British State Visit to the United States, 1957

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Following their visit to Canada, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh completed their first State Visit to the United States on this day in 1957, over six years after their first visit to the United States in 1951. This was the second of eight visits to the Unites States undertaken by the Queen during her reign. 

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The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh began their visit in Williamsburg, Virgina, at a ceremony marking the 350th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in the United States at Jamestown, before visiting the College of William & Mary, ahead of a Reception at the Governor’s Palace and a Dinner in honour of the Queen (wearing Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara) and Duke  at the iconic Williamsburg Inn, where they spent the night.


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The following day, the Royal Couple were welcomed President Dwight D Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower at the White House, with a State Dinner held in honour of the Queen (wearing the Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara, Duchess of Gloucester’s Pendant Earrings, and Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Necklace) and Duke that evening, at which the President said: 

There are many indications today that we are at the beginning of a new age of discovery and exploration in the world of human knowledge and technology. Only a short time ago these unexplored areas of human knowledge seemed as impenetrable as the forests of this continent to the settlers 350 years ago.

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The following evening, the Queen (in the Vladimir Tiara and Cambridge Emerald Parure) and Duke of Edinburgh hosted a Return Banquet for President Eisenhower and the First Lady at the British Ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C, alongside Lord Caccia, the British Ambassador, and Lady Caccia.

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The Queen and Duke attended a Reception and Luncheon at the Capitol, visited Arlington National Cemetery and the National Gallery of Art, attended an American Football Match before stopping in at a supermarket in College Park. The Royal Couple attended a Gala Dinner with the President and Vice President, as well as the Queen (wearing Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara and the Coronation Necklace) and Duke being joined by the Secretary of State for a Dinner at the Pan American Union.

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The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh then traveled to New York City, where they were given an official welcome before visiting the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, followed by the Queen’s address to the U.N. General Assembly. In the evening, the Queen (in Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara and the George VI Sapphire Parure) and Duke attended a Dinner given by the Pilgrims Society before the Commonwealth Ball at the 77th Regiment Armoury.

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