1991 state visit by Elizabeth II to the United States

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State visit by Elizabeth II to the United States
President and Mrs. Bush host a State Dinner for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great Britain at the White House - NARA - 186433.jpg
Date14 to 26 May 1991
Location Washington, D.C., Arlington, Baltimore, Tampa, Miami, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston [1]
TypeState visit
Participants Queen Elizabeth II
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

From 14 to 26 May 1991, Queen Elizabeth II, made a state visit to the United States with her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. She was received by President George H. W. Bush on 14 May 1991. [2] The visit marked the third time she undertook a state visit to the United States as monarch and it was her fourth official visit overall. [3]

Contents

Schedule

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh were formally welcomed on the South Lawn of the White House by President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush. [4] The UK and U.S. national anthems were played during the military ceremony accompanied by firing of gun salutes to mark the occasion. [4] The Queen also inspected the Guard of Honor. [4] During the visit, she planted a little-leaf linden on the South Lawn. [3] A state dinner was served in the royal couple's honor on the night of 14 May. [3] The Queen addressed a joint session of the Congress on 16 May 1991, becoming the first British monarch to do so. [5] [6] Subsequently, she visited Miami and Tampa in Florida, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston in Texas, and Lexington in Kentucky. [6]

The Queen's visit to Florida began on 17 May when she arrived at the Miami International Airport. [7] Her engagements included a visit to Booker T. Washington Middle School, a brief garden party at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, and a dinner and black tie reception abroad HMY Britannia attended by former presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford. [7] [8] A small protest by the Irish American Unity Conference took place as the event was going on. [7]

The visit to Texas began on 20 May, the first time that a British monarch had set foot in the state. [9] [10] Governor Ann Richards and former first lady Lady Bird Johnson toasted the monarch at a formal reception and dinner at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum. [9] The Queen also addressed the Texas State Legislature. [9] On 21 May, the royal couple landed at Kelly Air Force Base for a visit to San Antonio where they saw San Antonio River and met with local dignitaries at the Institute of Texan Cultures. [9] They then arrived at Dallas Love Field and the Queen stayed at the Adolphus Hotel before visiting the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center and the Hall of State at Fair Park to honor the 150th anniversary of Dallas. [9] On 22 May, the royal couple then toured NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston and visited a VA Medical Center and the Museum of Fine Arts. [9]

The Duke of Edinburgh returned to England and for the final leg of the tour the Queen visited Kentucky horse farms to make breeding arrangements for her mares. [11]

References

  1. ↑ Trebbe, Ann (14 May 1991). "Really Royal; All-American welcome today for Queen Elizabeth II;She wants to get to know us better". USA Today.
  2. ↑ de Witt, Karen (15 May 1991). "A Royal Couple Receives a Presidential Welcome" . Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "The White House and Queen Elizabeth II". The White House Historical Association. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "From the FOX 5 Archives: Queen Elizabeth II's 1991 visit to D.C." Fox5. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Pimlott, Ben (2001), The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy, HarperCollins, p. 538, ISBN   0-0025-5494-1
  6. 1 2 "Visits to the U.S. by Foreign Heads of State and Government--1991". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "Monarch in the Magic City: Queen Elizabeth's 1991 Trip to Miami Remembered". NBC. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  8. ↑ Quynh, Jacqueline; Sherman, Najahe (8 September 2022). "South Floridians remember Britain's Queen Elizabeth II". CBS News. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Benjaminson, Wendy; Jorden, Jay (8 September 2022). "Queen Elizabeth's historic 1991 trip to Texas" . Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  10. ↑ Dial, Steven; Jorden, Jay (8 September 2022). "What Queen Elizabeth did during her visit to Dallas in 1991". Fox4. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "Kentucky Stay Caps Queen's Visit". Los Angeles Times. 27 May 1991. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
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