How To Travel The US Like A Royal
William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales will be making their first trip to the U.S. since 2014 for the 2022 Earthshot Prize Award in Boston (per People). Their three-day visit is full of events, including a welcome at Boston's City Hall. Prince William will check out the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and Kate, in line with her charitable work with early childhood development, will visit the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (via Boston Globe).
A number of Bostonians are excited to have the Prince and Princess of Wales in town, as WCVB reported. And even if you're not in town to see the royals, you can still walk in their footsteps on your next Boston visit. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is open for visitors and MGM Music Hall at Fenway, which is where the awards ceremony is being held, has shows and events throughout the year. And while it's not yet publicly disclosed where William and Kate will be staying in Boston, in 1995, Princess Anne stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston during her visit, according to Town & Country. Beyond Boston, here's how you can travel the U.S. like a royal.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stayed overnight in Yosemite
Nearly a decade before Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex moved to a mansion in Montecito, California, William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales visited California. They attended an event at The Beverly Hills Hilton — home to the Golden Globe Awards — and Prince William played in a charity event at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, per People. That would be the same polo club where Prince Harry has been playing since moving to the states, Harper's Bazaar reported. While a royal player isn't guaranteed, non-members can attend Sunday polo matches and Friday happy hour during the polo season.
During Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip's 10-day tour of California in 1983, they stopped by San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara (per Los Angeles Magazine). They went as far north as Yosemite National Park, where you too can sleep like a queen if you stay at The Ahwahnee Hotel. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stayed in the historic hotel that opened in 1927. Even if you're not staying there during your Yosemite trip, stop in to marvel at the dining room with its 30-foot-tall ceilings and the lounge with its huge fireplace and picture windows which the couple surely must have toured. Before leaving, they said a prayer at the Yosemite Valley Chapel, as UPI noted.
Queen Elizabeth has a garden named for her in Manhattan
Queen Elizabeth II visited New York three times, the first being in 1957 when she stayed in the Presidential Suite of the legendary art deco Waldorf Astoria (per The New York Times). The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Prince Edward and Wallace Simpson, also made the Waldorf Astoria their home during the fall season between 1941 and 1961, according to Waldorf New York City.
The queen's second visit in 1976 involved shopping at Bloomingdale's and a visit to Trinity Church, NY1 reported. The church is open for visitors, including the churchyard where Alexander Hamilton and his wife Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and her sister Angelica are buried (via Trinity Wall Street).
Queen Elizabeth's final visit to the Big Apple in 2010 was a quick one — just half a day. She stopped by the 9/11 Memorial where she placed a memorial wreath, and she opened what is now known as the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden, The New York Times explained.
The garden was designed to honor the 67 British citizens who died on 9/11, and it features paving from quarries in Scotland and Wales and benches made from English stone that were carved in northern Ireland. Prince Harry visited the park in 2009 where he planted a magnolia tree (via Queen Elizabeth Garden).
Others royals besides the late queen favor New York City for visits
In 1989, Princess Diana famously visited New York City by herself and along with stopping by the AIDS unit at Harlem Hospital, she also went to the FAO Schwarz toy store and attended a star-studded gala at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden (per Town & Country). The center is now known as Brookfield Place, and you can visit The Winter Garden; the glass atrium has 16 enormous palm trees and views of the Hudson River.
When visiting New York, Princess Diana would reportedly stay at The Carlyle Hotel, according to Insider. And like mother, like sons. The Carlyle is where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stayed while in New York as have Prince William and Kate Middleton (via Time). If you want to spend the night in one of its 190 rooms, you can expect it to be fit for royal service.
Prince William and Kate last went to New York City in 2014: they took in a Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclays Center, People reported. They stopped by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum — an 8-acre public park with reflecting pools, and North America's largest manmade waterfalls. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the memorial on their 2021 visit (per AP News).
Queen Elizabeth went to Virginia multiple times
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Jamestown, Virginia twice — once in 1957 and again in 2007. Jamestown is, according to the National Parks Service, the location where English settlers formed the first permanent English settlement in 1607. In 1957, for the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Queen Elizabeth visited the living history site, and then made her way to Williamsburg (per The Library of Virginia). There they had a reception at the grand Governor's Palace, which is open to visitors for guided tours. The royal visit ended with a state dinner at the Williamsburg Inn. Opened in 1937 by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the 5-star Williamsburg Inn features regency decor and fine dining in their signature Rockefeller Room.
For the queen's 2007 Jamestown visit, Prince Philip visited the reproduction of the Susan Constant, one of the three ships that sailed from England. For her part, Queen Elizabeth checked out the church, guardhouse, and storehouse at the historic site.
Queen Elizabeth's Virginia visits also included Mount Vernon, George Washington's historic home, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association notes. Then, the now King Charles III had his first visit to Mount Vernon along with Princess Anne in 1970. He visited again with Camilla in 2015. There are guided tours of the mansion at Mount Vernon, and you can wander the grounds with gardens, outbuildings, and slave memorials.