Over her 70-year reign, the late Queen Elizabeth II traveled to 120 countries for duty, service and personal reasons.
The recently deceased Queen was quite the jet setter and visited 120+ countries during her powerful rule.
Queen Elizabeth II of England died on September 8th, 2022, marking the end of one of the longest reigns in British history. The Queen was notorious for visiting many countries around the world, many of which used to be under her rule. She was able to live through revolutions and revolts that made up a defining age of independence around the world. Although British history is tainted with imperialism and colonialism, it is essential to look at history through the lens of progress and an ever-changing world.
So, where exactly did the Queen visit? Here are some of the most exciting places she visited and why.
Bermuda
Right after being crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II toured the Commonwealth of England, which includes the island of Bermuda, among many other places. On this trip, she also visited Jamaica, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, Yemen, and Uganda. These all used to be colonies or colony-equivalents of the British empire.
New Zealand
On this trip in 1954, there are rumors that 3 out of every 4 people in New Zealand got to see the Queen during her visit. In commemoration of the Queen, the sheep of New Zealand were dyed red, white, and blue to pay homage to the flag of the U.K.
France
It is hard to top Elizabeth’s first trip to Paris as a Queen in 1957. She was in attendance at the Palais Garnier opera house, saw the Palace of Versailles, and, of course, had a lavish meal at the Louvre.
The United States
The Queen visited Britain’s infamous old set of colonies on the 350th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown. She met President Dwight Eisenhower, was awed by the Empire State Building, and even got to live out her American college football dreams by watching a game in Maryland.
Nepal
The Queen had an eye-opening experience in Nepal in 1961, where she visited the Hanuman Dhoka palace and even rode an elephant. She was part of a tiger hunt that, at the time, was not considered inhumane, but today drives significant criticism. She was known for recording her foreign trips on a camera she took everywhere, Nepal included.
Iran
Prior to the revolution, Iran hosted the Queen in 1961. After seeing the ruins of a World Heritage Site — Persepolis — she visited many mosques and was greeted by the Shah at the time, who was soon to be deposed.
Vatican City
The Queen was the first British monarch to visit the Vatican — talk about leaving a mark! She visited the pope at the time and was able to see two more popes throughout her lifetime.