Mount Vernon Prepares for Royal Visit

George Washington’s Mount Vernon is preparing for the arrival Wednesday of His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker-Bowles. The Prince and Duchess will tour Mount Vernon during their visit to Washington, D.C. from Tuesday to Saturday.

This will be Prince Charles’ 19th official visit to the United States. (You can follow their visit on the Clarence House Instagram account.)

Their Royal Highnesses visit will emphasize the UK’s partnership with the United States in key areas such as sustainability and climate change, creating youth opportunities, encouraging corporate social responsibility and promoting historical and cultural links, according to the British Embassy.

The royal itinerary includes a stop at Mount Vernon as well as stops at the Lincoln Memorial, the Armed Forces Retirement Home and more.

The visit to Mount Vernon represents a return trip, for the Prince. He visited the estate 45 years ago, accompanied by his sister, Princess Anne, and the two daughters of then-President Richard Nixon, according to the British Embassy.

His 1970 visit, in which he also toured the Mansion and admired the New Room, is captured in a photo on display at the estate today.

Despite rocky relations with the monarchy in Washington’s day, Mount Vernon has welcomed its share of British royalty over the years. King Edward VII visited in 1860 while still known as Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, as a guest of President James Buchanan.

Later royal visitors included Prince Arthur, youngest son of Queen Victoria (1869), Princess Aribet, granddaughter of Queen Victoria (1900), Prince Albert (1900), Prince Louis of Battenberg (1905), King Edward VII (1919), King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth (1939), Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (1951 and 1991), Princess Margaret (1965), Prince Edward (2001), and Prince Andrew (2006), who presided over a ceremony at George Washington’s Distillery before it was reconstructed through the generous support of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

Learn more by visiting: mountvernon.org/royalty.

PHOTO of HRH Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall courtesy of Clarence House via Instagram