Queen Elizabeth II gave First Lady Betty Ford this gold starburst brooch during her state visit in July of 1976 – during celebrations for the bicentennial of American independence. |
||||||||||
photo: B0545-04
Wearing a hat in honor of her British guest, the first
lady gives a White House tour to Queen Elizabeth II, visiting on the occasion
of America’s bicentennial. July 7, 1976 |
||||||||||
Her Majesty was our guest for the bicentennial celebration in the nation’s capital. We had a most enjoyable evening. At a state dinner, the President and the First Lady usually go down and greet the main guests, and then take them to the second floor for a few minutes of private conversation. We took the Queen and Prince Phillip to the elevator, and went up to the second floor. The door opens, and there’s our son Jack standing without a shirt on, waiting to go up to the third floor. Mrs. Ford and I apologized to the Prince and the Queen, who smiled and said, “Don’t worry, we have one at home just like him.” --Gerald R. Ford |