How Queen Elizabeth Helped the US Celebrate A Historic July 4th

And we imagine a very Kate 4th of July

Credit: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Happy Monday!! We had some technical issues over the weekend, and we swerved and adapted into a Monday newsletter. You know how they say, sometimes when things are harder at first, they become the things you love most? Well, this has to be one of my favorite newsletters. Full of history, freedom, heart, and at party at the end! Perfect for the holiday week of July 4^th.

We thought it would be fun to do another holiday newsletter, like our Easter one, where we get to imagine how Kate and her family would be celebrating. Here in the US, our Independence Day is on Thursday, July 4^th. Obviously, a British princess and America’s Independence Day might seem an odd mix, but outdoor celebrations are a bedrock for the people of the United Kingdom. Something that we find inspiring as royal watchers. But, first, a bit of history. How Americans fought for freedom from our motherland and ultimately, became the closest of allies.

Queen Elizabeth visiting Boston in 1976 for America’s bicentinnal. Getty.

For Queen Elizabth’s Boston visit in 1976, the National Park Service estimated crowds to be 75,000. Getty.

It was a historic visit. The year was 1976 and America was celebrating its bicentennial, 200 years as an independent nation. To mark such a passage, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured the East Coast of the US, with stops in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New York City. During their visit to Philadelphia, Elizabeth presented a gift to the American people from the British people, a Bicentennial Bell. Prominently inscribed on the side of the bell, it read:

 

Made in the same foundry as our Liberty Bell, Whitechapel Foundry in London, the Bicentennial Bell rang twice a day, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., for many years. It’s currently in storage and will be displayed again in 2026, at its new home, the renovated Rush Garden. 2026 will mark the 250^th anniversary of America’s independence.  

The Bicentinnal Bell, a gift to the American people from the British people. Getty.

At the dedication ceremony for the bell, Elizabeth said our Founding Fathers’ had taught the British “to respect the rights of others to govern themselves in their own way”. And she noted the shared basis for both nations, being guided by the principles of the Magna Carta. Let freedom ring was a message, the Queen said, “… in which both our people can join and which I hope will be heard around the world for centuries to come.”

It was a crown moment when Queen Elizabeth helped Philadelphia celebrate America’s bicentennial. Getty.

So, how would Kate and her family celebrate the 4^th? I think she would dip into making an iconic 4^th of July dessert, the flag cake! Doesn’t that sound so Kate?