Remembering Queen Elizabeth II's 1991 visit to Florida
Floridians reflect on the late Queen Elizabeth II's 1991 visit to the Sunshine State, including stops in Miami and Tampa.
Millions of mourners in the United Kingdom and around the world are paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign as monarch before being laid to rest on Monday. The outpouring of affection in the UK demonstrates the patriotism and respect the country has for its monarchy and especially, Queen Elizabeth II, who was admired for her sense of civic responsibility and garnered the respect of world leaders.
As millions express homage to the longest-living and longest-serving British monarch, many Floridians are reflecting on the Queen’s 1991 visit to Florida – her first and only. From May 17 to May 20, Queen Elizabeth traversed the Sunshine State during a 13-day trip to the United States, visiting the cities of Miami and Tampa, along with her husband, Prince Philip, and members of the royal family in tow.
Departing Washington, D.C. for Florida, the Queen began her trip by landing at Miami International Airport via the Concorde supersonic airliner, where she was greeted by then-Governor Lawton Chiles and former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez. She then visited Booker T. Washington Middle School in Overtown, met with VIPs at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, and dined with former Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. Governor Chiles and former Florida U.S. Senator’s Connie Mack and Bob Graham also joined in the occasion. The HMY Britannia sailed along the Florida coast, making a stop at the Dry Tortugas before continuing on to Tampa, the next major stop during the Queen’s official visit.
During the brief stopover in the Dry Tortugas, the Queen was greeted by weekend campers and boaters to the island-park with members of her party including the British foreign secretary and ambassador to the United States.
Formally welcoming the royal entourage was the mayor of Monroe County, who presented Queen Elizabeth with a conch shell and named Her Majesty an honorary citizen of the Conch Republic. She was then guided on a tour of the island’s Fort Jefferson, followed by a picnic at nearby Loggerhead Key. The royal yacht continued along the tip of Florida for the last leg of her official state visit – Tampa.
A tightly-scheduled itinerary awaited Queen Elizabeth’s arrival to Cigar City on May 20, where she would spend two-and-a-half hours before continuing on to the next leg of her visit to the United States. Upon docking at Tampa’s Harbour Island, Her Majesty was met by then-Mayor Sandy Freedman and adoring fans along downtown's Franklin Street.
Following these greetings, she was ushered to the University of Tampa’s Plant Hall, where she was presented with a crystal palm tree by Mayor Freedman and met with local civic, religious and political leaders at the school. Queen Elizabeth was then escorted to MacDill Air Force Base to award an honorary knighthood to U.S. Army General H. Norman Schwarzkopf during a private ceremony. At the time, Gen. Schwarzkopf was the commander of United States Central Command and oversaw all coalition forces in the Gulf War. The Queen also received a military briefing at U.S. Central Command headquarters by Gen. Schwarzkopf on progress of the war and allied positions. Waving to hundreds of spectators that gathered trying to get a glimpse of the Queen, including military personnel, she boarded the Concorde at MacDill and departed for Austin, Texas.
Beyond Her Majesty’s visit, the royal family, including newly-appointed King Charles III, share their own personal ties to Florida. Then-Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana once visited South Florida, to watch polo in Wellington. This was followed by visits to Palm Beach by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in subsequent years. Prince Harry also made a visit in 2016 to play in a charity polo match. Prince Edward, ​​Earl of Wessex and Forfar, and Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of Wessex and Forfar, have also made separate visits to South Florida through the years. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the husband of Queen Elizabeth II also accompanied his son, Prince Edward, on trips to Palm Beach in the 1990s.