Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, visited Boston in July of 1976 on the occasion of the United States’ bicentennial celebration and the city’s inaugural Sail Boston. Fifty years later, for the nation’s semiquincentennial and one week ahead of the next Sail Boston, we’re looking back at that historic visit with longtime NewsCenter 5 anchor Natalie Jacobson.”The queen’s visit for me will always live as a moment in history, in my lifetime, of New England, Boston, all the history that exists here in our city. The attitude of, ‘I’m so proud to be an American.’ That’s what I remember about that,” Jacobson said about the visit. Then-Gov. Michael Dukakis said the city was buzzing in a way he had never seen before or since.”There was something about that day. The queen was coming, the first monarch to ever step foot on American soil,” said Dukakis, who spent time with the monarch and her husband during the visit. The queen arrived in Boston Harbor aboard the royal yacht, Britannia, and was greeted with a salute fired by the USS Constitution. Jacobson recalled the technical challenges of covering the visit, which took place before satellite technology was available. “No one had ever done it before,” Jacobson recalled. “Our technical staff rose to the occasion. I think they surprised themselves.” She also shared the heartfelt response from viewers after the event. “Maybe the best part of that whole story, that time, was after it was all over, I got letters from hundreds and hundreds of people saying, ‘Your coverage was great, guys. Thank you so much for doing this. Brought back such wonderful history to us all.”The queen’s visit also included attendance at a special service at Old North Church, lunch at Boston’s City Hall and a tour of the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor. Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 at age 96.
BOSTON —
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, visited Boston in July of 1976 on the occasion of the United States’ bicentennial celebration and the city’s inaugural Sail Boston.
Fifty years later, for the nation’s semiquincentennial and one week ahead of the next Sail Boston, we’re looking back at that historic visit with longtime NewsCenter 5 anchor Natalie Jacobson.
“The queen’s visit for me will always live as a moment in history, in my lifetime, of New England, Boston, all the history that exists here in our city. The attitude of, ‘I’m so proud to be an American.’ That’s what I remember about that,” Jacobson said about the visit.
Then-Gov. Michael Dukakis said the city was buzzing in a way he had never seen before or since.
“There was something about that day. The queen was coming, the first monarch to ever step foot on American soil,” said Dukakis, who spent time with the monarch and her husband during the visit.
The queen arrived in Boston Harbor aboard the royal yacht, Britannia, and was greeted with a salute fired by the USS Constitution. Jacobson recalled the technical challenges of covering the visit, which took place before satellite technology was available.
“No one had ever done it before,” Jacobson recalled. “Our technical staff rose to the occasion. I think they surprised themselves.”
She also shared the heartfelt response from viewers after the event.
“Maybe the best part of that whole story, that time, was after it was all over, I got letters from hundreds and hundreds of people saying, ‘Your coverage was great, guys. Thank you so much for doing this. Brought back such wonderful history to us all.”
The queen’s visit also included attendance at a special service at Old North Church, lunch at Boston’s City Hall and a tour of the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor.
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip view spectators below from balcony of the Old State House on Sunday, July 11, 1976 in Boston before the Queen descended to street level to address the crowd. The location is the site of the Boston Massacre, an event which led to the Revolutionary War.
PHOTO: AP Photo
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend a special service at Old North Church in Boston, Mass., Sunday, July 11, 1976. It is the first visit of a reigning British monarch to Massachusetts.
PHOTO: AP Photo
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Queen Elizabeth II is greeted by Cmdr. Tyrone Martin, right, as she boarded the USS Constitution in Boston harbor on Sunday, July 12, 1976 in Boston. Looking on is secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf, center. Behind Middendorf is Prince Philip. It was the first visit of a reigning British monarch to Massachusetts.
PHOTO: AP Photo
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Queen Elizabeth II is escorted by Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis past honor guard as she arrives at Boston’s Coast Guard Base on her yacht Britannia on Sunday, July 11, 1976. Boston is the last stop on her Bicentennial visit to America.
PHOTO: AP Photo
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Queen Elizabeth II flanked by Mayor and Mrs. Kevin White arrives on July 11, 1976 at Boston City Hall for a luncheon. Behind the Queen some of the crowd demonstrated with placards urging an end to British control over Northern Ireland. Police estimated the crowd at 100,000 in the City Hall plaza. The British royal family is visiting Boston for the day.
PHOTO: AP Photo
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Queen Elizabeth II of Britain greets Secretary of Commerce Elliot Richardson, left, at a reception on Sunday, July 11, 1976 aboard the MHY Britannia in Boston. At right is Prince Philip. The reigning British monarch was making her first visit to Massachusetts.
PHOTO: AP Photo
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Queen Elizabeth II is escorted by Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis past honor guard as she arrives on Sunday, July 11, 1976 at Boston’s Coast Guard base on her yacht Britannia. Boston is the last stop on her Bicentennial visit to America.
PHOTO: AP Photo
Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 at age 96.