This historical marker is located in a public plaza across the street to the north of the Old State House. The plaza is situated on the northwest corner of the intersection of Congress Street and Court Street. The historical marker is a bronze plaque that reads:
ON JULY 11, 1976, QUEEN ELIZABETH II
AND PRINCE PHILIP OF GREAT BRITAIN
PASSED THIS WAY TO ATTEND A CEREMONY
COMMEMORATING THE BICENTENNIAL OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS
MARKED THE FIRST VISIT OF A REIGNING
BRITISH MONARCH TO BOSTON.
BOSTON 200 - GODREY L. CABOT CHARITABLE TRUST - CABOT, CABOT
AND FORBES - EUGENE F. FAY TRUST, BOSTON SAFE DEPOSIT
AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE
"On July 11, 1976, as part of her Boston visit to celebrate the bicentenary of the United States of America, Queen Elizabeth II toured the Old State House with her husband. She appeared on the historic balcony and delivered an address to a large audience. The Queen said, in part,[16]
If Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and other patriots could have known that one day a British monarch would stand on the balcony of the Old State House, from which the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston, and be greeted in such kind and generous words ...... well, I think they would have been extremely surprised! But perhaps they would also have been pleased to know that eventually we came together again as free peoples and friends to defend together the very ideals for which the American Revolution was fought." (
visit link)
The Queen presented a gift of an eagle to the Bostonian Society, which operates the Old State House on behalf of the National Park Service. The Queen also attended a service at Old North Church, had lunch at Boston City Hall, and visited USS Constitution before sailing out of the city on the Royal Yacht HMY Britannia."