The last reigning British monarch to visit New York was Queen Elizabeth II in 2010.
The five-hour visit was largely a solemn one. She addressed the United Nations, dedicated a wreath at the World Trade Center site and officially opened what was then known as the British Garden in the Financial District, honoring British 9/11 victims.
“In tomorrow’s world, we must all work together as hard as ever, if we are truly to be [the] United Nations,” Queen Elizabeth II said at the U.N.
What You Need To Know
The last reigning British monarch to visit New York was Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, the last of her three visits
In 2014, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, attended a gala at the Met, visited the 9/11 Memorial and sat courtside at a Brooklyn Nets game
Princess Diana made several visits, meeting with Mother Teresa in the Bronx and attending several star-studded galas over the years
“This beautiful addition to our city will forever remind us that we stand side by side in the fight for freedom,” then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in remarks at the British Garden. “Your Majesty, we are grateful for your friendship, leadership and support.”
The first visit by a reigning monarch was in 1939, when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth traveled by motorcade up the West Side Highway — seated behind Mayor Fiorella La Guardia — as they made their way to the New York World’s Fair in Queens.
In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II made her first visit along with her husband, Prince Philip. They traveled by ferry from Staten Island to Lower Manhattan, where they were received with a ticker-tape parade. The Queen also addressed the U.N. on that visit.
On her only other trip to New York, to mark the U.S. bicentennial in 1976, Queen Elizabeth II was again thronged by spectators.
In 2014, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales — formerly Kate Middleton — made a splash on their visit. The pair attended a gala at the Met, visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and sat courtside at a Brooklyn Nets game, where they met music royalty Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
William has made one other visit — a solo trip in 2023.
For royal glamor, there was no topping Princess Diana, who made several visits before her death in 1997. She met with Mother Teresa in the Bronx and attended a number of star-studded galas over the years.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m immensely proud to be here in New York tonight with you all,” she said at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards in 1995.
“It’s just an honor to perform for such a distinguished and beautiful lady,” singer Tony Bennett told NY1 in an interview.
But perhaps no royal has had more fun in the city than Prince Harry. On his numerous visits, Harry — who stepped back from his royal duties in 2020 — has seemingly seen and done it all, including playing polo on Governor’s Island and throwing out the first pitch at a New York Mets game.