Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in history, had ties to Chicago!
Queen Conquers Chicago
Way back on July 6, 1959 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh made a scheduled stop in Chicago.
They were on a 15,000-mile, 45-day tour of all the Canadian provinces and four of the Great Lakes, and their stop in Chicago was their only visit to American soil during that particular trip.
According to Chicago Public Library archives, Queen Elizabeth’s 13-hour tour of Chicago began as HMY Britannia arrived in Chicago Harbor. A smaller barge brought her to the aptly named Queen’s Landing on the lakefront east of Buckingham Fountain, described by some as Chicago’s front door. Although Queen’s Landing takes its name from Elizabeth II’s visit 60 year ago, Buckingham Fountain was named in memory of Clarence Buckingham, no relation to the English royal palace, when it was dedicated in 1927.
The visit was covered by all the papers:
The British Pathé documented the visit on film, which is now available to view on youtube:
Every step of her visit was documented by the Chicago Tribune including tossing an American quarter into a wishing well at the Chicago pavilion, officially christening the St. Lawrence Seaway alongside President Dwight Eisenhower, and even an unscheduled toothache!
Her whirlwind visit included a tour of the University of Chicago campus and Museum of Science and Industry followed by a reception at the Drake Hotel with Midwest governors and mayors before a dinner hosted by Mayor Daley at the Conrad Hilton Hotel with nearly a thousand more unbelievably lucky people including singer Etta Moten Barnett and Chicago Defender publisher and owner John H. Sengstacke.
Queen Elizabeth addressed the attendees that evening, sharing, “Ever since we landed this morning we have not ceased to be impressed by the massive dignity of your city…We shall carry with us…a memory of the generous hospitality of Chicago which will long warm our hearts.”
After a fireworks display at the lakefront, the Queen shared with Mayor Daley, “This is an unforgettable day – a day I will never forget.”
Historian Michael Beschloss shared more details of that visit on his official Twitter:
The Queen dictated a specific dress code for her guests and Beschloss also posted a copy of the menu:
The Queen Purchased Chicago real estate
In 2015, the same year she became the longest-serving monarch in British history, the Queen bought a condo overlooking Buckingham Fountain in a building named “The Buckingham.” According to Cook County records, She bought a 26th-floor condominium in the 44-story building at 360 E. Randolph St. The 2,600-square-foot unit sold for more than $1.57 million, listing information at the time showed. It was still owned by the Queen at her death.
The property was purchased in Elizabeth’s name under the title of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, and it was purchased for Roy Norton, the Canadian consul in Chicago.
The Queen was not the only member of the royal family who visited Chicago. Diana, Princess of Wales visited the Chicago area in 1996 and Prince Charles, now the new king, visited Chicago in 1977.
The Queen’s passing was confirmed on the official social media of The Royal Family
