Gerald Ford received Queen Elizabeth II during her 1976 Bicentennial state visit to the United States.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited the United States from July 6 to July 11, 1976. The trip took place during the national celebration of the 200th anniversary of American independence. Ford, who was president at the time, formally received the queen on July 7.
The royal couple visited several locations, including Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New York City, New Haven, Charlottesville, Providence, and Boston. Their itinerary combined diplomatic events with Bicentennial ceremonies and public appearances. In Philadelphia, Queen Elizabeth presented the Bicentennial Bell on behalf of the British people.
The president's identity can be confused because the visit occurred during the 1976 election year, when Jimmy Carter was campaigning against Ford. Carter won the November election, but he was not president during the queen's Bicentennial visit. Ford therefore hosted the state visit as the sitting president.