List of official overseas trips made by George VI explained

King George VI succeeded to the thrones of the United Kingdom and the dominions in December, 1936. As Duke of York, he made official tours of British colonies in East Africa as well as New Zealand and Australia. Due to the outbreak of World War II and his poor health in post-War years, he only made two state visits to other countries as King, one of which was the first state visit of a British monarch to the United States. He also made a few official tours of different parts of the British Empire and Commonwealth, making him the first reigning British monarch to set foot on North America and Southern Africa as well as the first King of Canada and the only King of South Africa to visit the respective countries.

Official tours of Dominions and territories of the British Empire as Duke of York

Tour of East Africa from December 1924 to April 1925:
Date Country/Territory Areas visitedHost
nowrap 22 December 1924 –
7 February 1925[1] [2] [3] [4] 		KenyaMombasa, Nairobi, IsioloGovernor Sir Robert Coryndon
nowrap 13 February –
11 March 1925[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] 		Jinja, Entebbe, Kampala, Fort PortalActing Governor Edward Blackwell Jarvis
nowrap 8–9 April 1925[10] Anglo-Egyptian SudanKhartoumGovernor-General Sir Geoffrey Archer
Tour of Australia, New Zealand and overseas territories from January to June 1927:
Date Country/Territory Areas visitedHost
nowrap 20–23 January 1927[11] [12] JamaicaKingston, Spanish TownGovernor Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs
nowrap 17–19 Februaru 1927[13] [14] FijiSuvaGovernor Sir Eyre Hutson
nowrap 22 February – 22 March
1927[15] [16] [17] [18]
[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] 		New ZealandAuckland, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Napier, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, DunedinGovernor-General Sir Charles Fergusson
nowrap 27 March – 23 May 1927
[24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]
[30] [31] [32] [33] [34] 		AustraliaNew South Wales (Sydney, Newcastle),
Queensland (Toowoomba, Brisbane),
Tasmania (Hobart, Launceston),
Victoria (Melbourne),
South Australia (Adelaide),
Federal Capital Territory (Canberra),
Western Australia (Perth)		Governor-General Lord Stonehaven
Governor Sir Dudley de Chair
Governor Sir James O'Grady
Governor Lord Somers
Governor Sir Tom Bridges
Governor Sir William Campion
nowrap 1–3 June 1927[35] [36] [37] MauritiusPort Louis, CurepipeGovernor Sir Herbert James Read
nowrap 17–20 June 1927[38] [39] Valletta, AttardGovernor Sir John Du Cane
nowrap 23 June 1927[40] GibraltarGovernor Sir Charles Monro

State visits as King

As King of the United Kingdom
Date Country Areas visitedHost
nowrap 19–22 July 1938[41] [42] Paris, VersaillesPresident Albert Lebrun
As King of Canada
Date Country Areas visitedHost
nowrap 7–11 June 1939
[43] [44] [45] 		United StatesWashington, D.C., Mount Vernon, New York City, Hyde ParkPresident Franklin Roosevelt

Official tours of Dominions and territories of the British Empire as King

Tour of North America from May to June 1939:
Date Country/Territory Areas visitedHost
nowrap 17 May – 7 June,
12–15 June, 1939[46] [47]
[48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54]
[55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61]
[62] [63] [64] [65] 		CanadaQuebec (Quebec City, Montreal, Sherbrooke),
Ontario (Ottawa, Toronto, Greater Sudbury, Fort William, Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, Stratford, Windsor, London, Brantford, Hamilton, Niagara Falls),
Manitoba (Winnipeg, Brandon, Portage la Prairie),
Saskatchewan (Regina, Saskatoon),
Alberta (Calgary, Medicine Hat, Moose Jaw, Banff, Jasper, Edmonton),
British Columbia (Vancouver, Victoria, New Westminster, Chilliwack),
New Brunswick (Saint John),
Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown),
Nova Scotia (Truro, Halifax)		Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir
nowrap 17 June 1939[66] St. John'sGovernor Sir Humphrey Walwyn
Tour of Southern Africa from February to April 1947:
Date Country/Territory Areas visitedHost
nowrap 17 February – 11 March,
13–24 March,
26 March – 7 April,
17–24 April, 1947
[67] [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73]
[74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80]
[81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87]
[88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93] 		Cape Province (Cape Town, Simon's Town, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Worcester, George, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, New Brighton, Uitenhage, Grahamstown, East London, King William's Town, Umtata, Queenstown, Kimberley),
Orange Free State (Bloemfontein, Kroonstad, Bethlehem, Harrismith),
Natal (Ladysmith, Estcourt, Eshowe, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Vryheid),
Transvaal (Ermelo, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Pietersburg)		Governor-General Gideon Brand van Zyl
nowrap 11–12 March 1947
[94] 		BasutolandMaseruHigh Commissioner Sir Evelyn Baring
Resident Commissioner Aubrey Denzil Forsyth-Thompson
Regent 'Mantšebo
nowrap 25 March 1947[95] SwazilandGoedgegunHigh Commissioner Sir Evelyn Baring
Resident Commissioner Edward Beetham
Chief Sobhuza II
nowrap 7–10, 12–16, April 1947
[96] [97] 		Salisbury, Victoria Falls, Bulawayo, MatoposGovernor Sir John Kennedy
nowrap 11 April 1947LivingstoneGovernor Sir John Waddington
nowrap 17 April 1947[98] BechuanalandLoatsiResident Commissioner Anthony Sillery
29 April 1947Jamestown, Longwood[99] Governor Sir George Joy

Visits during the Second World War

DateCountry/TerritoryAreas visited
4–10 December 1939Boulogne,[100] Bachy,[101] Amiens[102]
12 June 1943 Morocco
12–17 June 1943 AlgeriaAlgiers,[103] Bone Areodrome[104]
17–19 June 1943 TunisiaSabala Aerodrome,[105] Tunis[106]
20–21 June 1943Valetta[107]
21–22 June 1943 LibyaTripoli[108]
16 June 1944Courseulles[109]
24 July – 3 August 1944 ItalyUmbertide,[110] Naples,[111] Perugia,[112] Castiglione del Lago[113]
11–12 October 1944 Belgium[114]
12–17 October 1944 NetherlandsNijmegen[115]

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Duke and Duchess of York at Mombasa . December 23, 1924 . 9 . 43842 . B .
  2. The Royal Visit to East Africa . December 27, 1924 . 9 . 43844 . F .
  3. The Duke of York's Hunting Trip . January 2, 1925 . 10 . 43849 . A .
  4. The Royal Visit to East Africa . February 9, 1925 . 11 . 43881 . B .
  5. The Duke of York . February 14, 1925 . 11 . 43886 . G .
  6. The Duke of York in Uganda . February 16, 1925 . 11 . 43887 . B .
  7. The Duke of York and the Baganda . February 19, 1925 . 11 . 43890 . E .
  8. The Duke of York's Tour . February 20, 1925 . 13 . 43891 . C .
  9. Duke of York's "Bag" . March 13, 1925 . 13 . 43909 . F .
  10. The Duke of York's Tour . April 9, 1925 . 9 . 43932 . C .
  11. The Duke of York's Tour . January 21, 1927 . 14 . 44485 . F .
  12. The Royal Tour . January 24, 1927 . 12 . 44487 . F .
  13. Duke of York's Tour . February 18, 1927 . 14 . 44509 . E .
  14. The Royal Tour . February 21, 1927 . 12 . 44511 . F .
  15. Duke and Duchess of York . February 22, 1927 . 14 . 44512 . F .
  16. The Royal Tour . February 28, 1927 . 12 . 44517 . D .
  17. The Duke of York's Tour . March 4, 1927 . 14 . 44521 . F .
  18. The Duke of York at Napier . March 5, 1927 . 12 . 44522 . D .
  19. The Royal Tour . March 7, 1927 . 14 . 44523 . E .
  20. The Royal Tour . March 10, 1927 . 14 . 44526 . F .
  21. The Royal Tour . March 14, 1927 . 14 . 44529 . E .
  22. The Duke of York's Tour . March 18, 1927 . 14 . 44533 . F .
  23. The Duke of York's Tour . March 23, 1927 . 14 . 44537 . F .
  24. The Duke of York's Tour . March 28, 1927 . 14 . 44541 . E .
  25. The Royal Tour . April 5, 1927 . 15 . 44548 . E .
  26. Royal Tour . April 6, 1927 . 14 . 44549 . F .
  27. The Royal Tour . April 7, 1927 . 15 . 44550 . A .
  28. Royal Visit to Tasmania . April 18, 1927 . 9 . 44558 . C .
  29. Duke and Duchess in Tasmania . April 19, 1927 . 10 . 44559 . E .
  30. Royal Visit to Melbourne . April 22, 1927 . 12 . 44562 . E .
  31. Duke of York's Tour . May 2, 1927 . 14 . 44570 . B .
  32. Canberra . May 9, 1927 . 14 . 44576 . A .
  33. The Royal Tour . May 19, 1927 . 14 . 44585 . E .
  34. The Royal Tour . May 24, 1927 . 16 . 44589 . G .
  35. The Royal Tour . June 2, 1927 . 16 . 44597 . C .
  36. The Royal Visit to Mauritius . June 3, 1927 . 11 . 44598 . B .
  37. The Royal Tour . June 4, 1927 . 10 . 44599 . C .
  38. The Royal Visit to Malta . June 18, 1927 . 14 . 44611 . B .
  39. The Royal Tour . June 21, 1927 . 16 . 44613 . E .
  40. The Royal Tour . June 24, 1927 . 16 . 44616 . G .
  41. Paris Greets The King . July 20, 1938 . 14 . 48051 . A .
  42. Departure from Paris . July 23, 1938 . 12 . 48054 . B .
  43. The King in America . June 8, 1939 . 16 . 48326 . A .
  44. Washington Welcomes Their Majesties . June 9, 1939 . 16 . 48327 . A .
  45. Royal Triumph . June 12, 1939 . 12 . 48329 . A .
  46. Lading at Quebec . May 18, 1939 . 16 . 48308 . A .
  47. The Royal Tour . May 19, 1939 . 16 . 48309 . A .
  48. The King in Ottawa . May 20, 1939 . 12 . 48310 . A .
  49. Arrival at Toronto . May 23, 1939 . 16 . 48312 . A .
  50. Royal Tour in Canada . May 24, 1939 . 16 . 48313 . D .
  51. Halfway across Canada . May 25, 1939 . 16 . 48314 . C .
  52. Crossing the Prairies . May 26, 1939 . 14 . 48315 . D .
  53. Royal Party at Calgary . May 27, 1939 . 12 . 48316 . D .
  54. From Sea to Sea . May 29, 1939 . 10 . 48317 . A .
  55. Down to the Pacific . May 30, 1939 . 10 . 48318 . A .
  56. Western Gate of Empire . May 31, 1939 . 12 . 48319 . A .
  57. Return across the Rockies . June 2, 1939 . 14 . 48321 . C .
  58. Their Majesties at Edmonton . June 3, 1939 . 12 . 48322 . E .
  59. Back over the Prairies . June 5, 1939 . 14 . 48323 . D .
  60. The Riches of Canada . June 6, 1939 . 14 . 48324 . D .
  61. America and The King . June 7, 1939 . 16 . 48325 . A .
  62. Over the Border . June 13, 1939 . 16 . 48330 . B .
  63. Last Days in Canada . June 14, 1939 . 14 . 48331 . D .
  64. Royal Tour Ending . June 15, 1939 . 14 . 48332 . D .
  65. Farewell to Canada . June 16, 1939 . 14 . 48333 . A .
  66. Sailing for Home . July 19, 1939 . 14 . 48335 . A .
  67. King Welcomed to South Africa . February 18, 1947 . 4 . 50688 . A .
  68. Royal Family at Simonstown . February 20, 1947 . 4 . 50690 . G .
  69. Royal Party in Cape Villages . February 21, 1947 . 4 . 50691 . E .
  70. The Royal Tour . February 24, 1947 . 4 . 50693 . F .
  71. Royal Journey in Karroo . February 26, 1947 . 3 . 50695 . C .
  72. Royal Visitors at Port Elizabeth . February 27, 1947 . 8 . 50696 . D .
  73. The Royal Tour . February 28, 1947 . 3 . 50697 . C .
  74. Royal Family in Grahamstown . March 1, 1947 . 7 . 50698 . D .
  75. The King Cheered by Natives . March 5, 1947 . 4 . 50701 . E .
  76. "Bayete" for The King . March 6, 1947 . 4 . 50702 . D .
  77. The Royal Tour . March 7, 1947 . 3 . 50703 . E .
  78. Barbeque Luncheon for Royal Party . March 10, 1947 . 4 . 50705 . F .
  79. An Orange Free State "Oasis" . March 11, 1947 . 4 . 50706 . F .
  80. Royal Party in Basutoland . March 12, 1947 . 3 . 50707 . F .
  81. Royal Family at Ladysmith . March 14, 1947 . 4 . 50709 . C .
  82. The King at Spion Kop . March 18, 1947 . 4 . 50712 . E .
  83. Zulu Dance for The King . March 20, 1947 . 4 . 50714 . E .
  84. Royal Arrival in Durban . March 21, 1947 . 3 . 50715 . C .
  85. The King Measures A Giant . March 25, 1947 . 4 . 50718 . E .
  86. Boer Escort for The King . March 27, 1947 . 4 . 50720 . C .
  87. The King and Empire Brotherhood . March 31, 1947 . 6 . 50723 . A .
  88. Joburg Cheers The King . April 2, 1947 . 4 . 50725 . C .
  89. Royal Flight to Pietersburg . April 25, 1947 . 4 . 50727 . C .
  90. The King Flies to Rhodesia . April 8, 1947 . 4 . 50729 . E .
  91. £10,000 Cheque Handed to The Princess . April 17, 1947 . 4 . 50737 . F .
  92. Diamonds for The Princesses . April 19, 1947 . 4 . 50739 . F .
  93. Royal Family Leave for Home . April 25, 1947 . 4 . 50744 . A .
  94. The King with the Basuto . March 13, 1947 . 4 . 50708 . E .
  95. Ritual Dance by 4,000 Swazis . March 26, 1947 . 4 . 50719 . E .
  96. The King Meets the Barotse . April 12, 1947 . 4 . 50733 . F .
  97. The King in the Matopos . April 16, 1947 . 6 . 50736 . E .
  98. Royal Family in Bechuanaland . April 18, 1947 . 4 . 50738 . E .
  99. Royal Tour 1947 (1947) . 2014-04-13 . British Pathé . 2024-11-11 . YouTube.
  100. Web site: HIS MAJESTY THE KING ARRIVING IN FRANCE DECEMBER 1939 [Allocated Title] ]. 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  101. Web site: Limited . Alamy . The British Expeditionary Force (bef) in France 1939-1940 HM King George VI visits the BEF, December 1939: The King surveys the countryside around Bachy from the top of a pillbox Stock Photo - Alamy . 2024-11-09 . www.alamy.com . en.
  102. Web site: Limited . Alamy . THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (BEF) IN FRANCE 1939-1940 - HM King George VI visits the BEF, December 1939: The King meeting French Generals at Amiens George VI, King Stock Photo - Alamy . 2024-11-09 . www.alamy.com . en.
  103. Web site: KING'S VISIT TO NORTH AFRICA [Allocated Title] ]. 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  104. Web site: THE KING VISITS NORTH AFRICA [Allocated Title] ]. 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  105. Web site: KING GEORGE VI ARRIVES IN TUNISIA [Allocated Title] ]. 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  106. Web site: THE KING AT TUNIS [Allocated Title] ]. 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  107. Web site: Arrival of HM the King at Malta, 1943 . 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  108. Web site: THE BRITISH ARMY IN TUNISIA 1943 . 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  109. Web site: THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORMANDY 1944 . 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  110. Web site: Visit of King George VI to Umbertide, Italy, July-August 1944 Online Collection National Army Museum, London . 2024-11-09 . collection.nam.ac.uk.
  111. Web site: Limited . Alamy . On his second day in the Italian theatre, Britain's King George VI visited Allied Naval Units in Naples Bay. The King inspecting Royal Marines in Naples Bay, Italy, on July 29, 1944. (AP Photo Stock Photo - Alamy . 2024-11-09 . www.alamy.com . en.
  112. Web site: Limited . Alamy . The British Army in Italy 1944 HM King George VI, accompanied by Generals Leese and McCreery, being driven past troops after landing at Perugia, 25 July 1944 Stock Photo - Alamy . 2024-11-09 . www.alamy.com . en.
  113. Web site: Limited . Alamy . THE POLISH ARMY IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN, 1943-1945 - King George VI taking a salute at the march past of the 2nd Polish Corps units, during his visit to the British 8th Army.He is accompanied by General Władysław Anders, the Commander of the 2nd Corps (foreground, wearing a black beret), General Harold Alexander, the Commander of the Allied Armies in Italy, and General Oliver Leese, the Commander of the 8th Army (left, in the background). Castiglione del Lago airfield, 26 July 1944 British Army, Polish Army, Polish Armed Forces in the West, Polish Corps, II, George VI, King, Anders, Władysław Stock Photo - Alamy . 2024-11-09 . www.alamy.com . en.
  114. Web site: HM KING GEORGE VI WITH THE BRITISH LIBERATION ARMY IN BELGIUM, OCTOBER 1944 . 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.
  115. Web site: HM KING GEORGE VI WITH THE BRITISH LIBERATION ARMY IN HOLLAND, 13 OCTOBER 1944 . 2024-11-09 . Imperial War Museums . en.

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