A Brief History of Royals in America

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I, 1939
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I (above, left) became the first British monarchs to set foot in the U.S. when they arrived Stateside on June 7, 1939. The visit was significant: not only was it a historically huge moment between the former colony and its ruler, but it marked the dawn of American-British cooperation on the brink of World War II. Perhaps most memorably, the King and Queen enjoyed their first hot dog at a good ole American picnic with President Franklin Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor. While the King ate with his hands like an American and asked for seconds, the Queen daintily cut her hot dog with a fork and knife.

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