Inside Queen Elizabeth's Last U.S. State Visit 19 Years Ago as King Charles Reveals Upcoming Trip

Janine HenniTue, March 31, 2026 at 2:39 PM UTC

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Queen Elizabeth and President George W. Bush arrive on the North Portico of the White House for a formal white-tie state dinner May 7, 2007 in Washington, D.C.Credit: Win McNamee/Getty -

King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit the United States of America in April to mark 250 years of American independence

Their trip will include events celebrating their ties and King Charles' first visit to Bermuda as monarch

Queen Elizabeth's 2007 U.S. state visit with Prince Philip was her last and included stops in Virginia and D.C.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have officially confirmed that they will undertake a state visit to the United States of America in April to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, inspiring a look back at the last state visit from the United Kingdom.

Nineteen years ago, in May 2007, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip paid a state visit to America to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement in Virginia. It marked the royal couple's fourth state visit to the U.S., and they were in the U.S. from May 3 to May 8.

Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement on U.S. soil, and its historic anniversary brought her and the Duke of Edinburgh back to the states for the first time in 16 years.

The Queen and her husband were hosted, in part, by then-President George W. Bush and his wife, first lady Laura Bush, and the royal couple's schedule was packed with engagements.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrive at the Capitol Building where the Queen made an address to the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond on the first stop of her six-day visit to the US on May 3, 2007.Credit: Anwar Hussein/FilmMagic

The Queen and Prince Philip, then ages 81 and 85, kicked off the trip with visits to Richmond, Williamsburg and Jamestown for the Jamestown commemorations, according to the George W. Bush White House Archives.

Queen Elizabeth spoke at the Virginia General Assembly about the special relationship between the U.S. and U.K. and met victims of the Virginia Tech shooting, NPR said. Prince Philip also undertook a solo outing in Norfolk, where the Royal Navy veteran met with families of service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, per NBC News.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh then headed to Kentucky for the Kentucky Derby, catching the premier American horse race at Churchill Downs. Queen Elizabeth was a passionate equestrian and horse racing enthusiast during her lifetime, and NPR said she got to see a particularly exciting Derby, "with horse Street Sense moving from 19th position to the front to win the race."

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and Will Farish watch from the balcony of the Grand Stand at the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky on May 5, 2007.Credit: Ken Weaver/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty

The British royals then spent the last two days of their U.S. stay in Washington, D.C., where they were greeted with pageantry at the South Lawn of the White House.

About 7,000 people attended the arrival ceremony, where the British and American national anthems were played and President Bush and the Queen reviewed troops, delivered speeches and posed for photos on the Blue Room Balcony.

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First lady Laura Bush, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and President George W. Bush look out from the balcony of the White House during an arrival ceremony May 7, 2007 in Washington, D.C.Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

That evening, the Bushes hosted a glamorous white-tie State Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House in honor of their royal guests.

Queen Elizabeth packed one of her go-to tiaras — the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara — and she and President Bush exchanged toasts during the glam banquet, where she spoke about the "partnership" that binds the bond of Britain and the U.S.

"Divided, all alone, we can be vulnerable. But if the Atlantic unites, not divides us, ours is a partnership always to be reckoned with in the defense of freedom and the spread of prosperity," the Queen said in part, according to the George W. Bush White House Archives. "That is the lesson of my lifetime. Administrations in your country, and governments in mine, may come and go. But talk we will; listen we have to; disagree from time to time we may; but united we must always remain."

Queen Elizabeth makes a speech during a State Banquet hosted by President George W. Bush at the White House, Washington D.C. on May 7, 2007.Credit: Anwar Hussein/WireImage

The British royals then wrapped their U.S. trip with a full, final day, touring a NASA center, the Children’s National Medical Center and the national World War II memorial with President Bush's parents, former President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush.

The Queen and Prince Philip's 2007 state visit to the U.S. proved to be the last of their lifetime, as the Duke of Edinburgh died in April 2021 and Queen Elizabeth died soon after in September 2022.

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On March 31, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, will pay a state visit to the U.S. in April.

The royals are visiting at the invitation of President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump in a schedule celebrating the "historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship" between the U.S. and U.K. during America's 250th, a statement said.

More details are expected in due course, and the King will continue his trip with travels to Bermuda, undertaking his first royal visit as sovereign to a British Overseas Territory following his accession to the throne in 2022.

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