Queen of travel: 25 destinations visited by Her Majesty, the Queen
The Queen visited over 100 countries in her lifetime.
On 8 September, Buckingham Palace announced that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, had "died peacefully at Balmoral." The nation has now entered a period of mourning, both grieving for and celebrating the remarkable life and reign of Her Majesty.
Throughout her lifetime, the Queen achieved some incredible things. Not only did she provide inspiration to a post-war Britain and undertake a host of Royal duties in the UK; she also took her Royal visits further afield. With a prime focus on visiting countries in the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II is thought to have visited at least 117 countries in her lifetime. This incredible feat makes her, by far, the most-travelled monarch in Britain's history.
Even before she became Queen, Her Majesty travelled abroad when she was known as Princess Elizabeth, with her iconic 1947 tour seeing her visit South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana with her parents: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. And, after her coronation, the 1950s saw her take a huge amount of trips as monarch, travelling to everywhere from Kenya to Canada.
As the Head of the Commonwealth, the Queen made it her duty to ensure she regularly visited commonwealth countries. In fact, throughout her reign, the Queen made 200 visits to Commonwealth countries, making one third of her total overseas visits to Commonwealth states.
It wasn't just the Commonwealth countries that the Queen visited, either. She visited the USA to meet Presidents, travelled to European countries with her children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, and was the first ever British monarch to visit China on a state visit in 1986.
These are 25 of Queen Elizabeth's most iconic travel moments, reflecting her remarkable life...
Denmark, 1957
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip make a Royal Visit to Denmark. They are seen here with King Frederik IX of Denmark and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. In the image, the Queen wears a gown by one of her favourite designers, Normal Hartnell.
Netherlands, 1958
The Queen arrives at a formal event on a trip to the Netherlands. She is seen in a tiara, white fur stole and striking blue gown.
Germany, 1965
Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh are seen in a car by the Berlin Wall. At this time in history, they are visiting West Berlin.
Malta, 1967
The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, take to the ballroom floor to dance with each other at an event in Valetta, Malta.
Austria, 1969
The Queen and her only daughter, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, attend a function together in Vienna, Austria. Both are all smiles for the event.
Turkey, 1971
Her Majesty is given a tour of the ancient city of Ephesus, Turkey. Ephesus was founded in the 10th Century BC.
France, 1972
The Queen and her oldest child, Prince Charles (now King Charles III) are seen travelling in a car in Avignon, France. Charles would have been 23-years-old in this picture.
Mexico, 1975
Her Majesty is greeted by the public on a trip to Mexico. In this photo, she smiles widely as she receives a gift of local craft items.
Japan, 1975
The Queen and Prince Philip sit together underneath umbrellas. They have just been to view Shinto Temple in Kyoto, Japan.
USA, 1976
Her Majesty dances with Gerald Ford, 28th President of the United States, at a ball at the White House, Washington.
Zambia, 1979
In this picture, Her Majesty and Prince Philip are seen on safari in Zambia.
Vatican City, 1980
Her Majesty is seen with the Pope at the time, John Paul II. They appear deep in thought while exchanging gifts.
Morocco, 1980
The Queen is seen sitting on a sofa, looking through her handbag, in Marrakech, Morocco. She will go on to meet King Hassan as part of a state visit.
Portugal, 1985
The Queen stands surrounded by students at Evora University, Portugal. Her yellow outfit creates a striking contrast against the students' black cloaks, with the act of wearing these cloaks being performed for honoured guests.
China, 1986
The Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, visit the Great Wall of China. Her Majesty was the first ever monarch in British history to visit China on a state visit.
Cyprus, 1993
Her Majesty visits Cyprus in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth. She wears a blue and white dress as she walks through a group of UN peacekeeping troops.
South Africa, 1995
The Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, meet Nelson Mandela in Cape Town, South Africa. The group can be seen smiling at one another.
Thailand, 1996
The Queen meets King And Queen Sirikit Bhumibol in Thailand, 1996. All the Royals are seen in formal dress, with Her Majesty opting for a jewelled tiara.
South Korea, 1999
Her Majesty is seen deep in concentration while she autographs a teapot while on a visit to a shopping district in Seoul, South Korea.
Australia, 2006
The Queen is seen smiling widely amongst Australian flags in Sydney, Australia. She attended this trip to open the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.
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