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Remembering Freddie Mercury's incredible final performance with Queen - video

20 January 2022, 13:50 | Updated: 8 February 2022, 17:33

By Giorgina Ramazzotti

Freddie Mercury's iconic last concert with Queen saw the star perform classics including Radio Ga Ga and Bohemian Rhapsody at Knebworth Park in the summer of 1986.

Performing in front of an crowd of 120,000, the August 9 concert was the final date of the band's highly successful Magic Tour and the last time the band would ever play with live with Freddie Mercury .

The band's line-up featured all four original members of Queen - Brian May, John Deacon, Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor - six years before Freddie's untimely death from AIDS and eleven years before John Deacon would quit the band .

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Queen - Live at Knebworth Park, August 9, 1986 (Full, Uncut Concert) [Best Source Merge]

As none of Queen knew it would be their last time performing together, the Knebworth Park concert would become one of the band's most famous concerts - with Freddie Mercury's military yellow jacket becoming the most iconic lasting image of the singer's career.

The video begins with the run-up to the big concert, showing the staff preparing the grounds and footage of the audience as they begin to stream into the venue.

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Filmed on a hot August day, the footage shows incredible aerial shots of Queen 's helicopter taking off from Battersea helipad, circling the Thames and flying over Battersea Power Station as the band made their way way 30 miles north of London to the Hertfordshire venue.

Queen Live At Knebworth Park - Under Pressure

Shown landing and exiting the helicopter - creating what is now a famous shot of Freddie in his Hawaiian shirt and aviator sunglasses - the band make their way to the backstage area as roadies and other members of staff excitedly set up around them.

Queen 's keyboard player Spike Edney recently told Rolling Stone that the helicopter journey was such a highlight for the band that is caused them to miss the backstage after party.

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"The end of tour party was a huge fairground filled with topless models," he recalls, yet: "[Queen] was so pleased and loved the helicopter ride in so much, that as soon as the gig was over, they took the helicopter ride out."

The 1986 video then shows incredible footage of Freddie backstage in his dressing room asking someone off camera how long until showtime ("Ten minutes," comes the reply) before the star launches into an acapella performance.

The singer's high energy is palpable as he sings a range of scales and performs voice exercises, showing off his impressive range of vocals before Roger Taylor enters the shot and joins Freddie in an impromptu duet.

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The shot then changes to Freddie on stage in front of the 120,000 strong audience and goes on to show the star performing a variety of hits in front of the huge crowd.

The Knebworth Park concert had a setlist of the band's greatest hits including 'One Vision', 'Radio Ga Ga', 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love', 'We Will Rock You', 'I Want To Break Free', various guitar solos and a rousing final rendition of 'God Save The Queen'.

Queen and Their Last Show at Knebworth 1986 (Compilation)

While Queen would continue to record in private right up to Freddie's death , the band's Knebworth Park performance was their last with their star singer at the helm, but not their last public appearance.

Roger Taylor , John Deacon and Brian May joined a fragile Freddie Mercury on stage at the 1990 Brits Awards for what would be the star's last public outing before his death on November 24, 1991.

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How The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Became the Biggest All-Star Gig of the '90s

By jon o'brien | apr 19, 2022.

On July 13, 1985, London's Wembley Stadium hosted the legendary Live Aid charity concert , which provided the setting for what would become Freddie Mercury’s most iconic performance—a dazzling display of showmanship in which Queen's mustachioed frontman had the entire crowd in the palm of his hand. Sadly, just seven years after the famous "Ay-Ohs" of that day, that same stage became the setting for Mercury's musical eulogy. 

The seeds for The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert were first sewn in the late-night hours of November 24, 1991. That was the day Mercury died of complications from AIDS —just 24 hours after publicly revealing his diagnosis. Mercury's bandmates—Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor—and their manager, Jim Beech, wanted to give their longtime musical collaborator a suitably grand send-off. They were also determined to bring more awareness to the illness that took Mercury's life, while raising money to help fund further HIV and AIDS research.

As one of the biggest-selling and most influential groups in rock history, the surviving members of Queen could call upon some pretty impressive guests for the occasion—and thanks to Mercury’s fondness for mixing in glamorous showbiz circles, some very eclectic talents, too. Where else could one see metal giants Metallica, ‘80s soul singer Paul Young, and Hollywood royalty Liza Minnelli on the same bill? Not that the 72,000 people who sold out the concert in three hours were aware of just how diverse the line-up would be. In fact, not a single name had been confirmed when tickets went on sale. Queen fans are nothing if not trusting. 

Under Pressure

Admittedly, not everyone was happy when news emerged of which acts had signed up. AIDS activist group ACT UP took particular umbrage with the inclusion of Guns N’ Roses due to the group’s perceived homophobia on their Appetite for Destruction album. Axl Rose didn’t exactly do himself any favors by showing up in a T-shirt that was tastelessly emblazoned with the phrase “ Kill Your Idols ,” either. (He eventually changed into a football jersey.) Still, the show's conveyor belt approach meant that even if you didn't love one particular act, you wouldn't have to wait too long for someone more appealing to take the stage. 

A show of two halves, the Tribute Concert—which took place on April 20, 1992—opened with a welcoming message from Queen before giving a who’s who of ‘80s and ’90s rockers the chance to pay their respects to Mercury and his talents. Some artists showed a more obvious affinity for the band: Extreme, of "More Than Words" fame, raced through a hit-packed medley featuring everything from “Fat Bottomed Girls” to “Another One Bites the Dust,” while Def Leppard invited May to join them for a cover of “Now I’m Here.” Meanwhile, other artists appeared to use the all-star gig as more of a promotional opportunity for their latest albums by simply playing their own hits. U2, appearing via satellite from California, dedicated a live performance of their tune, "Until the End of the World," to Mercury.

Much of the first half of the show's schedule seemed to have been organized via a random entertainer generator, with a brief appearance from rock parodists Spinal Tap , a South Africa-filmed performance from Afropop collective Mango Groove, and an AIDS prevention speech delivered by Elizabeth Taylor. The second half, however—which followed a brief intermission—was a little more logical, and no doubt what most attendees had come to see, as the remaining members of Queen took the stage. 

The Show Must Go On

The first post-interval number, “ Tie Your Mother Down ,” was a significant milestone in Queen's history in more ways than one. It was the first time the band had played in public since Mercury’s death; May sang the opening verse and chorus. And with Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott taking over vocal duties for the rest of the song, it was also the first time they’d played with a different frontman. Elliott later admitted that, at the time, he didn't realize how significant his performance had been.

Of course, Elliott was one of no fewer than 15 performers who stepped into Mercury’s shoes on that night, the reasons for which May explained in 2020 on the YouTube series Queen The Greatest . "The task of finding one person who could do everything that Freddie could do would have been pretty much impossible," he said. "The whole range of Queen songs is considerable. It’s a very, very colorful catalog with all kinds of different sorts of vocal approaches needed.”

Most of these approaches paid off. Seal (“Who Wants to Live Forever”) and Lisa Stansfield (“I Want to Break Free”) both represented the new vanguard of pop with aplomb. One of several returnees, Extreme’s Gary Cherone (“Hammer to Fall”) was the closest in spirit, commanding the stage in a manner which suggested he’d been taking tips from the footage of Mercury that had been played throughout the first half of the concert. And Elton John and Axl Rose made for an unlikely dream team on Queen’s signature number, “ Bohemian Rhapsody .”

(John was less enthused , however, about sharing the stage with everyone else on the closing number “We Are The Champions.” “I felt that I didn’t want to get involved in the bunfight," he said. "It was a very moving day, but I just felt kind of numbed by it.”)

The title of most impressive stand-in undeniably went to George Michael. The pop icon reminded everyone of his natural charisma and effortlessly soulful voice across three powerhouse numbers, two of which (“These Are The Days of Our Lives” and “Somebody to Love”) would appear on his UK number one EP Five Live . Queen would later employ Free’s Paul Rodgers and then American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert as permanent replacements for Mercury, with contrasting results. But everyone who walked out of Wembley Stadium that night believed that Michael was the most obvious successor to Mercury’s throne. 

Few were left thinking the same about Robert Plant, though. The rock god needed to rely on a lyric sheet to get through “Innuendo,” the band’s final UK chart-topper and one ironically inspired by Led Zeppelin . Plant was apparently so embarrassed by his showing that he asked producers to omit it from the 2002 DVD release of the concert. David Bowie , meanwhile, bewildered audiences when he suddenly dropped to his knees for a recital of “ The Lord’s Prayer .”

“A couple of my pals were sitting near Spinal Tap and they were speechless with disbelief,” Bowie himself later said.

Don't Stop Me Now

These unexpected antics helped to keep eyeballs across the world glued to the event and perhaps, in turn, save many lives, too. As George Michael stated live on stage, approximately 40 million people were predicted to contract HIV/AIDS by the turn of the millennium; the actual number proved to be just under that at 36.1 million . 

The funds raised by The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, however, didn’t quite match the level of awareness. Although initial reports claimed the concert had raked in $35 million, certain insiders told People Magazine the figure was closer to $8 million. In fact, a few believed the event struggled to break even. Nevertheless, whatever remained in the pot was enough to launch The Mercury Phoenix Trust , a charitable organization designed to continue the fight against AIDS and, as a result, become an essential component of the incomparable Mercury’s legacy.

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What did Queen play at their last gig with Freddie Mercury?

24 November 2023, 12:00

The legendary band played their final show with Freddie Mercury in the summer of 1986 - but what did they bow out with?

Queen and Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody , climaxes with s show-stopping set at Live Aid in July 1985. The film ends with this amazing moment - but the band’s career didn’t end there.

Queen would continue recording right up until four months before Mercury’s death on 24 November 1991. However, their time as live performers was cut short when the singer was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1987.

One of the factual alterations to the Bo Rhap movie meant that the Magic Tour of 1986 was to be the last featuring all four original members of Queen: Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor. So how did this glittering live career end?

Watch the epic final trailer for 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Where was Queen’s final show with Freddie Mercury held?

Queen’s final show was titled A Night Of Summer Magic and took place at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire on 9 August 1986. It was the final date of a European tour in support of the band’s A Kind Of Magic album, which was released in June.

Freddie and co had played two nights at London’s Wembley Stadium in July, followed by one night at Manchester’s Maine Road a few days later. By the time Queen reached Knebworth, they were past masters of the stadium rock show.

For the ticket price of £14.50 (or £16 on the door!) you could have a day of music that included Scottish rockers Big Country and denim-clad veterans Status Quo.

What did Queen play at their final show with Freddie Mercury?

Queen’s set opened with their 1985 single One Vision, which was written and released in the aftermath of the band’s performance at Live Aid. The epic intro was the perfect opener and the recording from Knebworth was later used to kick off the album Live Magic, released at Christmas 1986.

Tie Your Mother Down

The opening track from the 1976 album A Day At The Races, written by Brian May.

In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited

An epic singalong song from 1974’s Sheer Heart Attack, written by Freddie Mercury.

Seven Seas Of Rhye

Queen’s first hit single from February 1974 and still a crowd pleaser 12 years later

A big tune from the hit album The Works, from 1984.

A Kind Of Magic

The title track of Queen’s then-current album. It's recently been selling sofas on a TV ad.

Freddie’s vocal improv

Aka the classic “daaaaay-oh” call and response that made such an impression at Live Aid. One of Freddie’s finest moments as a frontman

Under Pressure

The collaboration with David Bowie that made Number 1 in October 1981

Another One Bites The Dust

Bassist John Deacon’s monster of a tune, from 1980’s The Game and a US Number 1.

Who Wants To Live Forever

The Kind Of Magic album was sort of unofficial soundtrack to the film Highlander, and this anthemic ballad concerns the immortal heroes and villains that feature in the movie.

I Want To Break Free

One of Queen’s most famous singles, taken from the 1984 album The Works.

An improvised live piece that showcases Mercury’s incredible vocal range. The rest of the band are pretty tight, too.

Guitar Solo

After that wig out, now it’s Brian May’s turn to show off. And with talent like that, why not?

Now I’m Here

Taken from the band’s 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack, this was a Top 20 hit when released as a single. The song concerns Queen’s tour of the US supporting the group Mott The Hoople.

Love Of My Life

One of the greatest singalongs ever - Freddie Mercury’s emotional love song, taken from the classic 1975 album A Night At The Opera.

Is This The World We Created…?

Written about the famine and poverty then sweeping Africa, this was a genuine tears-in-the-eyes moment when it was played at Live Aid and performed a similar duty at Knebworth

(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care / Hello Mary Lou / Tutti Frutti

The traditional Queen “50s rock ’n’ roll” medley makes its final outing with Mercury, taking in songs by Elvis Presley, Gene Pitney and Little Richard.

Bohemian Rhapsody

The ultimate Queen song, performed with Mercury on vocals for the last time. As usual, the band nip off stage during the opera section, but re-appear with a bang once the heavy rock segment kicks in. Powerful.

Hammer To Fall

“Give it to me one more time!” One of the rockier tracks from 1984’s The Works album.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Freddie croons away on this boisterous rockabilly-style single from 1979.

Encore 1: Radio Ga Ga

The first encore was a huge spectacle. As per the legendary Live Aid performance, the crowd joined in with the hands in the air/clapping as seen in the video.

Queen - Radio Ga Ga @ Knebworth Park 1986

Encore 2: We Will Rock You

The second encore kicked off with the stomping 1977 classic. Unusually, the track segued into this track rather than We Are The Champions…

Friends Will Be Friends

Arms in the air for this track from A Kind Of Magic.

We Are The Champions

The only way the final show could end - with the triumphant single taken from 1977’s News Of The World album. Thanks Freddie.

God Save The Queen

The traditional end to a Queen show - Brian May’s guitar version of the National Anthem played over the PA. Now try and find your car.

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Queen formed in 1971 and in 1973 signed their first recording contract for EMI. That year they released their first album, Queen . The same year saw their first major UK tour, and in 1974 they released Queen II as well as making their first UK headlining tour. They made their first US tour, and in November released Sheer Heart Attack which was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

In 1976 they toured the US and Japan and by spring all four albums resided in the UK Top Twenty. Later that year they released A Day At The Races , and gave a free concert in Hyde Park to an estimated crowd of 200,000 fans. The album was a huge success, advance orders alone amounting to over 500,000. The following year saw two major US tours, the band’s sixth album, News Of The World and the legendary double A side single, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions .

1978’s Jazz , included another huge hit single in Bicycle Race and Queen toured the US and Canada. They spent much of 1979 touring in Europe and Japan, as well as releasing their first live album, Live Killers . They were also approached to write the score for a forthcoming feature film, Flash Gordon . Before that they released The Game in 1980 which went five times platinum in Canada alone! Another One Bites The Dust became the band’s biggest selling American single. Later that year the soundtrack for Flash Gordon was released and by the end of the year Queen had sold over 45,000,000 albums worldwide.

In 1981 they toured the Far East and were the first band to make a stadium tour of South America. They played to 131,000 people in Sao Paolo, the largest paying audience for any band anywhere in the world. Greatest Hits , Greatest Flix and Greatest Pix were released simultaneously later in the year and Greatest Hits has rarely been out of the UK album charts since. Greatest Flix was the first collection of promo-videos released commercially by any band. Next year saw the release of the band’s twelfth album, Hot Space whilst they were in the middle of a European tour.

1984 saw The Works and the single Radio Ga Ga became a worldwide hit, reaching No. 1 in 19 countries. Another huge hit was I Want To Break Free , featuring one of their most famous videos, all dressed in drag. In 1985 they were the headlining act at Rock in Rio, the biggest festival to be held anywhere in the world. They again made history that year with the show-stealing performance at Live Aid from Wembley Stadium, which proved to be a turning point for the band, One Vision being the first post Live Aid release.

1986 saw their 14th album, A Kind Of Magic , which was the soundtrack to the Russel Mulcahy film, Highlander. The title track became another worldwide smash and the album entered the UK charts at No. 1; later in the year the 2nd live album, Live Magic , went into the charts at No. 3. Between 1988 and 1991 Queen released three more albums, The Miracle in 1989 and in 1991 Innuendo and Greatest Hits II . All three entered the UK charts at No. 1, as did the single Innuendo .

On 23rd November 1991 Freddie Mercury announced to the world that he had AIDS and the next day he died peacefully at his home, surrounded by family and friends. He remains the most high profile loss from the disease in the entertainment world and the news shocked fans throughout the world. As a tribute Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives was released as a double A-sided single to raise funds for the Terence Higgins Trust. It entered the UK chart at No. 1, where it stayed for five weeks, raising over £1,000,000 for the charity and Queen became the first band to have the same single top the UK charts twice. In December of that year Queen had 10 albums in the UK Top 100. In 1992 Freddie was awarded posthumously the BRIT’s “Outstanding Contribution to British Music” and Days Of Our Lives won Best Single. On 20th April many of the world’s top stars joined Brian, Roger and John on stage at Wembley for an emotional tribute to Freddie.

In 1995 the tracks that Queen had begun in 1991 were completed by Brian, Roger and John and the long-awaited Made In Heaven was released worldwide. It was the end of an era. Since then the phenomenon of Queen has remained, however, with continuing sales for their recorded output on CD and video. A ballet of their music by famous French choreographer Maurice Bejart was premiered at the National Theatre in Paris in 1997 and in May 2002 the hit musical We Will Rock You opened to sell-out audiences in London’s West End and continues to play to packed houses and standing ovations every night. Queen’s first DVD Greatest Video Hits Vol.1 was released at the end of October 2002, and yet another piece of Queen product entered the UK charts at number 1. October 2002 also saw Queen receive their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, joining The Beatles as only one of a handful of non-US bands to receive the much coveted honour. Last year, 2004 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Walk of Fame, and in the UK were voted by the public into the first UK Music Hall of Fame.

Brian and Roger took Queen back onto the touring circuit for the first time since 1986 in 2005 and 2008, joined by former Free/Bad Company singer, songwriter and musician Paul Rodgers playing concerts across the UK and throughout Europe.

Since 2012 Queen have enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with US singer/songwriter Adam Lambert and have toured extensively across North and South America, Europe, the UK, Asia and Australia and New Zealand.

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Remembering the Late Queen Elizabeth II’s 1991 Tour of Houston

By Claire Anderson September 8, 2022

Queen Elizabeth II, left, and Governor of Texas Ann Richards pause before receiving guests at the Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday, May 23, 1991 in Houston. 

Image: AP Photo/Donna Carson

Queen Elizabeth II, longest reigning monarch of England for 70 years, has died at age 96. As we look back on her life and reign, we remember the Queen’s 1991 United States tour, where she and the late Prince Phillip visited several cities in Texas, including Houston. This marked the first time a British monarch had visited the Lone Star State .

A clip of the Queen's visit can be seen in the video below starting at around 3:33:  

Beginning their tour on May 14 in our nation’s capital, Washington D.C., the royals met then-President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush, originally of Texas. They traveled through Virgina, Maryland, and Florida before arriving in Austin, quickly followed by San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston. They spent a total of two and a half days in Texas, staying in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Houston.

In each Texas city, the Queen and Prince Phillip met with heads of state, all of whom happened to be female: Texas Governor Ann Richards, Dallas Mayor Annette Strauss, Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire, and Fort Worth Mayor Kay Granger. In Dallas, the Queen was greeted by groups of people dressed in traditional Native American clothes and early colonial costumes to reflect on Texan history, and a speech she gave in Austin remarked on 19th-century British thoughts on Texan character. “One hundred and fifty years ago the British consul in Texas reported to our foreign office that ‘Texans are rough and wild, but their consistency and courage are admirable.’”

Queen Elizabeth II speaks to first graders from Westlawn Elementary in LaMarque, Texas as she was leaving Houston’s City Hall after welcoming ceremonies on Wednesday, May 22, 1991. The first graders had written to the queen inviting her to their school. At right is Prince Philip. 

Image: AP Photo/Pat Sullivan

While in Houston, Queen Elizabeth was presented by Mayor Whitmire with a key to the city. She and the Prince visited the Antioch Bishop Missionary Church, a historic building in Downtown Houston, where a gospel choir performed for the royals. They also visited the Veteran Affairs Hospital, where the Queen met with wounded veterans, and the Johnson Space Center, where Prince Phillip tried out space suit gloves and the Queen showed curiosity regarding the intricacies of space travel (specifically, by asking present astronauts how food does not float off plates in space, according to the Los Angeles Times ). Rounding out the Texas tour, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston hosted a private dinner for the Queen, Prince Phillip, and 100 guests, including Governor Richards. At the dinner, she bestowed an honorary knighthood on Cecil H. Green, the late co-founder of Texas Instruments who was originally born in England. Although the Queen made another trip to the United States in 2007, this would be her only visit to the Lone Star State, ending on May 23, 1991. One can imagine our Texan charm and hospitality must have been added to that 150-year-old list of admirable traits following the end of the Queen’s American tour. In her speech in Austin, the Queen also remarked that “No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born Texans.”

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The purpose of The Compass Rose is to raise awareness of Special Collections' resources and to foster the use of these resources. The blog series also reports significant new programs, initiatives, and acquisitions of Special Collections. 

Queen Elizabeth II has made numerous state and official visits since ascending the British throne in 1952, as well as trips throughout the Commonwealth, making her the most widely travelled head of state in history. In May 1991, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip embarked on a 13-day trip to the United States by way of a Concorde. The trip began in Washington, D.C. on May 14, where the Queen presented President George H. W. Bush with the Winston Churchill Award, followed by President Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush hosting the Queen and Prince Philip at a State Dinner. The royal couple then traveled to Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and Texas—the Queen was the first British monarch ever to visit Texas. Prince Philip returned to England after visiting Texas and the Queen concluded the trip with just one more stop in Kentucky.

British Airways Concorde supersonic transport aircraft taxis to a stop upon arrival at Bergstrom Air Force base near Austin, Texas. The plane is carrying England's Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip; 5/20/91. Image Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives.

President and Mrs. Bush host a State Dinner for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great Britain at the White House; 05/14/91. Image courtesy of the George Bush Library.

The Queen's Texas tour began in Austin, where Texas Governor Ann Richards hosted the Queen and an estimated 5,000 people gathered on the Capitol grounds, hoping to catch a glimpse of the queen while waving Union Jacks. To the crowd, the queen declared, “No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born Texans” (Potter, Northcott, 1991). She also made remarks on Great Britain’s long ties with Texas: “One hundred and fifty years ago the British consul in Texas reported to our foreign office that ‘Texans are rough and wild, but their consistency and courage are admirable’” (Potter, Northcott, 1991). 

The Queen then set off to San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston over the course of a few short days; Fort Worth was on the original itinerary, former Mayor Bob Bolen told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram , but was dropped because of the morning trip to San Antonio (Schlacter, 1991). 

Upon the Queen’s arrival in Dallas on May 21, 1991, she was welcomed by Dallas Mayor Annette Strauss and Fort Worth Mayor Kay Granger, who had just taken office only hours earlier. During the greetings, "The Yellow Rose of Texas" played and 7-year-old Jasmine Evans presented the Queen with a yellow flower bouquet. A crowd of over 2,000 people were in attendance of a musical program put on for the Queen at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, where the Dallas Wind Symphony performed renditions of “God Save the Queen” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Among a myriad of cultural performances put on for the Queen was a mariachi band which supplied the music for a Ballet Folklórico Hispano de Dallas performance (Weiss, 1991). 

Queen Elizabeth II accepts a bouquet of flowers from Jasmine Evans, 7, upon her arrival at Love Field in Dallas, Texas; 05/21/1991. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection.

Queen Elizabeth II waves to a crowd of people upon her arrival at Love Field in Dallas with Dallas Mayor Annette Straus on her right; 05/21/1991. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection.

Later on in the evening, the Queen and Prince Philip were en route to a reception and dinner being held at the Hall of State building to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Dallas and were met by both royalty-gazers and protestors. Just before entering the Hall of State, a group representing the Texas American Heritage Society, dressed in traditional Native American clothing, presented the Queen with a gift.  

People standing outside of the Hall of State in downtown Dallas awaiting the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II; 05/21/1991. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection.

Queen Elizabeth II accepts a gift from two people dressed in traditional Native American clothing, representing the Texas American Heritage Society, outside of the Hall of State in Dallas, Texas; 05/21/1991. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection.

Drawing ties to British policy in Northern Ireland and South Africa at the time, about 175 protestors gathered in Fair Park to express their frustration with a recent redistricting plan that the Dallas City Council had approved a few days prior. The protests were led and attended by Dallas councilmembers Diane Ragsdale and Al Lipscomb, as well as Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. Signs held by protestors read “We have no democracy in Dallas," "No More Slavery,” and "End Apartheid in Dallas.” Uniformed police, some on horseback, kept an eye on the protesters but did not impede their movement (Weiss, 1991). 

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Diane Ragsdale, surrounded by Dallas Police, protests Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Dallas. Protestors are displaying signs in opposition of a recent Dallas City Council redistricting decision; 05/21/1991. Star-Telegram Collection.

Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price protests Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Dallas. Protestors are displaying signs in opposition of a recent Dallas City Council redistricting decision, 05/21/1991. Star-Telegram Collection.

Among the hundreds of people gathered outside of the Hall of State building in Dallas, waiting to see the Queen and Prince Philip as they arrived for dinner, were those dressed in traditional Native American clothing and in clothing representing early pioneers of Texas—clothing that was reflective of the 150 years of Texas history. Connie Benesch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram told the story of a Fort Worth student's experience of the Queen's visit to Dallas:

"Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas, arrived at the Hall of State in the guise of 13-year-old Scott McMickle of Trophy Club. The seventh-grader sporting the colonial outfit had a moment of near-regal glory - he got very close to Her Majesty...'It was really neat,' said McMickle, one of 60 classmates at the Fort Worth-based Treetop School International who were invited to appear in costume in a re-enactment of Texas history. The Treetop students and other groups were chosen to greet the Queen and her entourage at the Hall of State entrance" (Benesch, 1991).

A woman and two young boys are seen in period costume with one of the boys holding a Union Jack British flag in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Dallas; 05/21/1991. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection.

People dressed in period clothing and Confederate soldiers uniforms are seen outside of the Hall of State in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Dallas; 05/21/1991. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection.

To view more photographs of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Dallas on the UTA Digital Gallery, visit: https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery/subject-name/elizabeth-ii-queen-great-britain-1926  

Benesch, Connie. (1991, May 22). Students re-enact, make Texas history with the queen.  Fort Worth Star-Telegram , section A, p. 14.

Jorden, Jay. (1991, May 21). Queen Elizabeth II Visits Alamo, Dallas. Associated Press . 

Potter, Karen and Kaye Northcott. (1991, May 21). The British have come! Elizabeth II wows Anglophiles as Austin gives her a welcome fit for a queen. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Austin Bureau , section A, pgs. 1, 8. 

Schlacter, Barry. (1991, May 22). Queen Eizabeth sweeps through Lone Star State. Fort Worth Star-Telegram , section A, pgs. 1, 14. 

Weiss, Jeffrey. (1991, May 22). Royal treatment City tries to put a refined foot forward as queen attends concert, formal dinner in seven-hour visit. Dallas Morning News , section A, p. 1. 

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Queen Elizabeth's historic 1991 trip to Texas

Queen elizabeth ii, britain's longest-reigning monarch, dies at 96.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, has died after 70 years on the throne. She was 96.

In May 1991, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to set foot on Texas soil. 

The Queen, along with her husband Prince Philip, spent three days in the state as part of a tour of the United States.

"No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born Texas," said the Queen during her visit.

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Queen Elizabeth in Austin

Queen Elizabeth in Austin in May 1991

The Texas leg of the trip began with a visit to Austin. On May 20, the capitol city rolled out the red carpet for the Queen.

Hundreds of school children sang and danced as the monarch looked on with Texas Governor Ann Richards by her side.

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Richards' granddaughter gave Queen Elizabeth some of her favorite flowers.

Gov. Ann Richards and former first lady Lady Bird Johnson toasted the monarch at a formal reception and dinner for 240 people at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum, located on the University of Texas campus.

During a trip to the Texas statehouse a formal resolution was passed welcoming her to Texas. She was also presented her with pairs of boots for her grandchildren.

"I thank you and the members of both houses for this generous resolution and also your very kind gifts for my grandchildren," said the Queen.

Members of the press traveling with the Queen said the crowds in Austin were among the largest they had seen in her tour of the U.S.

 "She was really delighted with the crowds, and I was too," said Governor Richards.

Queen Elizabeth in San Antonio

On May 21, the Queen and Prince made a trip to San Antonio.

The pair arrived at Kelly Air Force Base in the morning before being taken to the Alamo for a tour of the mission.

Great Britain was one of the first European nations to recognize the fledgling Republic of Texas 151 years ago.

The couple rode a barge along the San Antonio River through downtown before seeing La Villita, a historic village, then meeting with local dignitaries at the Institute of Texan Cultures.

Queen Elizabeth in Dallas

The royal couple arrived at Love Field Airport where she was introduced to Dallas Mayor Annette Strauss and Mayor Kay Granger of Fort Worth, while a band played "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and the theme from the popular TV show "Dallas".

The queen's first stop in Dallas was the Adolphus Hotel, where she stayed.

The queen then was taken to the Meyerson Symphony Center where the Dallas Wind Symphony performed ″God Save the Queen″ and ″The Star-Spangled Banner.″ A mariachi band also played, as members of the Ballet Folklorico Hispano de Dallas performed two ethnic dances from the Mexican state of Jalisco.

Later that evening, the Queen and Prince Philip were taken to the Hall of State at Fair Park to honor the 150th anniversary of Dallas.

Queen Elizabeth in Houston

On May 22, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip traveled to Houston where she was greeted by then-Mayor Kathy Whitmire.

The royal pair signed Houston's official visitor's book.

The Queen then toured the NASA Johnson Space Center where she viewed exhibits of space suits and toured Mission Control.

She also visited a VA Medical Center and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Queen Elizabeth II also bestowed an honorary knighthood on British-born Dallas resident Cecil H. Green in a private ceremony.  Green was the co-founder of Texas Instruments.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.