queen elizabeth 2 visit to india in 1990

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When the Queen came calling: Elizabeth’s three visits to India

During her reign she undertook three state visits to india, in 1961, 1983, and 1997. the queen and her royal consort, prince philip, the duke of edinburgh, first visited india in january 1961, the first royal british tour of india in 50 years..

Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Britain’s longest serving monarch died at the age of 96 on Thursday (September 8), after holding the throne for nearly 70 years.

After her father, King George VI died in 1952, Elizabeth ascended to the throne five years after India attained independence from colonial rule, becoming the first British ruler to take the throne after the empire lost its ‘jewel in the crown’. During her reign she undertook three state visits to India, in 1961, 1983, and 1997.

First visit: 1961

The Queen and her royal consort, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, first visited India in January 1961, the first royal British tour of India in 50 years. According to newspapers cited by the BBC, people were so excited to catch a glimpse of her during the visit, that nearly a million people thronged the route that took her from the airport to the official residence of the President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, in New Delhi.

The royal couple toured Bombay ( Mumbai ), Madras (Chennai), and Calcutta ( Kolkata ), and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Pink Palace in Rajasthan . She paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi.

President Dr Rajendra Prasad invited them as Guests of Honour for the Republic Day parade on January 26 of that year, and the Queen addressed thousands of people at a meeting in Delhi’s Ramlila Ground.

Second visit: 1983

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s next royal visit took place nearly two decades later, upon the invitation of President Giani Zail Singh, and they stayed at the visitors’ suite of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. According to a newspaper cited by the BBC, the Indian furnishings were replaced with Viceregal decor for the visit, and old Western style dishes were prepared for her, since the Queen was said to like “simple meals”.

Her royal visit was at the same time as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) hosted by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. During her visit, the Queen famously presented Mother Teresa — now Saint Teresa of Calcutta — with the honorary Order of Merit, an extremely exclusive reward that is only limited to 42 living members at one time, for her service to humanity.

Third visit: 1997

Her final and third royal visit to India in October 1997 was to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of India’s Independence. During her stay, Queen Elizabeth touched on the violence unleashed by British colonial rule in India. “It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example,” she said in her banquet address.

Amidst the calls for an apology for the killing of thousands of peaceful protesters upon the orders of General Reginald Dyer for protesting against the Rowlatt Act in 1919, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar and placed a wreath at the memorial.

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While her speech and visit did not satisfy those who had called for an explicit apology, the BBC reported that it seemed to appease the relatives of those who were killed, who had planned a protest at the Amritsar airport during her arrival. The Queen was allowed to enter the Golden Temple after taking off her shoes

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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.

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10 Pictures that take you inside the Queen's visits to India

Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth visited India several times, meeting with heads of state and touring the country's most-loved historical sites

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip 's first visit to India was in 1961, where the royal couple was greeted by both heads of the Indian state. During their trip, the monarch and her consort took a tour of India's most-loved monuments, including the Taj Mahal. During Prince Phillip's lifetime, the two visited India three times: in 1961, 1983 and in 1997—the year the couple visited India to mark the republic's fiftieth anniversary of independence from British rule.

During their first visit, the Queen and Prince Phillip toured Mumbai (then Bombay), Jaipur, Agra, Calcutta and Chennai (then Madras). In Jaipur, the Maharaja of Jaipur hosted the royal couple for a round of hunting, and they were also the guests of honour for that year's Republic Day parade. The people of India came out in record numbers to witness this historic tour, lining the streets to watch the royal processions.

Look through a gallery of historic images that give us a glimpse into Queen Elizabeth II's tours of India, and the many people and places she visited while here.

Queen Elizabeth II with President Rajendra Prasad (1884 - 1963) and Prince Philip on the occasion of the President's reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi following the Republic Day Parade (1961)

Queen Elizabeth II riding an elephant in Benares during a tour of India (1961)

Queen Elizabeth II shares a joke with husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Indian Prime Minister Pandit Nehru (1889 - 1964) during a National Cadet Corps rally in New Delhi (1961)

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visiting the Taj Mahal during their six week royal visit to India  (1961)

 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visit the shrine of Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi (1961)

Queen Elizabeth II meets Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi (1983)

Queen Elizabeth II at Hyderabad House in New Delhi (1983)

Queen Elizabeth II presents the Order of Merit to Mother Teresa at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi (1983)

Memorylane: Queen Elizabeth II’s Visits to India

Three indian presidents have also been honored by the queen over the years: dr. radhakrishnan in 1963, in 1990, r. venkataraman, and in 2009, pratibha patil.

Statesman News Service | September 9, 2022 8:36 pm

(File Photos) These countries have

At age 96, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away. She ruled for seventy years. The Queen had reduced her travels due to age-related mobility problems, including this week’s appointment of new Prime Minister Liz Truss in Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth II, ascended the throne in 1952, shortly after India gained independence from colonial authority. Throughout her tenure, she made three State Visits to India: in 1961, 1983, and 1997. Her first trip to India, which took place after 15 years of country’s independence, received the most attention.

The Queen’s first visit to India in 1961:

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In 1961, the late Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the Queen travelled to Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. On the invitation of the then-President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, they attended the Republic Day Parade as guests of honour. The memorable trip was captured in the photographs and the Queen also addressed the Indian audience.

During her visit, she officially opened the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and she also went to Rajghat and paid a tribute at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial. Before entering the memorial area, the Queen and her husband removed their shoes and put on velvet slippers.

According to rare archival documents of the royal trip, the Queen received an artistic model of the Qutub Minar, a 12th-century minaret, while the Duke of Edinburgh received a silver candelabra.

During the second trip in 1983, the royal couple stayed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s newly renovated wing. The Queen awarded Mother Teresa with an honorary Order of the Merit.

During her last visit to India, which coincided with the country’s 50th anniversary celebrations, she spoke about “tough events” of colonial history for the first time.

The Queen said in her speech at the feast, “It is no secret that there have been some unpleasant incidents in our past, of which Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example”.

Later, after widespread calls for an apology for the thousands of people massacred under the command of a British General during the Raj era, she and her husband visited the site of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar to lay a wreath at the memorial.

Queen Honored the Presidents of India:

Three Indian presidents have also been honored by the Queen over the years: Dr. Radhakrishnan in 1963, in 1990, R. Venkataraman, and in 2009, Pratibha Patil.

The Queen stated in her State Banquet address for President Patil at Buckingham Palace that  Britain and India have a long shared history that is now a source of great strength in creating a fresh partnership suited for the future.

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IN PICS: When Queen Elizabeth II Visited India In 1961, 1983 and 1997

Queen elizabeth visited india thrice — in 1961, 1983 and 1997. her first visit, which came after nearly 15 years of india’s independence and eight years after her coronation, was the most talked about.

Queen Elizabeth II of England and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, are greeted by President Rajendra Prasad on their arrival at Palam Airport in Delhi for a royal tour of India in January 1961 | Photo: Getty

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Remembering the Queen: Elizabeth II's visits to India

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Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday, was the first British monarch to accede to the throne after India’s Independence from colonial rule in 1952 and admired the "richness and diversity" of India where she made three State Visits over the course of her reign – in 1961, 1983 and 1997.

“The warmth and hospitality of the Indian people and the richness and diversity of India itself have been an inspiration to all of us,” she said in one of her addresses.

In 1961, the Queen and her husband, the late Prince Phillip – Duke of Edinburgh, toured Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata – then Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta – and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi.

They were Guests of Honour at the Republic Day Parade on the invitation of the then President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, and an enduring image from the tour shows the Queen addressing a massive crowd of several thousand people packed into Ramlila Grounds in Delhi for her address, dressed in a fur coat and hat.

In pics | Queen Elizabeth II with world leaders over the years

In 1983, her visit was in time for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and she famously presented Mother Teresa with an honorary Order of the Merit. Her final visit to India was to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of India's Independence and for the first time she made a reference to “difficult episodes” of colonial history.

“It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example,” the monarch noted in her banquet address.

She and her husband later paid a visit to the scene of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar to place a wreath at the memorial, amid widespread calls for an apology for the thousands killed at the orders of a British General during the Raj era.

Over the years, the Queen has also hosted three Indian presidents – Dr Radhakrishnan in 1963, R. Venkataraman in 1990 and Pratibha Patil in 2009.

“Britain and India have a long-shared history which today is a source of great strength in building a new partnership fit for this new century,” the Queen said in her State Banquet address for President Patil at Buckingham Palace.

“Nearly 2 million of our own citizens are tied by descent and enduring family links to India. They represent one of the United Kingdom’s most dynamic and successful communities… relations between our two countries are built on strong and deep foundations, and are set fair for the 21st century,” she said.

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When Queen Elizabeth II first visited India in 1961

The queen visited in 1961 with her husband, the late duke of edinburgh prince phillip, and presided over the republic day parade as guest of honour on the invitation of india’s first president dr. rajendra prasad..

• Updated Sep 10, 2022, 5:33 PM IST

Britain's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday, visited India three times in 1961, 1983, and 1997. But her first visit, which was 15 years after India’s Independence, was a significant one given that she was the first reigning monarch to visit the former colony. The Queen visited in 1961 with her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh Phillip, and presided over the Republic Day Parade as Guest of Honour on the invitation of India’s first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

The Royal couple also toured Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta, and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra, and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi. 

During the Delhi leg of her 1961 tour, she also visited Rajghat and offered a ceremonial wreath at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial. The Queen and her husband took off their footwear and wore velvet slippers before entering the memorial. She also addressed a massive crowd at Ramlila Grounds in Delhi, where thousands came to listen to her address. “The warmth and hospitality of the Indian people and the richness and diversity of India itself have been an inspiration to all of us,” she said in one of her addresses.

1983: Commonwealth Meeting  

The Queen again visited India in 1983 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). India, the Commonwealth's largest member state, hosted the seventh CHOGM Summit under then PM Indira Gandhi's leadership. 

She was on a nine-day State Visit to India along with Prince Philip.  During that visit, the Queen famously presented Mother Teresa with the Insignia of the Honorary Order of Merit on November 24, 1983. 

1997: Tribute at Jallianwala Bagh  

She again visited India to mark the 50th-anniversary celebrations of India's Independence, and famously spoke about "difficult episodes" of colonial history for the very first time. 

On 13 October 1997, the Queen referenced the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in a state banquet address. “It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past — Jallianwala Bagh, which I shall visit tomorrow, is a distressing example,” she said. 

On the next day, 14 October, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh went to Amritsar to pay obeisance at Jallianwala Bagh, where she bowed and placed a wreath at the memorial. 

During her reign, the monarch hosted three Indian presidents – Dr. Radhakrishnan in 1963, R. Venkataraman in 1990, and Pratibha Patil in 2009, and openly spoke about India and Britain’s partnership in the new century. "Britain and India have a long-shared history which today is a source of great strength in building a new partnership fit for this new century,” the Queen said in her State Banquet address for President Patil at Buckingham Palace.

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Queen Elizabeth II passes away at 96: A look at her 3 visits to India

Queen elizabeth ii passed away on thursday at 96.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday at 96. She reigned for 70 years, and was the longest serving monarch in British history. Buckingham Palace announced her death in a statement, announcing ten days of national mourning.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the statement said.

The queen’s death came after the palace announced on Thursday that doctors were concerned for her health and recommended, she stay under medical supervision.

The queen had been suffering from age-related mobility issues since last October, and had difficulties walking and standing and had cut down on her travels, with appointing new Prime Minister Liz Truss in Scotland two days earlier.

Also Read: Queen Elizabeth accepted limitations, dedicated her life to being the Queen

The eldest of her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, will become king immediately.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the top world leaders to express his condolences for the queen and said she will be remembered as the stalwart of our times.

Queen Elizabeth II has visited India thrice during her reign and here we look back at her visits to the country.

Her visit to India which came nearly 15 years after India gained independence and eight years after her coronation, is the most memorable. It was the first visit by not only a British monarch to India after the country got its independence, but also the first visit by a reigning British monarch to the country. Queen Elizabeth, along with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip visited the national Capital in January 1961. The then president Dr Rajendra Prasad, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru received the royal couple at the airport. The Queen visited Rajghat and offered a ceremonial wreath at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, 13 years after his death. She also inaugurated the institute buildings of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on January 27 at a grand ceremony attended by then President Prasad. The Queen also toured Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra. They were guests of honour at the invitation of president Dr Prasad, and an image from the tour shows the Queen addressing a massive crowd of several thousand people who had thronged to Ramlila Grounds in Delhi for her address.

In 1983, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visited India at the invitation of then- President Giani Zail Singh and stayed at the refurbished wing of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. She attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and on this visit, the Queen notably presented Mother Teresa with an honorary Order of Merit and also visited India’s then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Queen Elizabeth’s II final visit to India was in 1997, marking 50 years since India’s independence. The Queen and Prince Phillip met the then president of India KR Narayanan and his wife along with Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral and his wife. They also paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat again. Notably, to mark the 50th anniversary of India’s independence, the Queen visited the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial in Amritsar, amid widespread calls for an apology for the thousands killed at the orders of a British general in 1919, during the colonial era. Back then, the Queen had acknowledged, “It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwalla Bagh is a distressing example,” in her banquet address. She even bowed her head and placed a wreath at the memorial, as the Independent reported. For the first time, she referred to the difficult episodes of India’s colonial history. The next leg of the tour was in South India. In one of her addresses, the Queen said that she cherished the “warmth and hospitality of the Indian people” she received during her three state visits during her reign, and that “the richness and diversity of India itself has been an inspiration to all of us.” Over the years, the Queen has also hosted three Indian presidents – Dr Radhakrishnan in 1963, R. Venkataraman in 1990 and Pratibha Patil in 2009.

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Queen elizabeth ii’s long association with india & her historic visits, queen elizabeth ii was the first reigning british monarch to visit india in 50 years in 1961..

After the longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom passed away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 8 September, while offering his condolences, shared a special moment he had had with her.

He said, “During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture.”

I had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture. pic.twitter.com/3aACbxhLgC — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 8, 2022

The Queen has been an undeniable presence not only in the chapters of the modern world’s history, but also for India.

Queen Elizabeth II Death | Charles III To Be Formally Proclaimed King Tomorrow

How the Association Began

Queen Elizabeth II was the first reigning British monarch to visit India in 50 years in 1961. It’s from then that her association with the country began. She visited the country again, 22 years later, in 1983. Her last visit was in 1997.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh on a walkabout in New Delhi, 1961.

(Photo: Twitter/@TheRoyalFamily)

The Queen with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. 

(Photo: Instagram/@Brownhistory)

Born on 21 April 1926, the official coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953, around five years after India’s independence.

The Queen, along with her husband and Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, had visited the national capital in January 1961.

The Queen addresses a crowd in Ramlila Ground.

During the Delhi leg of her 1961 tour, she also visited Rajghat and offered a ceremonial wreath at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial.

In the visitor's book at Gandhi's Samadhi (cremation site), the Queen wrote, "It Is Very Rare To Her To Write Anything Other Than Her Signature."

She also formally opened the institute buildings of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on 27 January at an impressive ceremony attended by the then President Rajendra Prasad.

The Queen was gifted an artistic model of the 12-century minaret, Qutub Minar, while the Duke of Edinburgh was presented a silver candelabra, according to rare archival footage of the royal tour.

During her first visit, the Queen and Prince Philip also visited Agra, Bombay, Benares, Udaipur, Jaipur, Bangalore, Madras, and Calcutta. She also visited Pakistan during her trip to the Indian subcontinent.

Queen Elizabeth of England with Maharaja Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Avaru, during her visit to Bangalore on 21 February 1961.

(Photo: Facebook/@princelymysore)

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The Queen had visited the Taj Mahal in Agra an open-top car. In Varanasi, she took an elephant ride in a royal procession, enjoying the hospitality of the erstwhile Maharaja of Benares.

After 1961, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited India together again in 1983 and 1997, when India marked the 50th year of its Independence. The Duke of Edinburgh, who died last year aged 99, had also visited India in 1959.

In 1983, the Queen and Prince Philip visited the country at the invitation of then-President Giani Zail Singh. This time, the royal couple stayed at the refurbished wing of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Queen presented Mother Teresa with the Insignia of the Honorary Order of Merit.

During her third visit to the country to mark the 50th anniversary of India's Independence, Queen Elizabeth visited the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial at Amritsar.

Back then, the Queen had acknowledged:

"It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example."

Reportedly, she even bowed her head and placed a wreath at the memorial, as per a report in The Independent .

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Queen Elizabeth II and her visits to India

Updated Sep 9, 2022, 21:05 IST

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