22 Photos of British Royals on Tour, from Queen Elizabeth in India to King Charles in the United States
22 Photos of British Royals on Tour, from Queen Elizabeth in India to King Charles in the United States
Mariah AlanskasTue, April 28, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC
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Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their tour of Australia; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on July 7, 2011 in Calgary, Canada.Credit: Bettmann/Getty; Chris Jackson/Getty
Over the years, members of the British royal family have traveled across the world to engage with other world leaders, forge diplomatic bonds and gain insight into cultural traditions.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are currently traveling the United States, joining only two other British monarchs to make official U.S. state visits. This trip is tied to the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and a partnership of "shared prosperity, security and history," according to the U.K. Foreign Office.
Here are some of the best photos of British royals on tour around the world.
01 of 22
1947: The princesses go horseback riding
Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth on horse back on the 1947 royal tour of South Africa.Credit: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty
Queen Elizabeth — then Princess Elizabeth — is pictured here with her younger sister, Princess Margaret, while riding horses along Bonza Bay Beach in South Africa.
The two royal sisters were on tour with their parents, King George and the Queen Mother, for three months. There, they visited South Africa and several other territories (which were then British colonies) to boost post-World War II morale.
02 of 22
1954: Playing with monkeys
Princess Anne plays with the famous barbary apes on May 12th, 1954 on a visit to Gibraltar.Credit: Keystone/Getty
On May 12, 1954, the then 3-year-old Princess Anne played with Barbary apes during a visit to British territory, Gibraltar.
The young princess was on tour with her parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, and her brother, the future King Charles.
03 of 22
1956: Queen Elizabeth goes to Nigeria
Queen Elizabeth II shaking hands with a Nigerian chief in February 1956 during a visit to Nigeria.Credit: NCJ - Topix/NCJ Archive/Mirrorpix via Getty
Queen Elizabeth shook hands with a Nigerian chief in February 1956 during a visit to the country.
With her husband, Prince Philip, at her side, the Queen met with multiple leaders and traveled to numerous cities during the visit. At the time, Nigeria was still under British rule, but the nation gained its independence four years after the tour.
04 of 22
1961: The elephant precession in India
Queen Elizabeth II on the back of an elephant on January 25th, 1961 during her tour of India.Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty
During her tour of India in 1961, Queen Elizabeth rode an elephant alongside the Maharajah of the city of Jaipur.
She rode the elephant into the City Palace, surrounded by cheering crowds and with her husband trailing behind her.
05 of 22
1971: Prince Charles goes on a safari
Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales on a four-day safari through the Ngare Ndare Valley on February 10th, 1971 in Kenya.Credit: William Lovelace/Daily Express/Getty
The future King Charles and his sister, Princess Anne, went on an official visit to Nigeria in 1971 together.
In addition to charity events, the duo went on a four-day safari through the Ngare Ndare Valley, pictured here.
06 of 22
1975: Snowmobile riding in Canada
Charles, Prince of Wales on an Olympique ski-doo in April 1975 during a tour of the Northwest Territories of Canada.Credit: Serge Lemoine/Hulton Archive/Getty
The future King Charles spent 11 days in northern Canada in April 1975, where he decided to submerge himself below the ice in Resolute Bay.
“Thank God I was younger in those days,” Charles said in a December 2025 interview posted on Instagram. “I could have never survived it now.”
In addition to ice diving and dogsledding, the royal toured the Northwest Territories of Canada while riding Ski-Doo’s Olympique snowmobile model.
07 of 22
1983: The tour that started "Dianamania"
Prince Charles and Princess Diana pose before the Australian Monolithic Rock during their tour of Australia.Credit: Bettmann/Getty
In 1983, Prince Charles posed with Princess Diana in front of Uluru in Australia.
Their six-week exploration of the country and New Zealand was their first official tour as a married couple. Accompanied by baby Prince William, the tour began what The Telegraph cited as “Dianamania," citing her composure and fashion choices during the tour as the start of the world’s obsession.
08 of 22
1985: The young princes
Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales with their sons William and Harry in April 1985 during a visit to Venice, Italy.Credit: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty
Princess Diana and Prince Charles held their children in Venice, Italy, just before they left for a private boat tour aboard the royal yacht Brittanica.
The couple toured Italy for 17 days in 1985 before later being joined by their sons.
09 of 22
1992: Refugee camp visit in Hungary
Diana, Princess of Wales visiting the Nagyatad refugee camp on March 24th, 1992 during an official tour of Hungary.Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Princess Diana visited the Nagyatad refugee camp during an official tour of Hungary in March 1992.
The princess could be seen holding the hand of a refugee, who was being housed due to the dissolution wars in the former Yugoslavia.
10 of 22
1992: A visit to the pyramids
Diana, Princess of Wales during an official tour of Egypt on May 12, 1992 in Cairo, Egypt.Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty
On May 12, 1992, during a trip to the Egyptian pyramids on the Giza Plateau, Princess Diana stood for a photo — but she felt a bit uncomfortable during the experience.
In January 2022, photographer Anwar Hussein recalled the portrait to PEOPLE, recalling that Princess Diana said, “When people ask me to stand in front of places like the pyramids, I feel awkward, especially when I'm on my own.”
She continued saying, per Hussein, “I don't like posing. But I will do it really quickly — and once — and you can grab the picture."
11 of 22
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2002: The Golden Jubilee Tour
Queen Elizabeth II Greeting Well Wishers During Her Visit To Duthie Park.Credit: Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty
To celebrate 50 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth spent four months visiting different towns and cities across the U.K. during what was known as her Golden Jubilee Tour.
Here, she greeted attendees during her stop at Duthie Park in Aberdeen, Scotland.
12 of 22
2005: Rugby player in training
Prince William during a training session with the British and Irish Lions on July 1, 2005 in Wellington, New Zealand.Credit: Dean Treml/Getty
Prince William was able to get in some practice time with the British & Irish Lions at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, New Zealand, as part of his 11-day visit to the country.
He could be seen kicking the ball into a net as part of his practice time with the team.
13 of 22
2006: Sailing with a princess
Princess Anne sails with crew of the Gipsy Moth IV on July 13, 2006 in Sydney, Australia.Credit: Rick Rycroft-Pool/Getty
Princess Anne sailed with the crew of the historic Gipsy Moth IV through Sydney Harbor in 2006 to celebrate its opening display to the public in Sydney.
The princess made the stop after a four-day tour in New Zealand.
14 of 22
2011: Rodeo royalty
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge watch a rodeo demonstration on July 7, 2011 in Calgary, Canada.Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty
During a 12-day visit to North America, Kate Middleton and Prince William watched a rodeo demonstration in Calgary, Canada.
Complete with matching white cowboy hats, the trip marked their first official tour after their April 2011 wedding.
15 of 22
2012: A taste of island life
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge during the Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East on September 18, 2012 in Funafuti, Tuvalu.Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage
During a stop on the Diamond Jubilee tour in September 2012, Prince William and Kate joined locals in a traditional dance in Tuvalu.
The dance, which later went viral, was for a welcome ceremony known as the Vaiku Falekaupule Ceremony.
16 of 22
2012: Holding koalas
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales hold koalas on November 7, 2012 in Adelaide, Australia.Credit: Morne de Klerk/Getty
Charles and Camilla also took part in the 2012 Diamond Jubilee tour to honor Queen Elizabeth’s 60-year reign.
The couple spent the second part of their tour in Australia, where they held koalas together at Government House in Adelaide.
17 of 22
2014: Prince Harry in Chile
Prince Harry meets members of the Chilean Special Operations Brigade on June 27, 2014 in Santiago, Chile.Credit: Niall Carson - Pool/Getty
Prince Harry saluted Chilean Special Operations Brigade members in Santiago, Chile, during a three-day tour of the country.
18 of 22
2017: Through a plane window
Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive at Warsaw airport to start a 3 day tour on July 17, 2017 in Warsaw, Poland.Credit: Arthur Edwards / Pool/ Getty
In their second public trip as a family, Prince George and Princess Charlotte could be seen looking out a plane window as they arrived in Warsaw, Poland, for a three-day tour with their parents.
19 of 22
2018: Performing a traditional greeting
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex performs a hongi on October 28, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand.Credit: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage
In 2018, Meghan Markle could be seen touching noses with a Māori official — a traditional greeting called a “hongi” — during a welcoming ceremony in Wellington, New Zealand.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent 16 days visiting cities throughout Oceania, including New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Tonga.
20 of 22
2019: A royal game of cricket
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge takes part in a game of cricket on October 18, 2019 in Lahore, Pakistan.Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage
Kate took part in a game of cricket as she visited with children from the SOS Children’s Village on October 18, 2019, in Lahore, Pakistan.
Kate and Prince William spent five days touring Pakistan.
21 of 22
2019: Baby Archie’s first tour
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa.Credit: Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took their son, Prince Archie, on his first official tour in 2019 to South Africa.
There, the three met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe, in addition to visiting charities focused on community work, female education and mental health.
During one talk during the trip, Meghan shared about Prince Archie, "We're only at five months right now ... being a working mom and to be traveling as well with a baby, it’s a lot, but my goodness, it’s all so exciting."
22 of 22
2026: King Charles and Queen Camilla in the United States
U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, King Charles III and Queen Camilla tour the South Lawn at the White House on April 27, 2026 in Washington, D.C.Credit: Suzanne Plunkett-Pool/Getty
In April 2026, King Charles and Queen Camilla embarked on a four-day tour of the United States to celebrate diplomatic ties between the countries in honor of 250th anniversary of American independence from the United Kingdom.
On April 27, the King and Queen arrived in Washington, D.C., and were informally welcomed by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump with a private tea. Then, the royal couple attended a garden party, which brought together over 600 guests representing the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K.
On April 28, King Charles and Camilla were greeted with a ceremonial military review at the White House.
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