Britain's Prince Edward visiting Philadelphia to dedicate Bicentennial Bell
Britain's Prince Edward is making a special two-day visit to Philadelphia — and while here, he helped dedicate a gift that his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, gave to the City of Brotherly Love nearly 50 years ago.
Prince Edward appeared at the dedication ceremony Wednesday for the Bicentennial Bell at the Benjamin Rush Garden, at 3rd and Walnut streets inside Independence National Historic Park.
"It's indeed a great pleasure to be back here in Philadelphia and to be here on this very special occasion," Prince Edward said.
He said he still remembered visiting Philadelphia for the bicentennial in 1976 and ringing the bell, getting a warm reception from the crowd.
"It is a reminder of what unites, and what unites is far more important than what divides. ... There are so many things that unite our two peoples and nations. Yes it is true that we did have a couple of wars against each other," he added to laughs from the crowd.
"But to use a sporting analogy, when you consider the number of for and against, actually the 'for' is more. We've been on the same side more times than we've been on opposite sides, and that's really important," Edward said.
What is the Bicentennial Bell?
The bell, a replica of the Liberty Bell, was gifted to the United States in 1976 when Queen Elizabeth II visited Philadelphia for the Bicentennial celebration — 200 years after the 13 colonies declared independence.
The bell bears an inscription, "For the people of the United States, from the people of Britain, 4 July 1976 / Let Freedom Ring."
The bell was in storage for a decade before it got its new home in the Benjamin Rush Garden — as a centerpiece.
"I come here with a very simple thank you. Thank you for taking care of the bell, and for treasuring it and understanding everything that it stood for when her late Majesty presented it to the nation," Edward said.
Who is Prince Edward?
Prince Edward is the current Duke of Edinburgh after his brother, King Charles III, gifted him the title on his 59th birthday in 2023.
Edward is the youngest of the late Queen Elizabeth II's children. He is also Earl of Wessex and Forfar.
Prince Edward has made multiple trips to the U.S. and was involved in theater productions in his younger years; he also had his own TV production company.
In 2012, he visited Girard College to plant a tree in honor of the Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary) of his mother's reign.
King Edward VII, the prince's great-great-grandfather, also planted a tree on the campus in 1860 to mark the kingdom's relationship with the City of Brotherly Love.
