did queen visit pakistan

Flashback: When Queen Elizabeth touched down in Pakistan — twice

Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday, broke record after record as the British monarch, becoming an enduring symbol for the country over which she reigned for 70 years even as it changed beyond recognition, losing its empire and undergoing social upheaval.

The late monarch was widely respected the world over and Pakistan was among the countries she visited twice and also happened to good ties with almost all governments who have been in power since independence.

Here, Dawn.com takes a look back at the past visits to Pakistan by The Queen.

1961: The Queen’s first visit to erstwhile dominion

Queen Elizabeth, 34 at the time, undertook a royal tour of the far eastern countries in 1961, which included visits to Pakistan, India, Iran and Nepal.

Her state visit to Pakistan, which since 1956 had become a republic, lasted from February 1-16, during which she was accompanied by her husband, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, and visited Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore and the northern areas of the country.

When the royal couple landed in Karachi on February 1 at 11:37am, they were greeted at the airport with a warm handshake by the then president, Mohammad Ayub Khan.

A 20-minute ceremony followed, beginning with the boom of a 21-gun royal salute. The terminal was packed with spectators eager to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

“The Queen was wearing a chartreuse dress belted at the waist, a feather hat to match, silver grey gloves and shoes, a three-string pearl necklace, and pearl earrings. She was carrying a silver grey bag and wore a diamond brooch on the left shoulder,” a Dawn report of the Queen’s arrival documented at the time.

The royal couple were then given a 100-man royal salute as they stood above a carpeted dias alongside president Ayub. A navy band also played the national anthems of both countries.

The two were driven from the airport to the President’s House and during the journey, they encountered cheers, music and flowers. The Queen, standing beside the president in a cream-coloured convertible Cadillac, smiled gracefully and waved back to the joyous crowds.

The royal couple stayed at the presidential residence until their departure to Peshawar on February 4.

Over the course of their stay, a number of engagements were held in Karachi in the couple’s honour.

According to a programme outlined by Dawn , the first day included a visit to the Quaid’s mausoleum, a visit by the Duke to Korangi Township, and a lavish state banquet by the president.

At the Mazar-i-Quaid, large crowds had gathered near the entrance and on both sides of the driveway. As the Queen approached it, white-clothed servants “quickly put on white shoe covers on the Queen’s shoes before she entered the small yellow painted room containing the Mazar”, reported Dawn . Once inside, the Queen laid a large floral wreath.

Meanwhile, the Duke surveyed the Korangi Township in a visit that spanned 50 minutes. He was shown around the colony, the health centre, primary school and market area.

“At the market, the Duke was attracted by an ordinary broom used in a Pakistani household and a ‘deg’. He picked up the broom and peeped into the ‘deg’,” a Dawn report said of the visit.

That evening, at the state banquet, the Queen described Pakistan as “one of the powers in the world of Islam”, and “one of the great nations in the Commonwealth”. Pakistan “thus finds herself in a unique position”, she said, expressing her faith that Pakistan’s “contribution to international understanding will increase from year to year”.

The next day’s events included a naval review at the Pakistan Navy Dockyard, a citizens’ reception at the Frere Hall Gardens, interaction with selected members of the press, and a dinner by the commonwealth high commissioners at Runnymede Road in Clifton.

At the Frere Hall reception attended by 5,000 cheering citizens on February 2, the Queen paid tribute to the city’s residents for having faced and solved so many problems with courage, recognising that many of the people were new to the city and had arrived with nothing but their hands to work.

“That Karachi survived this invasion, kept going, and finally absorbed it in such arduous and remarkable circumstances, is one of Pakistan’s most striking achievements,” she said.

She paused for a moment after the speech and then suddenly said: “Aap hazraat ka bahut bahut shukria.”

Her words in Urdu were met with a prolonged burst of applause by the crowd. Ayub stood up and clapped, laughing heartily.

Other activities the royal couple engaged in included a ladies reception, interaction with newsmen, a duck hunt (that saw Ayub dispensing with all formality with the Duke and bagging the majority number of ducks), and meetings with a delegation of Ismailis and a group of West Pakistan princes.

The royal couple enjoyed a weekend of festivities in Lahore as they attended a reception and a service at the Lahore Cathedral; took part in a fair; and visited the tomb of Allama Iqbal, the Lahore Fort, the Shalimar Gardens as well as the Badshahi Mosque. A grand dinner by the Army was also held in their honour.

There was even a “torchlit tattoo” performance by the West Pakistan Rangers as well as fireworks in the walled city. Prince Philip was also treated to a game of polo and the two took part in the national horse show, a nod to the Queen’s love for horses and the Duke’s interest in polo.

1997: Queen’s second visit coincides with Pakistan’s golden jubilee

The Queen next visited Pakistan 36 years later, when Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari was president and Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister, and the country was celebrating 50 years of independence.

This time, her visit was much shorter — six days — beginning on October 7. She was again accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip.

According to a royal press release at the time, the couple arrived at Chaklala, Islamabad, where a 21-gun salute was sounded as they emerged from the plane. The Queen and the Duke were received by the then foreign minister, Gohar Ayub Khan.

They were driven to the Aiwan-i-Sadar where they were welcomed by president Leghari and inspected a guard of honour.

At midday, she met prime minister Nawaz Sharif at his residence.

The Queen and the Duke that day visited the Shah Faisal Mosque. “During her visit, the Queen kept her hat covered with an off-white dupatta as a sign of respect while going round it,” wrote Dawn .

She also opened a new commercial block at the British High Commission, “a manifestation of the desire of the British government to further promote its commercial and economic relations with Pakistan”, according to the Queen’s Press Secretary, Geoffrey Crawford, who briefed Pakistani and foreign newsmen a day in advance of their arrival.

Later in the day, the royal couple attended a reception for media representatives at the High Commission.

That evening, the president hosted a royal banquet at the Presidential Palace for the Queen and the Duke. An investiture ceremony was also held during which the Queen was conferred the highest civil award, Nishan-i-Pakistan, and the Duke was awarded the Nishan-i-Imtiaz.

“The Nishan-i-Pakistan has been given in recognition of Queen Elizabeth’s outstanding contribution to the consolidation of linkages between Pakistan and Britain and her commitment to the causes confronting the developing countries of the Commonwealth,” reported Dawn at the time.

Leghari and Sharif were also awarded in turn with the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG), respectively.

It was observed at the time that the banquet had provided a rare opportunity for political rivals to sit together. Benazir Bhutto, whose government had been dismissed, also turned up as it was she who had as premier extended the invitation to the Queen to visit Pakistan.

Speaking at the banquet, Queen Elizabeth said Pakistan and the United Kingdom enjoyed a truly rich relationship, founded on a myriad of personal as well as institutional commitments. “I am confident in its future, and wish Pakistan well in its next fifty years.”

She also paid tribute to Princess Diana’s humanitarian work during her visits to Pakistan and thanked the people for their sympathetic response to her death.

The highlight of the visit came the following day, when Queen Elizabeth addressed a joint session of the National Assembly and the Senate.

What is more interesting, in the backdrop of current tensions between India and Pakistan, is that the Queen at the time had called for renewed efforts between the two countries to end “historical disagreements”. She had stressed that with the lifting of barriers between the two largest nations of the sub-continent, the region’s real potential would unleash.

“It brings friends of both countries only pleasure to see the commitment both have made this year to solve contentious issues through talks. Reconciliation will take time but the effort must be made,” the Queen said in her address to the joint session of parliament.

The royal couple, the same day, also opened a British Council exhibition “Traditions of Respect” (on the influence of Islam in the West) at the Convention Centre in Islamabad. They gave a luncheon at the British High Commissioner’s residence and spent the afternoon visiting the Rawalpindi Cricket Club, where they met the Pakistani and South African Test teams and watched part of the match, according to the Court Circular issued at the time.

Part of their activities also included meeting war veterans, laying a wreath at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, attending a reception in the gardens of the British High Commissioner’s residence, and watching “Beat Retreat by the Royal Marine Band”.

Over the course of their visit, the royal couple also visited Karachi where they attended a reception at the Governor House, followed by a lunch hosted by the governor of Sindh. The Queen inaugurated a British Trade Exhibition at a local hotel and the Duke opened a $450 million ICI plant at Port Bin Qasim.

“I feel at home in Karachi as we share the same culture and understand each other well,” the Queen said.

After the laying of wreaths at the Quaid’s mausoleum, the two departed for Lahore, where they were hosted by prime minister Sharif, who gave a grand banquet in their honour at the Lahore Fort.

The next day, the Queen visited the National College of Arts in Lahore where she saw the miniature art studio and sculpture studio. The NCA students also put on a string puppet show on the occasion.

The Queen paid a visit to the Kim’s Gun monument after which the Bishop of Raiwind received her at Christ Church school of Pakistan.

A luncheon in her honour was hosted by the Punjab governor. She also paid a visit to the British Council where she met with people from different walks of life.

The Queen and the Duke then flew back to Islamabad. Before their visit to Pakistan concluded, the Duke was pictured visiting Aga Khan school in Chitral’s Bilphok area.

The article was originally published in 2019.

Header image: Queen Elizabeth waved to the crowds as she rode in a convertible through the streets of Karachi in 1961. — AFP

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New Delhi:   In October 1961, Queen Elizabeth II made her maiden visit to India — a 23- day royal itinerary packed with receptions of costume parades, dance performances, children’s rallies, visits to industrial enterprises and factories, institutes of arts and sciences, and more.

In their book, ‘Facets of Contemporary History ‘, authors M. Thilakavathy and ‎R.K. Maya said India was in “celebrity fever” in anticipation of the visit, with old roads being renovated, people flocking to the big cities to catch a glimpse of the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip.

Over the course of her reign, she made three state visits to India — 1961, 1983, and 1997 — which were usually part of a larger tour to the region and included trips to countries like Pakistan and Nepal.

She often had kind words to offer such as noting the “warmth and hospitality of the Indian people” and referring to Pakistan as “one of the powers in the world of Islam” .

However, the Queen’s visits weren’t without their share of controversies — her remarks about the Kashmir issue during her 1997 visit to India and Pakistan caused quite a stir and created further friction between the crown and the then Tony Blair-led UK government.

The tail-end of the Queen’s life was marked by scandals closer home — most notably, the claims of racism made by Meghan Markle, a former American actress married to Elizbeth’s grandson, Prince Harry, and the sexual assault allegations against her son, Prince Andrew.   

In an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey last March, Markle, the first person of colour to be married into the royal family, made allegations about the racism she faced in the family after she married Harry.  

A brief response from Buckingham Palace shortly after the interview said the Queen intended to deal with what had become arguably one of the biggest crises of her reign “privately”.

Award-winning journalist Tina Brown notes in her latest book The Palace Papers  that after the death of Princess Diana — the former wife of the Queen’s son Prince Charles, and mother to Princes William and Harry — in a car crash in 1997, the Queen was opposed to the idea of “explosive celebrity” within the royal family.

“Ever since the death of Diana in 1997, the Queen had made it clear to all those who advised her that it could never happen again — the ‘it’ being Diana’s explosive celebrity, the problem of the British monarchy being upstaged, outshone, drowned out by one overweening, dangerously popular member of the family other than the Queen or the heir to the throne,” Brown wrote. 

It wasn’t just the scandal involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that the Queen had to contend with in recent times. There have been sexual assault allegations against her other son, Prince Andrew, and his alleged association with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell .

In January, the Queen took steps to strip her son of his royal titles as he faced a sexual abuse lawsuit. A month later, the lawsuit ended in a settlement, sparing the royal family the humiliation of a trial.

Also Read: There are many reasons why Rishi Sunak lost UK PM chair. But race isn’t the main one

1997 visit to India, Pakistan

The Queen’s trip to India and Pakistan in October 1997 was the first since the death of Princess Diana. But it had been scheduled ahead of time as it sought to celebrate 50 years of independence for both countries.

In 1997 , when in Pakistan, the Queen had allegedly urged New Delhi and Islamabad to settle their long-standing differences over the Kashmir issue — a statement that did not go over well with either country.

Britain’s then-foreign secretary Robin Cook, who had accompanied the Queen on the tour, made matters worse when, during a private meeting with Pakistan’s then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he offered to mediate a solution.

“The Indian press objected to Cook’s remarks, and Indian Prime Minister I.K. Gujral (Inder Kumar Gujral) was quoted as dismissing Britain as a ‘third-rate power’ that should know better than to interfere in a bilateral dispute,” noted a Washington Post report at the time.

The same year, the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, visited India. While paying their respects at the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, Prince Philip reportedly “caused a stir” when he objected to a sign indicating that 2,000 Indians had been killed in the massacre. He instead asserted that Britain reported the deaths of only 379 people.

‘Chilly’ relations with Tony Blair government

The Queen’s October 1997 visit to India and Pakistan created trouble for the Tony Blair-led UK government at home, which had come to power just four months after Princess Diana’s death in August that year.

After the Queen’s remarks about the Kashmir issue on her 1997 visit to Pakistan, Blair ordered his cabinet to undertake “a full-scale damage-control mission” to shift focus on the successes of the queen’s visit.

Allegations of a “ hidden agenda ” behind the Queen’s visit to India and Pakistan came at a sensitive time for Blair, just over a week before he was slated to meet his Indian counterpart, Gujral, on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit in Edinburgh.

According to Brown, Blair’s royal relations had got off to “a chilly start” with his government’s decision earlier in the year to retire the royal yacht Britannia, which had been a source of much happiness for the royal family.

“In December 1997, at the ship’s decommissioning ceremony, the Queen shed a rare tear. Britannia represented not only memories of grand and glamorous state visits but also some of her happiest times with the family…. It was the only way she could holiday privately,” wrote Brown.

Despite some tensions, Blair’s government did well to quell media scrutiny of the Queen after Prince Diana’s death — a fact that, according to historian Dominic Sandbrook, rankled the Queen. 

“Nobody likes to be in someone else’s debt and I think the Queen probably did feel, simultaneously, that he had saved her, but, at the same time, she didn’t like the fact that he’d done it,” said Sandbrook last year.

Other historians like Piers Brendon have also said there was resentment towards Blair for ‘intruding’ into the royal family’s affairs.

Despite this, Blair was knighted with the highest possible ranking — Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter — in January this year.  

In a statement issued by him following the Queen’s death, Blair said: “We have lost not just our monarch but the matriarch of our nation”. 

(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)

Also Read: ‘My ancestors ruled Hindustan through force & fear. Now others will’ – Bahadur Shah after 1857

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The Queen of travel

Queen Elizabeth II 1926 - 2022

Queen Elizabeth II leaves Fiji during a royal tour in February 1977. Serge Lemoine/Getty Images

The Queen of travel Journeys of a lifetime

By Francesca Street and Mark Oliver, CNN September 13, 2022

S he was traveling the moment she ascended to the throne, and for much of the next seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II criss-crossed the world. Newly married and still just a princess, Britain’s future monarch was in Kenya with husband Prince Philip in February 1952 when she learned of her father’s death and her new regal status.

During her reign she would visit more than 120 countries, witnessing first-hand the revolutions in global travel that shrank the world as her own influence over it diminished.

The Queen lived through the advent of the Jet Age, flew supersonic on the Concorde, saw regimes change, countries form and dissolve, the end of the British Empire and the rise of globalization.

Here are some of the most memorable travel moments from her 70 years as monarch.

November 24-25, 1953

Less than six months after she was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London, Queen Elizabeth set off on her travels again. Her debut official state trip was an epic six-month tour of the Commonwealth -- the alliance of nations which were once British colonies. Traveling by air, sea and land she visited several countries, accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. First stop was the North Atlantic island of Bermuda, a British territory she would visit a further four times during her reign. The trip would go on to include stops in Jamaica, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Aden (now part of Yemen), Uganda, Malta and Gibraltar.

December 19-20, 1953

At Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in June 1953, Queen Salote Tupou III of the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga won over the British public when she sat, rain-soaked, in her open carriage. They also took an interest when Elizabeth returned the visit later in the year. The two queens enjoyed an open-air feast, watched Tongan dancers and admired a tortoise that legend said was presented by explorer Captain James Cook to the King of Tonga in 1777.

December 23, 1953 – January 30, 1954

New zealand.

The Queen voyaged to New Zealand during the Antipodean summer of 1953-4. Over the course of the trip, it’s estimated that three out of every four New Zealanders got a glimpse of her. In preparation for the Queen’s visit, some New Zealand sheep were dyed in the UK flag colors of red, white and blue. The Queen returned to the country nine times over the years, including in 2002 as she marked half a century on the throne.

April 10-21, 1954

Ceylon (now sri lanka).

A visit to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, coincided with the Queen’s 28th birthday. She visited the city of Colombo where crowds joined together to sing her “Happy Birthday.” She also visited the central city of Kandy, where she watched a procession featuring a reported 140 elephants and met local chiefs.

April 8-11, 1957

The Queen had visited France as a young princess, but her first state visit as monarch was a glamorous affair. She attended the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris, visited the Palace of Versailles, and dined at the Louvre with then-President Rene Coty. The Queen also laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe and visited the Scottish Church of Paris.

October 17-20, 1957

United states.

Having met President Harry S. Truman in Washington in 1951 during a visit before ascending to the throne, Elizabeth was no stranger to America when she arrived on her first trip as Queen. Her 1957 visit marked the 350th anniversary of the first permanent British settlement on the continent, in Jamestown. The monarch attended a college football game at the former Byrd Stadium in Maryland where she watched the home team lose to North Carolina. She met with President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the White House and later traveled to New York, where she and Prince Philip drove through the streets and admired panoramic views of the city from the Empire State Building.

February 1-16, 1961

The Queen and Prince Philip visited Pakistan in 1961, arriving in the port city of Karachi after completing a visit to India as part of a wider tour of South Asia. She drove through the streets of Karachi in an open-top car, before going on to visit Lahore, where a torchlight military tattoo took place in her honor and Prince Philip played in a game of polo.

February 26 to March 1, 1961

In Nepal, the Queen inspected troops in Kathmandu and met Gurkha ex-servicemen in Pokhara. The monarch rode on an elephant and visited the Hanuman Dhoka Palace complex in Kathmandu. She took part in the rather grim spectacle of a tiger hunt although didn’t shoot any animals herself. She instead recorded the experience on cine camera – a recording device that she often carried with her on her earlier foreign trips.

March 2-6, 1961

The Queen visited pre-revolution Iran at the end of her 1961 South Asian tour. Hosted by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, she toured ancient monuments including the ruins of Persepolis, once a capital of the Achaemenid Empire, later declared a World Heritage Site. She also saw Sheikh Lotfollah mosque in Esfahan and admired collections of the Archaeological Museum of Iran.

May 5, 1961

Vatican city.

In 1961, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to visit the Vatican. Dressed all in black, the Queen had an audience with Pope John XXIII, also attended by Prince Philip. She returned to the Vatican three more times during her reign, meeting Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.

November 9-20, 1961

Bombing incidents in the capital Accra left officials worried about the safety of the Queen’s visit to Ghana but, after deliberation, UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan confirmed it would go ahead. During the trip, the Queen famously shared a dance with Ghana’s then-president, Kwame Nkrumah. At the height of Cold War uncertainty, this seemingly innocuous moment was seen as significant in ensuring Ghana remained affiliated to Britain and not the USSR.

May 18-28, 1965

West germany (now germany).

The Queen’s visit to West Germany and West Berlin was viewed as a symbolic gesture of goodwill in the post-World War II landscape. It was the first royal trip to German territory for more than 50 years and photographs such as one of the Queen and Prince Philip in a car driving past the Brandenburg Gate had symbolic resonance.

November 5-11, 1968

Queen Elizabeth became the first reigning British monarch to visit South America when she landed in Brazil in late 1968. During the trip, the Queen wore a striking jewelry set made of Brazilian aquamarine, gifted to her in 1953 by the Brazilian president and added to over time. The monarch also attended a football match between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and presented the winner’s trophy to Brazilian footballer Pele.

October 18-25, 1971

On the first of two trips to Turkey -- the second took place in 2008 -- the Queen visited the Gallipoli peninsula to remember the Allied soldiers who died there during World War I. The monarch also explored the ruins of the ancient Greek empire city of Ephesus. A media highlight of the visit came when she was photographed leaping ashore from a barge, after disembarking from her ship, the Royal Yacht Britannia.

February 10-15, 1972

Accompanied by Prince Philip and daughter Princess Anne, the Queen was greeted on arrival in Bangkok by a carpet of flower petals. The monarch was given a golden key to the city of Bangkok, attended a state banquet and visited Bang Pa-In Palace, the Thai royal family’s summer residence, north of the capital.

October 17-21, 1972

The Queen’s visit to Yugoslavia was her first trip to a communist country. The Central European country no longer exists -- the areas that the Queen visited are now part of Croatia. During her trip, she met Yugoslav political leader Josip Broz Tito and traveled on his famous Blue Train.

February 15-16, 1974

New hebrides (now vanuatu).

The Queen and Prince Philip visited the Pacific island archipelago of Vanuatu, then known as the New Hebrides, in 1974. It’s said the royal couple’s visit to Vanuatu may have strengthened the belief among some locals on Tanna island that the Duke of Edinburgh was a divine being.

February 24-March 1, 1975

On her first of two visits to Mexico, the Queen toured ancient sites -- including the pyramids of Uxmal, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monarch also received local crafts, met school children and attended a banquet. While she was driven through Mexico City, the Queen was showered in confetti.

February 17-20, 1979

Saudi arabia.

In 1979, the Queen became the first female head of state to visit Saudi Arabia, on a tour of Gulf States. At Riyadh Airport, she was met by King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, pictured. The outfits she wore on the trip were carefully designed in accordance with Saudi Arabia’s conservative dress code for women. The Queen arrived on a British Airways supersonic Concorde aircraft and during the visit attended camel races and toured the National Museum.

October 26-27, 1982

The Queen visited Tuvalu, a group of nine islands in the South Pacific, in 1982. Upon arrival, the Queen and Prince Philip were carried in a flower-filled canoe from sea to shore. Thirty years later, in 2012, Prince William visited Tuvalu with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, who drank a coconut from a tree planted by Queen Elizabeth on this 1982 visit.

February 26 – March 6, 1983

On a star-studded trip to the United States, the Queen toured the 20th Century-Fox studios in Hollywood with then-First Lady Nancy Reagan and met Frank Sinatra, who she’d previously met in the 1950s, at a party given in her honor. The Queen and Prince Philip also visited Yosemite National Park in California, pictured.

November 10-14, 1983

The Queen returned to Kenya in 1983 for a state visit. When she was there 31 years previously, she'd learned that her father had passed away and she had become Britain’s reigning monarch. In 1983, the Queen and Prince Philip revisited the Treetops hotel, pictured, where they were staying at the time she was told the news.

October 12-18, 1986

The Queen’s trip to China was the first -- and, so far, only -- state visit by a British monarch to China. With Prince Philip by her side, the Queen visited the Great Wall of China, pictured, as well as the Forbidden City in Beijing.

October 17-20, 1994

In 1994, in another royal first, the Queen visited Russia. Over the three-day trip, the Queen met Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, pictured here with the monarch outside St Basil’s Cathedral, as well as Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The Queen also attended the Bolshoi Ballet. In her traditional Christmas Day speech broadcast later that year, the Queen reflected on how times had changed, noting she “never thought it would be possible in [her] lifetime” to attend a service in Moscow’s famous cathedral.

March 19-25, 1995

South africa.

In 1994, after apartheid ended, South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth as a republic. The following year, the Queen traveled there, in a visit designed to renew ties between the two countries. The Queen met with President Nelson Mandela, pictured, and presented him with the Order of Merit.

October 12-18, 1997

The Queen visited India for the third time in 1997, her first public engagement since Princess Diana’s funeral just weeks before. The trip marked 50 years since India’s independence from Britain. Most memorably, the monarch visited the site of the Amritsar massacre, also known as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, of April 13, 1919. She also expressed regret at a state banquet in New Delhi for the “distressing” episode in which British soldiers gunned down hundreds of unarmed civilians. The gesture was seen by some as inadequate. “The Queen is doing everything she can to make India like her. But so far it does not seem to be working,” wrote the UK’s Independent newspaper at the time.

October 4-15, 2002

The Queen visited Canada many times. In 2002, her trip to the North American country coincided with her Golden Jubilee festivities, celebrating 50 years of her reign. During the trip, the Queen attended an ice hockey game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks, and dropped the ceremonial puck.

March 11-16, 2006

The Queen visited Australia 16 times as Head of State. In 2006, she traveled to Melbourne to open the Commonwealth Games. She was greeted by a welcoming party in Canberra, visited the Sydney Opera House, attended a Commonwealth Day service in St. Andrew’s Cathedral and toured Admiralty House, the Sydney residence of the Governor-General of Australia.

May 17-20, 2011

The Queen’s trip to Dublin was the first time a British monarch had set foot in the Irish Republic since its 1922 independence. At Dublin Castle the Queen delivered a well-received speech on the history of Anglo-Irish relations. In County Tipperary, she also toured the medieval Rock of Cashel, pictured, once a seat of power for Ireland’s ancient kings.

November 26-28, 2015

From 1949 to 1951, before she was Queen, Elizabeth and Prince Philip lived in Malta. In 2015, the monarch paid her last visit to the island, touring the Grand Harbour in a Maltese fishing boat and waving to members of the British Royal Navy.

United Kingdom

In the later years of her reign, the Queen cut back on foreign travel, passing on the mantle to the younger royals. In more recent years, royal tours have also been looked at with more skeptical eyes, as Britain reckons with its colonial past.

While she didn't travel abroad in the later years of her reign, the Queen continued to vacation in the UK. Most notably, the Queen’s ties with Scotland remained strong throughout her reign and her residence there, Balmoral Castle, was a favorite refuge. It was at Balmoral that the Queen died on September 8, 2022.

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From the archive, 13 February 1961: Lahore spectacle for the Queen

Pakistan stages a torchlight tattoo and fireworks as the Queen and Prince Philip are treated to a full weekend of entertainment

Lahore, February 13 The West Pakistan Rangers tonight put on a torchlight tattoo in honour of the Queen and Prince Philip which for spectacle, precision, ingenuity, and vigour could hardly be excelled by any army in the world.

Into the blackness of the huge stadium a set piece of firework display burst into light to open the tattoo: 500 men in white uniforms, each bearing two flaming torches, marched, counter-marched, moved in intricate formations, and built up patterns and shapes so that at one moment the darkness was alight with flaming centipedes and the next with blazing birthday cakes.

The corps of military police were as reckless and as skilled as motor-cyclists could be; the Rangers drilled again with rifles; from a flaming human fort tracer bullets seared through the sky; a thousand and fifty bandsmen played “A Hundred Pipers”; and finally “Long live Queen Elizabeth” was spelled out in coloured torches.

Lahore has certainly provided a full weekend for the Queen and Prince Philip, and both the Queen’s love for horses and her husband’s interest in polo have been remembered; yesterday morning at the national horse show they saw paraded before them the country’s finest horses as well as its prize cows, buffalo, and sheep, and this afternoon Prince Philip played in a polo match and showed the watching thousands that he knows how to take a fall.

Today began with morning service at Lahore Cathedral, where the Queen and the Duke drove, standing side by side, in an open car, to the tremendous pleasure of the vast crowds who had turned out to see them again. The Duke read the second lesson and the congregation, many of them Pakistanis, sang the psalm in Urdu.

After luncheon the Queen began a round of engagements by visiting Badshahi Mosque, one of the largest in the world, and laying a wreath on the tomb of Allama Iqbal, the poet, philosopher, and political thinker, who conceived the idea of a Moslem State in the Indian subcontinent. From there she went to Lahore Fort, another of the city’s monuments, to a rally of girl guides, and on again to meet members of the All-Pakistan Women’s Association in the Shish Mahal Gardens.

Meanwhile Prince Philip was on the polo field. In the warming-up period his mount slipped and he was thrown heavily to the ground. He picked himself up and, rubbing an arm, walked over to find another pony. During the game two other players suffered a similar fate.

Lahore appears more excited over the visit than any other city in Pakistan. The crowds both yesterday and today have been dense along the streets and the police have used considerable energy wielding their sticks and flicking the leather thongs on their batons to restrain them.

From a distance it would seem that there must be countless broken heads, but with few exceptions what has looked so fierce has really been a show of what could happen if the motions of lashing out failed to act as a deterrent.

• Queen Elizabeth II
• From the Guardian archive

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A Look Back at Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, and Other Royals on Their Tours of Pakistan

The British monarch and her family have been visiting the country for decades.

Queen Elizabeth waved to the crowds as she rode in a convertible through the streets of Karachi.

Wearing a glittering tiara, Queen Elizabeth arrived to a luncheon given by the Governor of Peshawar.

The Queen was introduced to President Muhammad Ayub Khan in Lahore, Pakistan.

Queen Elizabeth, wearing a gorgeous ball gown, and Prince Philip arrived at a gala in Lahore.

Queen Elizabeth shook hands with members of Pakistan's cricket team after their game against England.

When Princess Diana visited Pakistan by herself in 1991, she wore a striking green dress, a sheer floral head covering, and oversized sunglasses at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan.

The Princess held two young patients from Imran Khan's cancer hospital in Lahore, Pakistan.

Princess Diana looked stunning in a soft pink beaded Catherine Walker gown, which she paired with pearl earrings at a reception in her honor.

Diana posed with the women of Islamabad, who wore their brightly-colored dresses for the occasion.

Diana wore a traditional garland around her neck and held a bouquet at the Norpoor Family Welfare Centre in Islamabad.

The Queen returned to Pakistan in 1997, and wore a bright yellow polka-dotted dress as she stood with Pakistani leaders at the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

The Queen went on a tour of the Shah Faisal Mosque, wearing a scarf over her hat and stocking feet as a sign of respect.

Queen Elizabeth spoke at a banquet hosted by the President of Pakistan Farooq Leghari. In her speech, she reflected on the tragic death of Princess Diana.

Local school girls threw flower petals as Queen Elizabeth visited their school.

The Queen looked lovely in blush as she planted trees in Islamabad.

On their 2006 visit, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla met with staff and students at Fatima Jinnah University, an all-women's school in Islamabad.

This image shows Duchess Camila talking with a student at Fatima Jinnah.

Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla posed while touring Jaulian, a World Heritage archaeological site in Taxila.

The royals visited historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. Camilla wore a headscarf and long pants in respect of the dress code.

The Duchess of Cornwall chose a royal blue quilted jacket for the presidential banquet in Islamabad.

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The Royal Watcher

Royal visits to pakistan.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be embarking on their Official Visit to Pakistan tomorrow, described as “the most complex tour undertaken by The Duke and Duchess to date, given the logistical and security considerations”, so we are taking a look at the previous Royal Visits to Pakistan. At the time of her succession in 1952, the Queen was became the Sovereign of the then Dominion of Pakistan, which she remained until 1956, when the country became a Republic, and unlike other Commonwealth Countries, it has only received a handful of Royal visits in the 72 years since Independence. As a Pakistani Royal Commentator, I’m really excited about this visit and how it celebrate the deep links between the UK and Pakistan.

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Earlier British Royal visits to the territories now a part of Pakistan, then known as British India, include notable visits from the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1875, the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1905-06 , King George V and Queen Mary in 1911, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) in 1920, and visits from the last Viceroy Lord Mountbatten , a member of the extended Royal Family, who granted Independence to the nation on behalf of the King in 1947.

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The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh first visited Pakistan on their massive tour of South Asia in 1961, visiting the cities of Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore, and Dhaka. Click HERE to learn more about the visit. She also hosted the President on a Return Visit in 1966 .

The Princess Royal visited Pakistan on an official visit in 1986, visiting an Afghan refugee camp and meeting tribal leaders at the Khyber Pass.

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The Princess of Wales undertook an official visit (her first solo one) to Pakistan in 1991, HERE , returning in 1996 and 1997 in connection with the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, built by her friend, the current Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, HERE .

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The Queen and Duke undertook another State Visit to Pakistan in 1997, months after the death of the Princess, during which they visited Islamabad and Lahore, more HERE .

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The most recent Royal Visit to Pakistan was in 2006, when the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the country on an Official Visit, and to learn about the devastating impacts of the 2005 Hurricane.

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Here’s every country Queen Elizabeth II visited in her 70-year reign

From Algeria to Zimbabwe, the Queen visited at least 117 different countries

Queen Elizabeth II, who died earlier today , was probably the best-travelled monarch in history. In her 70 years as UK monarch, Her Maj apparently travelled to at least 117 different countries – and covered over a million miles, according to The Telegraph .

The Queen travelled for loads of reasons, from ceremonial openings to official state visits, but she got around so much primarily because she was head of state for the Commonwealth: a political association of countries that were largely conquered by Britain back when it was an imperial power. RECOMMENDED: How the world is paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

In fact, Elizabeth II wasn’t just the Queen of the United Kingdom: during her time on the throne, she reigned over a total of 32 sovereign countries. Having started her reign in the final years of the British Empire, she ruled over a number of former British colonies as they became independent sovereign states. Many, but not all, later cut ties with the monarchy and became republics.

Queen Elizabeth II reigned, at various points, over Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Ceylon (later Sri Lanka), Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tanganyika (later Tanzania), Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda and, of course, the UK . She was also proclaimed as queen by Rhodesia, the predecessor to Zimbabwe.

By the time of her death, she was still the queen of 15 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the UK. She was the Queen of Barbados until November 2021, when the Caribbean nation became a republic.

As you’d expect, the Queen visited all of these places – and plenty more – during her 70-year reign. Here is a full list of all the countries and states the Queen travelled to during her reign, and the dates when she visited.

Algeria (1980)

Antigua and Barbuda (1966, 1977, 1985)

Australia (1953, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2011)

Austria (1969)

Bahamas (1966, 1977, 1985, 1994)

Bahrain (1979)

Bangladesh (1983)

Barbados (1966, 1977, 1985, 1989)

Belgium (1966, 1993, 1998, 2007)

Belize (1985, 1994)

Bermuda (1953, 1975, 1983, 1994, 2009)

Botswana (1979)

Brazil  (1968)

British Virgin Islands (1966, 1977)

Brunei (1998)

Canada (1957, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2010)

Cayman Islands (1983, 1994)

Chile (1968)

China (1986)

Cook Islands (1974)

Cyprus (1961, 1983, 1984, 1993)

Czech Republic (1996)

Denmark (1957, 1979)

Dominica (1966, 1985, 1994)

Estonia (2006)

Ethiopia (1965)

Fiji (1953, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1982)

Finland (1976, 1994)

France (1957, 1972, 1992, 1994, 2004, 2014)

Gambia (1961)

Germany (1990, 1992, 2004, 2015)

Ghana (1961, 1999)

Grenada (1966, 1985)

Guyana (1966, 1994)

Hungary (1993)

Iceland (1990)

India (1961, 1983, 1997)

Indonesia (1974)

Iran (1961)

Ireland (2011)

Italy (1961, 1980, 2000, 2014)

Jamaica (1953, 1966, 1975, 1983, 1994, 2002)

Japan (1975)

Jordan (1984)

Kenya (1952, 1972, 1983, 1991)

Kiribati (1982)

Kuwait (1979)

Latvia (2006)

Liberia (1961)

Libya (1954)

Lithuania (2006)

Luxembourg (1976)

Malawi (1979)

Malaysia (1972, 1989, 1998)

Maldives (1972)

Malta (1954, 1967, 1992, 2005, 2015)

Mauritius (1972)

Mexico (1975, 1983)

Morocco (1980)

Mozambique (1999)

Namibia (1991)

Nauru (1982)

Nepal (1961, 1986)

Netherlands (1958, 1988, 2007)

New Zealand (1953, 1963, 1970, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1995, 2002)

Nigeria (1956, 2003)

Norway (1955, 1981, 2001)

Oman (1979, 2010)

Pakistan (1961, 1997)

Panama (1953)

Papua New Guinea (1974, 1977, 1982)

Poland (1996)

Portugal (1957, 1985)

Qatar (1979)

Russia (1994)

Saint Kitts and Nevis (1985)

Saint Lucia (1966, 1985)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1966, 1985)

Samoa (1977)

Saudi Arabia (1979)

Seychelles (1972)

Sierra Leone (1961)

Singapore (1972, 1989)

Solomon Islands (1982)

South Africa (1995, 1999)

South Korea (1999)

Slovakia (2008)

Slovenia (2008)

Spain (1988)

Sri Lanka (1954, 1981)

Sudan (1965)

Sweden (1956, 1983)

Switzerland (1980)

Tanzania (1979)

Thailand (1972, 1996)

Tonga (1953, 1970, 1977)

Trinidad & Tobago (1966, 1985, 2009)

Tunisia (1980)

Turkey (1971, 2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands (1966)

Tuvalu (1982)

Uganda (1954, 2007)

UAE (1979, 2010)

USA (1957, 1976, 1983, 1991, 2007)

Vatican City (1961, 1980, 2000, 2014)

West Germany (1965, 1978, 1987)

Yugoslavia (1972)

Zambia (1979)

Zimbabwe (1991)

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From Malala to young Imran Khan: Famous Pakistanis who met the late Queen Elizabeth II

Here’s a list of the late Queen’s relationship with Pakistan and its people, ever since her coronation in 1952

On September 8, 2022, UK’s longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at the age of 96 at Balmoral, her Scottish estate. Following the Majesty’s sudden demise, the world browsed through their archives to document the legacy she left behind, and took a trip down memory lane to revisit the precious time she gave to the people of the many countries she travelled to.

Likewise, social media, including world leaders, reminisced about Her Majesty’s visit to Pakistan. From attending our national assemblies and governor galas to inviting and meeting with our heroes in her home country, here’s a list of the late Queen’s relationship with Pakistan and its people, ever since her coronation in 1952. 1961

During her visit, she was also introduced to the then president, Muhammad Ayub Khan while in Lahore.

Apart from her tours, she also gave knighthood to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was in power at that time. The British monarch also met with the late Benazir Bhutto at a national assembly of Pakistan during her visit. 2013

Malala, who was accompanied by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, presented the Queen with a copy of her memoir titled I Am Malala. While giving a tribute to the Queen, the activist shared a picture of her meeting with Her Majesty on Instagram. 2019

The last of her in-person interactions with Pakistanis was when she met all team captains before the start of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) World Cup 2019. At the time, the Pakistani cricket team captain Sarfraz Ahmed met her at Buckingham Palace.

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‘70 years on the throne’ When The Queen Visited India

Queen Elizabeth visited India in 1961, 1983 and 1997, but the first visit, which came near 15 years after India’s independence, was the most spectacular

• Editing: Panini Anand
• Compilation: Raman Pruthi

Thirteen years after Mahatma Gandhi's death, Queen Elizabeth stood outside the spot of his cremation and took off her sandals. Her husband and Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, who was behind her, did the same. They replaced the footwear they were wearing with red velvet slippers before entering the memorial area.

This was the first royal visit of Queen Elizabeth II to India. The then Indian President Rajendra Prasad, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Vice-President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had earlier received the royal couple at the Delhi airport.

Inside, the Queen would pay respect to the astute man who had fought her nation with non-violence. The Queen was the first British monarch to visit India in fifty years. Her grandfather King George V and Queen Mary had visited in 1911, decades before India got Independence. Elizabeth II had ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father King George VI.

The stay in the subcontinent, during which they'd also make visits to neighbouring Pakistan and Nepal, was a long one and would last more than a month. Everywhere the Queen went, thousands of people thronged the streets to get a glimpse.

In Delhi’s Rajpath, the Queen attended as guest-of-honour the Republic Day parade, which showcased India's fledgling military might. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru also hosted an event at Ramlila Maidan to welcome the Queen, where she gave a speech in which she thanked India for the warm welcome. During the event, the Delhi Corporation gifted the queen a two-feet long model of the Qutub Minar made of elephant tusk. The Duke received a silver candelabra.

The Queen inaugurated the institute buildings of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on January 27, where she also planted a sapling in the premises.

Before the Republic Day parade, the Queen and the Duke had visited Jaipur, where, as anticipated, they had got a royal welcome. The Queen even rode on an elephant with the then Maharaja of Jaipur Sawai Man Singh II in the courtyard of the Maharaja’s palace.

Soon after the Republic Day, the Queen left for Agra, where she used an open car to drive to Taj Mahal while waving to the thousands who had gathered on pavements to welcome her.

The royals also visited Udaipur where the host was welcomed by the Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar, who introduced her to more than 50 nobles who had joined him in welcoming the royal couple.

The Queen would then head to Karachi in Pakistan. President Ayub Khan in the uniform of Field Marshal drove with the Queen in an open car. The royals visited the Khyber Pass on Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

After spending a fortnight in Pakistan, the Queen returned to India and visited the Durgapur Steel Plant, which was set up just a few years earlier with the help of the UK. The Queen met the workers in the steel plant before heading to Calcutta.

The city provided the biggest welcome of the tour with people crowding the route from the airport to the governor's residence the Raj Bhavan, which was the palace of the Viceroy before India's capital was moved to Delhi in December, 1911.

During her stay in the city, the royal couple visited the Victoria Memorial built by Lord Curzon when he was the Viceroy from 1899 to 1905. Both the Queen and her husband were the great-great grandchildren of Queen Victoria, so for the both the site had a strong family interest. Horse racing organisation founded in 1847, The Royal Calcutta Turf Club, organised a race to felicitate the Queen. The prize money for the race was Rs 30,000. The Queen presented the cup to the owner of the winning horse, a wife of a local businessman.

After Calcutta, the royal guests reached Bangalore in southern India, where the Maharaja of Mysore and the Mayor of Bangalore welcomed the Queen and the Duke. The Bible Society of India, with its headquarters in Bangalore, was celebrating its 100th anniversary and felicitated the Queen with a Bible translated in Hindi.

The Queen planted a sampling at the botanical garden Lal Bagh to commemorate her visit. Bangalore had timed the horticultural show for the Queen's trip. After Bangalore, the royal couple in the last leg of the tour went to Bombay and then to Banaras, where the Queen took a boat ride on the Ganges along the ghats flocked with hundreds of people who had come to watch her.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made three visits to India – in 1961, 1983 and 1997. In the 1983 visit, the Queen met the then Prime Minister India Gandhi and also presented Mother Teresa with an honorary Order of Merit. In 1997, the Queen’s visit was timed to mark India’s celebration of 50 years of Independence.

Creative Director: Rahul Gupta

Iran's president arrives in Pakistan for 3-day visit amid tight security

The leaders of Iran and Pakistan have agreed to strengthen economic and security cooperation in a meeting that sought to smooth over a diplomatic rift

ISLAMABAD -- The leaders of Iran and Pakistan agreed to strengthen economic and security cooperation in a meeting on Monday that sought to smooth over a diplomatic rift.

Ties were strained between the neighbors in January when each carried out strikes in the other’s territory, targeting militants accused of attacking security forces.

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other officials on his three-day visit. Authorities deployed hundreds of additional police and paramilitary forces for security.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent months, mostly blamed on Pakistani Taliban and insurgents targeting security forces in Pakistan and neighboring Iran.

According to a statement, the two leaders discussed a range of bilateral issues and vowed to cooperate to fight terrorism. They reiterated their condemnations of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

Sharif praised Iran’s “strong stand on the issue of Palestine” and said “Pakistan is also with the Palestinians.”

Raisi said the killings by Israel in Gaza were being committed with the support of the United States and other Western countries. He criticized international organizations, including the United Nations, saying, “They say they support human rights, but they proved that they are inefficient.”

The visit comes after Iran’s unprecedented direct strikes on Israel and an apparent Israeli response. Pakistan is among the countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel because of the issue of Palestinian statehood.

Raisi also vowed to boost what he called “unacceptably” meager bilateral trade with Pakistan and called for setting up more border markets. Pakistan and Iran set up the first such border market in southwestern Pakistan's Baluchistan province last year, promising five more under a 2012 agreement.

The two leaders signed eight cooperation agreements, according to Sharif's office.

Authorities said the two sides also discussed a multi-billion gas pipeline project, on hold since 2014. The project — opposed by Washington as a violation of sanctions imposed on Tehran over its nuclear program — launched in 2013 to supply Iranian natural gas to energy-starved Pakistan.

Iran says it had already completed the pipeline on its side of the border after investing $2 billion. Pakistan was supposed to finish construction on its territory by the end of 2014 but work stalled, leading to tensions between the nations.

The Iranian president later met with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari, who helped launch the pipeline project after traveling to Iran in 2013.

On Monday night, Pakistan's powerful army chief Gen. Asim Munir met with the Iranian president, the military said in a statement. It said their discussion focused on "matters of mutual interest, notably regional peace, stability and border security.”

The statement said Munir described the Pakistan-Iran border as “the border of peace and friendship" but emphasized the need for improved coordination there “to prevent terrorists from jeopardizing the longstanding brotherly relations.”

It quoted Raisi as saying that by fostering cooperation between the militaries, Iran and Pakistan “can attain peace and stability for both nations and the region."

Raisi also met with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The two discussed regional and global developments and “affirmed commitment to peace and constructive dialogue for resolving regional challenges."

Raisi is accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation. He plans to visit Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city, and Lahore, where he will meet with the country's recently elected first female chief minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

This version corrects the first name of the Pakistani president to Asif.

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