During a visit to Britain in 1982, President Reagan and Queen Elizabeth II discussed when she might visit the U.S. According to the royal biographer Robert Hardman, Elizabeth felt obligated to go to Washington, D.C. But she was thrilled to hear Reagan say, “Forget all that. Come to Hollywood.” On Feb. 26, 1983, she arrived aboard the royal yacht Britannia to San Diego, where roughly 3,000 souls braved the rain to greet her.

Over the next 10 days, she met Hollywood stars, took in the view at Yosemite, and attended a lavish banquet in San Francisco. In Los Angeles, she recalled how 400 years earlier Sir Francis Drake had sailed the coast and claimed the territory as Nova Albion. Addressing Mayor Tom Bradley, she said, “I am happy, though, to give you an immediate assurance, Mr. Mayor, that I have not come here to press that claim.”

George Rose, who photographed her visit for the Los Angeles Times, shared a selection of his pictures with the California Sun. 👇

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