The Queen was a real globetrotter: during the decades of her reign, she visited virtually the whole world, meeting presidents of the world power USA as well as residents of smaller island states. The monarch preferred to travel around in the Commonwealth of States, of which she was head until her death. She didn’t need a passport. Since all British travel documents are issued in Her Majesty’s name anyway, this is not necessary, officials said. In addition to the plane, she used the royal yacht “Britannia” for decades to get around, which was decommissioned in 1997 and converted into a museum ship.
Canada: This country was by far the most visited by the Queen. For several reasons: For one thing, the Windsor family has felt a strong personal bond with Canadians since Elizabeth’s parents first visited in 1939 – the Queen even has her own Canadian flag. And then, since the 1990s, the Queen has had to personally stem a growing anti-monarchy sentiment in the country. With success. She managed to visit all provinces and territories. And still secure a (slight) majority in polls for a British Royal head of state in Canada.
Australia: The Queen is the first reigning monarch to have personally visited Australia. And that 17 times. She passed on the strenuous trips to Australia to her descendants early on: Prince William visited the fifth continent as a baby with mother Diana and father Charles. And his son and heir to the throne George was already on the other side of the world when he was just under a year old. Again, this is a sign that the royal family is taking the growing anti-monarchy sentiment seriously.
USA: No other head of state can boast such a record: The Queen has personally visited five US Presidents, all of them members of the Republican Party: 1957 President Eisenhower, 1976 President Ford, 1983 President Reagan, 1991 President Bush senior, 2007 President Bush junior.
Caribbean: In 1966 the Queen embarked on a long tour of the Crown Colonies, which was also documented on film. It was just before many of the countries gained their independence.
South Pacific: On the occasion of her 25th jubilee, the Queen visited many Commonwealth countries in the region – with the royal yacht “Britannia”. In total, she made almost 700 state visits with her ship from 1954 to 1997.
India: The former colony visited the Queen three times: in 1961, 1983 and 1997.
South Africa: In 1995, after the end of the apartheid era, the Queen visited South Africa, which had returned to the Commonwealth, and President Nelson Mandela.
Russia: In 1994, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Queen was the first British head of state to visit Russia and its President Boris Yeltsin.
Malta: She visited Malta more often. She also lived here as a young woman between 1949 and 1951 with her new husband Prince Philip.
Germany has also been the destination of royal trips on several occasions. State visits to the Federal Republic were always considered special moments in this country, as the picture gallery shows.
Go back in time and click through the photos of Queen Elizabeth II’s state visit to Germany.
