Queen Elizabeth II visited the U.S. seven times; five of these included state dinners at the White House and two were classed as “private” trips.
As well as the queen, her sister Princess Margaret visited the country on a number of occasions, followed by another glamorous royal, Princess Diana.
The princess was spending increasing amounts of time in the U.S. (in particular New York) at the time of her tragic death aged just 36 in 1997 when her car crashed in a Paris tunnel.
Diana’s two sons, Princes William and Harry, have also spent time in the States, William alongside his wife Kate Middleton (now the Prince and Princess of Wales) and Harry with Meghan Markle, who now reside in California with their two children.
Here, Newsweek looks at 10 times the British royals visited the U.S. in style over nine decades and two reigns.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Washington, July 1939
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother) became the first ruling British sovereigns to visit the U.S. in 1939 before the outbreak of World War II.
The royal couple combined their U.S. trip with a tour of Canada and became friends with President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
Princess Margaret, Washington, November 1965
Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister, visited the U.S. on a number of occasions. Her most notable visit came in 1965 where she attended a formal dinner at the White House with President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Duke and Duchess of Windsor, New York, May 1967
After abdicating the throne to marry the twice-divorced, Pennsylvania-born Wallis Simpson, the Duke of Windsor and his new duchess visited the U.S. regularly, traveling by ship and staying in New York hotels.
The duke and duchess were regular features on the New York social scene at balls and parties when they were not otherwise occupied at their home in Paris.
Queen Elizabeth II, Washington, July 1976
Queen Elizabeth II paid a state visit to the U.S. in 1976 to celebrate the country’s bicentennial.
During her visit, which included a trip to Boston, which Prince William and Kate Middleton are visiting in December, the queen was hosted at a state banquet by President Gerald Ford at the White House.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Washington, November 1985
Princess Diana’s first official visit to the U.S. as a member of the royal family was made four years into her turbulent marriage to Prince Charles (now King Charles III).
The princess won great favor in the States, with the highlight of the visit being her star performance dancing with John Travolta in a glamorous black evening gown at a dinner reception hosted at the White House by President Ronald Reagan.
Princess Diana, New York, December 1996
As Princess Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles came to its end, the royal spent increasing time in the U.S. on private visits to see friends or attend charity events.
In December 1996, the princess attended a number of events in New York City, including a United Cerebral Palsy charity humanitarian of the year awards dinner and the famed Met Gala.
Princess Diana, Washington, June 1997
Princess Diana’s last visit to the U.S. was made just weeks before her death at the age of 36 in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997.
During her visit to Washington the princess visited First Lady Hillary Clinton at the White House and attended events connected with her campaign to end the use of landmines.
Queen Elizabeth II, Washington 2007
Queen Elizabeth II’s last official visit to the U.S. came in 2007 where she was hosted by President George W. Bush.
The visit was organized to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the Jamestown settlement in Virginia and the monarch also attended a state dinner at the White House.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, California, July 2011
Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Prince and Princess of Wales, have visited the U.S. twice before on official engagements.
The first visit took place months after their April 2011 wedding where they attended a number of events in California following a tour of Canada. During their visit William took part in a charity polo match as well as attending a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) event in Hollywood.
Meghan Markle, New York, February 2019
Meghan Markle is the first American-born senior member of the British royal family, not including the Duchess of Windsor who did not play any official royal role.
Before she moved back to the U.S. with Prince Harry in 2020 following a strained period in Britain, Meghan visited New York City in February 2019 to attend a private baby shower and to watch friend Serena Williams participate in a U.S. Open tennis match.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.
