From the private collection of Marilyn Salenger
This is a remarkable time in the life of Queen Elizabeth II. As the Platinum Jubilee celebrations mark her 70 year reign in England, I thought back to another historic time in our own country that brought the two of us together.
In July of 1976 the United States celebrated its Bicentennial paying tribute to the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In its own way, the Bicentennial was a unique and special time of unity and celebrations across the country. President Gerald Ford had appointed a Bicentennial Commission to plan and coordinate the national events along with state commissions leading up to the days around July 4,1976, It was definitely primed to be the grand time that it turned out to be.
Part of what made it special was a Bicentennial visit by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. They traveled to several cities that played notable roles in our fight for independence from British rule including Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. New York City and Boston.
The Queen's last day of that U.S. trip was spent in Boston, the city that was home to the beginning of our revolutionary war history. She walked through the downtown streets and among the crowds moving from one reminder of 1776 to another before heading to the Old State House where she spoke:
This is where it all began...If Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and other patriots could have known that one day a British Monarch would stand beneath the balcony of the Old State House from which the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston and be greeted by the Mayor and others in such kind and generous words, well I think they would have been extremely surprised
That's the kind of day it was. Those of us in Boston where I was working as a broadcast news correspondent and anchor saw a warm and relaxed Queen Elizabeth without much of the formality surrounding her in England.
But it was one private invitation not involving work that gave me an experience of a lifetime. I received a formal invitation to meet the Queen and Prince Phillip at a small 40 person sherry reception hosted by Boston Mayor Kevin and Mrs. White at City Hall.
I have met and interviewed many famous people, but this was different. I had to get up to speed on what to wear. How to curtsey. How not to speak unless spoken to first. And how to refer to them if I was spoken to. I was simply honored.
Before the reception began, I watched Queen Elizabeth, Mayor White and his wife Catherine walk in a small parade that led to City Hall. When I first saw the Queen outside walking close by me, I was struck by how pretty and petite she was in person. No pictures I had ever seen had done her justice. I laughingly thought to myself she needed a new clothing designer because the dress she was wearing did little to enhance her looks. Prince Phillip, who walked close behind the Queen, was indeed a very handsome man.
Once inside City Hall's Eagle Room, we were asked to form a semi-circle so the Queen and the Prince could meet each of us separately by introduction. I wore a suit and hat and curtsied appropriately realizing I would probably never have a chance to do that again.
My maternal grandmother was from Liverpool, England. I know she was smiling down at me that day from above.
#Queen Elizabeth