7 of the Queen’s milestone tours and visits as she travelled the world

The Queen visited over 100 countries and territories throughout her 70 year reign – 117 nations on six continents – making her the world’s most travelled monarch.

As the world stands in sadness following the death of Her Majesty, many in parts of the globe will look back fondly at times when she visited their nation.

In the first decades of her reign she spent months travelling to Africa, Australasia, Asia and North America, normalising relationships following the winding down of the Empire.

In just one year – 1961 – the Queen visited Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia in what was not an untypically busy year for the monarch.

Below are seven of the most historically significant trips of Her Majesty’s reign.

1. Commonwealth Tour, 1953-1954

One iconic trip for the Queen – if not the most famous one – was her multi-year Commonwealth Tour, which lasted six months and traversed 44,000 miles.

From November 1953 to May 1954, the young royal went to the West Indies, Australasia, Australia, New Zealand, several Pacific islands, Uganda, Malta, Bermuda and several other countries.

The trip was a hugely significant one as it marked the transfer of power from King George VI to his eldest daughter, and came at a period of transition from the Empire to the Commonwealth.

Along with her husband Prince Philip, Her Majesty left the young Prince Charles and Princess Anne behind for much of the trip.

They would be greeted by enormous crowds of cheering supporters as they rode in an open top car through major cities across the country including Sydney and Canberra.

Son, daughter and parents were reunited in Malta where they boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia and sailed home together.

2. USA visit, 1957

During her trip to the USA the Queen had a jam-packed itinerary which included attending an American football game and visiting a large supermarket.

The visit marked her first to the country as head of state and saw her hosted for four days by the 34th US President, Dwight D Eisenhower, who would be the first of 14 US Presidents she met.

At a White House dinner held in her honour, the Queen channelled the spirit of post-war hope that dictated US politics at the time.

“There are many indications today that we are at the beginning of a new age of discovery and exploration in the world of human knowledge and technology,” she said.

“Only a short time ago these unexplored areas of human knowledge seemed as impenetrable as the forests of this continent to the settlers 350 years ago.”

Two days later on a Saturday the group watched the Maryland Terrapins defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels 21-7.

As the royal party headed back to the White House they stopped at a supermarket and went inside, at the Queen’s request.

Over the following decades Her Majesty would serve as a vital link between the two countries, offering some historical clout to the UK side of the special relationship.

On Thursday evening, current US President Joe Biden said: “All told, she met 14 American presidents. She helped Americans commemorate both the anniversary of the founding of Jamestown and the bicentennial of our independence.

“And she stood in solidarity with the United States during our darkest days after 9/11, when she poignantly reminded us that ‘Grief is the price we pay for love.”

3. India, 1961

Just five years before Elizabeth became the monarch the Raj was dissolved, ending almost 100 years of British state rule in India.

It was against this backdrop that the Queen embarked on an extensive tour of India and Pakistan and made state visits to Nepal and Iran.

It was the first visit by a Reigning British Monarch since the Delhi Durbar – a mass event organised by the British – of 1911 and Indian Independence in 1947.

Some truly stunning photos of the Queen and her husband came from the tour, including one particularly iconic shot of them receiving a tour of the grounds of the Taj Mahal.

They would go on to take audiences in Jaipur, Udaipur, Bombay, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Madras, Calcutta, and Benares.

They were also welcomed by President Rajendra Prasad and Prime Minister Pandit Nehru, and were the guests of honour at the Republic Day parade, a large rally, a garden party and a magnificent state banquet.

The tour highlighted the Queen’s role as a peace maker and point of stability during times of difficulty between the UK and countries it had invaded.

4. Silver Jubilee Commonwealth Tour, 1977

Following her 50th birthday, and now with a large family, the Queen showed no signs of slowing down, instead requesting to embark on a mammoth tour to mark her Silver Jubilee.

To celebrate 25 years on the throne, the monarch travelled with Prince Philip to 14 Commonwealth countries, clocking up 56,000 miles in the process.

She made visits to Fiji and Tonga for the first time, and returned to Western Samoa, Australia and New Zealand.

Via Papua New Guinea and the West Indies, the tour came to an end in Canada where Prince Charles joined the royal couple to greet crowds.

The year was a hugely busy one for the Queen, who set a monastic record for visiting the most parts of the UK within a three month time span.

In total, she made stops at 36 counties, starting in Glasgow when record crowds came to greet her and Philip, and taking in enormous gatherings of supporters in Lancashire and Wales.

5. Germany, 1990

In the course of her reign – which ran throughout most of the Soviet Union’s existence – the Queen visited West Germany a number of times.

Her trip in November 1990 was her first visit following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Soviet power in Germany.

In meeting with President Richard von Weizsäcker at his Hammerschmidt Villa in the German city of Bonn, the Queen marked a significant historical moment as the Cold War de-escalated across Eastern Europe.

Her Majesty was greeted by around 600 children waving Union Jack flags as she visited the Laarbruch RAF base for an inspection.

6. Russia 1994

Five years following the fall of the Berlin Wall and as Russia reckoned with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Queen embarked on a historic bridge-building visit.

The October 1994 trip was her first to Russia, 42 years into her reign.

Along with Prince Philip, Her Majesty was hosted by Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia who put them up in the Kremlin.

A spokesman for Yeltsin remarked on the significance of the moment, noting: “We realise that the British queen would never have visited a Communist country”.

During her Christmas speech later that year, the royal spoke of the bond between the British and Russia people in a sign of unity which feels very alien today given the breakdown of relations between the countries.

“While we were in St. Petersburg, we had the opportunity to honour the millions of patriotic Russians who died fighting the common enemy,” the Queen said.

“To see British and Russian veterans standing together, in memory of the sacrifices of their comrades-in-arms, was a moving experience.

“I never thought it would be possible in my lifetime to join with the Patriarch of Moscow and his congregation in a service in that wonderful cathedral in the heart of the Moscow Kremlin.”

7. Canada, 2010

During her seven-decades reign, the Queen has visited Canada more than any other country in the world.

The country is one of 14 that the Queen is head of state of, and has played host to her 27 times during her reign.

Her Majesty’s most recent trip to the North American country came in 2010 when she was hosted by the 27th Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean, and highlighted her enduring affection for the country.

The couple’s visit coincided with Canada Day on 1 July, which they celebrated on Parliament Hill in Ontario.

More than 100,00 people came out to watch the Queen make a speech, with the monarch wishing them “all the very happiest Canada Day.”

The Queen also made stop-offs in Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Waterloo.