Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stayed at the hotel during their first visit to America on October 21, 1957, and a banquet was held for them in the Grand Ballroom.In the Bicentennial year in 1976, most of the heads of state from around the world and all of the Kings and Queens of Europe were invited to the hotel, and it also served the presidential candidates in the run-up to the elections of that year.

At a dinner given in her honor by the Pilgrims Society and the English Speaking Union at the Waldorf-Astoria

Mayor Wagner Papers&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Queens chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians sent Mayor Wagner a letter protesting “the use of taxpayer’s money to entertain a British Queen.”&nbsp;Mayor Wagner Papers

The Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Queen Elizabeth II speaking at the Waldorf Astoria

The late Queen Elizabeth II traveled to New York City three times during her 70-year reign as the British monarch. The first visit took place on October 21, 1957. Her majesty had expressed a lifelong desire to see the famous Manhattan skyline from New York harbor. Her wish was granted as she traveled by ferry from Staten Island across the bay to the Battery for the start of a ticker-tape parade that brought her to City Hall and a welcome from Mayor Robert Wagner.

Ticker Tape Parade for Queen Elizabeth II

Just five days after the bicentennial of an event not widely celebrated in her own United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II came to Trinity Church to greet the people of a parish established by one of her predecessors, King William, back in the 17th century, and to collect 279 peppercorns in some very overdue rent.

on the occasion of her gracious visit9 July 1976His Royal Highness the Prince Philip stood nearby

Trinity Church

Queen Elizabeth II collected rent from Trinity Church

Operation Sail (OpSail) is a series of global sailing events coordinated by the non-profit organization Operation Sail, Inc., created in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy. These events celebrate maritime history and international cooperation, featuring tall ships and naval vessels from various nations.

The first Operation Sail event was linked to the New York World's Fair, and subsequent events have coincided with significant occasions like the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. Six OpSail events have taken place so far, the latest in 2012.It brought tall ships from around the world to New York Harbor for a grand parade of sail up the Hudson, led by the USCGC Eagle as the host ship. Many of the vessels raced from Plymouth, England, to Lisbon, Portugal, before setting off on a 3,000-mile transatlantic journey to Bermuda and then a 630-mile northwest run to New York.The event also featured lifeboat races, a ticker-tape parade up Broadway honoring seamen of every participating nation, and two grand balls. Mayor Robert Wagner proclaimed that week in July to be “Operation Sail Week,” and Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze reviewed the parade of sail from aboard the USS Randolph. It was the largest peacetime gathering of sailing ships up to that point in the century: 12 Class A vessels, 11 Class B and C vessels, and thousands of spectator craft.

Op Sail

Prince Philip visited New York for the bicentennial of U.S. independence.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from Elizabeth's accession as queen on 6 February 1952 until his death in 2021. 

 At a dinner given in her honor by the Pilgrims Society and the English Speaking Union at the Waldorf-Astoria  

Prince Philip

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