Two hundred and fifty years after George Washington waged war against the British monarchy, his Mount Vernon estate welcomed royalty.
Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, toured the former president’s home on a sunny Oct. 1, as part of a five-day visit to the United States and Canada. The duke, King Charles III's youngest brother, examined Revolutionary War artifacts, laid a wreath on Washington’s grave and taste-tested whiskey produced at Mount Vernon’s reconstructed distillery.
It wasn’t his first time touring Washington’s former home. The duke previously visited the historical site in 2001, though he said it had "changed a bit since then."
This year’s visit aimed to commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday and celebrate the unique relationship
between the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
"It allows us to step up and back from the day to day and remember that we are really, we're still family," Sir Christian Turner, the British ambassador to the U.S., told USA TODAY after the visit. "We're reminding ourselves that it's bigger than all of us."
The irony of the royal visit wasn’t lost on Mount Vernon’s curators, or the duke.
While walking through the site’s new education center, Doug Bradburn, CEO of Mount Vernon, pointed to Washington's Book of Common Prayer. Washington had crossed out the prayer for the king and queen. "Sorry to show you this," he said with a laugh.
They also brought him to a recreated Continental Army encampment. Edward watched a fife and drum performance, quipping to one of the musicians that it was "quite an old instrument."
Later, while sipping Mount Vernon's limited-edition bourbon, he joked the high alcohol content explained why "your tongue goes numb."
As Edward strolled along gravel paths near Washington’s main home, school groups and tourists craned their necks to get a glimpse. A small group gathered, with their phones and cameras in hand, to watch him place a wreath atop Washington’s grave.
The British royals celebrate 250 years of America
Edward’s trip comes months after Charles and Queen Camila traveled to the U.S. in April to commemorate America 250. Their visit included a formal state dinner at the White House, an address by the king to a joint session of Congress, as well as several ceremonial stops.
The duke’s trip largely revolved around his charity, the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, which was founded by Prince Philip, his father, in 1956. The award helps young people build their confidence and develop key life skills.
A day before his Mount Vernon visit, Edward stopped by Western High School in Baltimore to launch the program in the city's school district. Students there unfurled a red carpet down the school's linoleum-tiled floors for the duke, and greeted him with a band performance.
The Duke of Edinburgh told students to "accept the challenge," presented by the program, which encourages youth ages 14 to 24 to build real-world skills and civic engagement.
Karissa Waddick covers America's 250th anniversary, looking at how historical events have shaped our nation. She can be reached at kwaddick@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Washington's Mount Vernon welcomes royal visitor
