been held there since October. That proposal appeared to be undermined a day later, when Netanyahu called a permanent cease-fire in Gaza a “nonstarter” unless certain conditions are met.

Rebecca is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the House.

Julie Tsirkin is a correspondent covering Capitol Hill.

Zoë Richards is the evening politics reporter for NBC News.

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Iran’s acting top diplomat dismisses US-proposed Gaza cease-fire deal in visit to Lebanon

Iran’s acting foreign minister arrived in Lebanon Monday, his first official diplomatic visit since his predecessor died in a helicopter crash last month. (AP video shot by Fay Abuelgasim)

Iranian interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani listens to a question during a press conference at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, June 3, 2024. Iran’s acting foreign minister dismissed a Gaza cease-fire deal proposed by United States President Joe Biden and warned Israel against launching an all-out war against Lebanon during a visit to Beirut Monday, his first official diplomatic visit since his predecessor died last month. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

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Iranian interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani gestures to journalists during a press conference at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, June 3, 2024. Iran’s acting foreign minister dismissed a Gaza cease-fire deal proposed by United States President Joe Biden and warned Israel against launching an all-out war against Lebanon during a visit to Beirut Monday, his first official diplomatic visit since his predecessor died last month. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Iranian interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, right, speaks with Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, during a press conference at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, June 3, 2024. Iran’s acting foreign minister dismissed a Gaza cease-fire deal proposed by United States President Joe Biden and warned Israel against launching an all-out war against Lebanon during a visit to Beirut Monday, his first official diplomatic visit since his predecessor died last month. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Iranian interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani speaks during a press conference at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, June 3, 2024. Iran’s acting foreign minister dismissed a Gaza cease-fire deal proposed by United States President Joe Biden and warned Israel against launching an all-out war against Lebanon during a visit to Beirut Monday, his first official diplomatic visit since his predecessor died last month. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Iranian embassy security stands guard next to a poster shows the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions, who died last month in a helicopter crash, during a press conference for the Iranian interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, June 3, 2024. Iran’s acting foreign minister dismissed a Gaza cease-fire deal proposed by United States President Joe Biden and warned Israel against launching an all-out war against Lebanon during a visit to Beirut Monday, his first official diplomatic visit since his predecessor died last month. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

BEIRUT (AP) — Iran’s acting foreign minister dismissed a Gaza cease-fire deal proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden and warned Israel against launching an all-out war on Lebanon during a visit to Beirut Monday, his first official diplomatic visit since his predecessor died last month.

Ali Bagheri Kani replaced Hossein Amirabdollahian, a hard-liner close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19 in a mountainous area near Iran’s border with Azerbaijan, along with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and a delegation of other officials.

Tehran, a key backer of the Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip, backs a number of armed factions in the region, of which Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah is widely seen as the most powerful. Hezbollah would be Tehran’s first line of defense in case of a direct conflict between Iran and Israel.

Hezbollah has been clashing with Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israel border since October, against the backdrop of Israel’s war against the allied Hamas group in Gaza. The cross-border fighting has intensified in recent weeks, since Israel’s incursion into the key town of Rafah in southern Gaza.

“If the Americans are honest, then instead of proposing plans under the name of ceasefire, they must take one step, which is end all aid to the Israeli entity,” Bagheri Kani said in a news conference at the Iranian embassy in Beirut. “Only once the aid is cut from the Israeli entity, the entity won’t have the tools and ability to commit crimes against the Palestinians and the war will end.”

Hamas said they received the multi-staged proposal that includes freeing the hostages and pouring aid into Gaza along with a path to a permanent cease-fire “positively”, while Israel maintains that Hamas’ military wing and ability to govern the Palestinian enclave must be destroyed in order for the war to end.

Regional meditators Qatar and Egypt have urged both sides to endorse the proposal.

Bagheri Kani met with Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib as well as Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. He said he also met with Palestinian factions and others, but declined to give further information until official statements are released.

Bouhabib said Lebanon wants to avoid a wider war and is looking for “sustainable solutions that restore calm and stability to southern Lebanon.”

The Iranian foreign minister said Israel would find itself in a quagmire should it launch an all-out war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, a country he described as the “cradle of resistance.”

“The entity which is trapped in the swamp in Gaza, if it had the basic rationality, shouldn’t put itself in a similar situation with the strong Lebanese resistance,” Bagheri Kani said.

The danger of a direct conflict between Iran and Israel has also risen since Oct. 7.

Bagheri Kani is set to visit neighboring Syria Tuesday, where an apparent Israeli airstrike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus in April put the Middle East on a knife edge, unleashing series of escalatory attacks that threatened to set off a wider regional war.

The two regional archrivals have recently seemed to dial back tensions, but fears persist as Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups say they will continue to strike Israel until the war in Gaza ends.

The fighting along the Lebanon-Israeli border killed more than 400 people on the Lebanese side — most of them militants but also including more than 70 civilians and noncombatant — and at least 15 soldiers and 10 civilians on the Israeli side.