30 Apr Royal Visit by Duke of Edinburgh
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Billy Cook
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PRINCE EDWARD, DUKE OF EDINBURGH VISITS PHILADELPHIA TO CELEBRATE HISTORY AND YOUTH EDUCATION
Prince Edward visits the region from April 30 to May 1 following a two-day stop in New York City
PHOTOS: HERE
Philadelphia, PA | April 24, 2025 – On April 30 and May 1, the Independence Historical Trust (the Trust) hosts His Royal Highness, The Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh KG KT GCVO, for a special two-day visit to Philadelphia to celebrate history and youth education in the region. During the trip, Prince Edward will attend a special dedication ceremony for the Bicentennial Bell at the Benjamin Rush Garden inside Independence National Historical Park and meet with local education organizations to raise awareness and encourage partners for the global education program, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards USA.
Prince Edward’s two-day trip to Philadelphia begins April 30, where he’ll be received by the Trust, City of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, and other local officials before traveling to Old City. The cornerstone of Prince Edward’s visit is a public dedication ceremony hosted by the Trust at the Benjamin Rush Garden, located at 3rd and Walnut Street, home of the Bicentennial Bell. The bell was first gifted to the United States from Great Britain by Prince Edward’s late mother, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, during her visit in July 1976, commemorating the American Bicentennial.
The ceremony will feature remarks from the Prince, representatives from the Trust, National Park Service, and Mayor Parker celebrating The late Queen’s legacy and the ongoing diplomatic ties between the United States and the United Kingdom. Following the speakers’ presentations, Prince Edward will lay flowers in the garden as a tribute to his mother before exploring the Benjamin Rush Garden with the project’s Landscape Architect, Studio Bryan Hanes, and Metal Artist, Holzman Iron Studio, Contractor, G-Force Engineering and Construction, and Philadelphia Horticultural Society President Matt Rader. Following the tour of the garden, Prince Edward will join the Trust and invited guests for a private luncheon hosted at Carpenters’ Hall.
“Independence Historical Trust is the proud partner of the National Parks of Philadelphia,” said Tom Caramanico, Executive Director of the Trust. “It was an honor to work collaboratively with several Philadelphia-area firms to rehabilitate the Benjamin Rush Garden and install the Bicentennial Bell as the garden’s centerpiece. We are excited to see this revitalized and accessible green space in the national park serve as a place of rest, relaxation, and reflection for so many visitors.”
Following the ceremony, Prince Edward’s visit on April 30 continues with a trip to Philadelphia’s Constitution High School, where he’ll take part in a roundtable with students about The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and its impact on young people. These students will be among the first to participate in the Award within the Philadelphia School District. The Duke’s afternoon continues at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, where he’ll receive a tour of its collection of historic vehicles. Later, the Prince will participate in a special reception held at the museum, where he’ll meet The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA to Philadelphia youth currently engaged in the program through a local chapter of the Outward Bound School. The school is a non-profit experiential education organization that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through active learning expeditions that inspire character development, self-discovery, and service both in and out of the classroom.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a global, non-formal education framework for young people ages 14 to 24, encouraging personal development through activities in volunteering, physical recreation, skills, and adventurous journeys. Founded in 1956 by his father, Prince Philip, the programs take one to four years to complete and must be completed by the participant’s 25th birthday. The programs are at three levels, which, if successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Today, more than 1.3 million young people are actively participating in the program in over 130 countries worldwide.
After the event at the Simeone Museum, officials from the Trust will host Prince Edward for a private dinner celebrating the Independence Historical Trust as the philanthropic partner to Independence National Historical Park. The event will bring together key figures and business leaders.
On May 1, the Prince visit groups that promote non-traditional youth education and potential partners for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. This includes a trip to Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB), a non-profit organization in East Falls leveraging the iconic game of basketball to deliver life-changing opportunities and experiences to local youth. Prince Edward will tour PYB’s facilities and meet with the non-profit’s leadership team. He will also meet with members of Mural Arts Philadelphia, the nation’s largest public art program, who will share a new mural that was recently unveiled inside PYB’s facility highlighting female empowerment in sports.
The visit continues with a trip to Temple University, where faculty and staff will provide a tour of the Charles Library before joining an educator’s roundtable and lunch. The roundtable brings together key thinkers and practitioners in non-formal education and learning across the United States and global advocates who could learn and contribute to the provision of non-formal education and learning globally. This furthers Prince Edward’s goal championing national youth programs and encouraging national-level partnerships with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The Prince’s visit will conclude with an afternoon tea with members of the Philadelphia Club, where His Royal Highness will speak about the value of the Awards with attending guests.
About Prince Edward
Prince Edward is the brother of King Charles III and the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He dedicates much of his time as a full-time working member of the Royal Family to championing young people and promoting the benefits of non-formal education across the world. His Royal Highness is also passionate about supporting the arts, heritage, and conservation.
Previous Royal Visit to Philadelphia
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Philadelphia in 1976 to celebrate the American Bicentennial, making The late Queen the first sitting monarch to travel to the city. In 2007, The then-Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall toured Philadelphia. Prince Edward’s first visited in 2012 and again in 2018. His upcoming visit to Philadelphia follows a two-day visit to New York City from April 28 to 29.
About the Bicentennial Bell and Benjamin Rush Garden
The Benjamin Rush Garden is home to the Bicentennial Bell, initially housed inside the bell tower of the old park visitor center, which was located at 101 S. 3rd Street, where the Museum of the American Revolution currently stands, from 1976 to 2013. The bell was first gifted to the United States from Great Britain in July 1976 by the first sitting monarch to visit the city, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, England – the same foundry that cast the Liberty Bell – the gift symbolizes the fellowship between two nations. The completely refurbished garden features the prominent symbol of solidarity and friendship and boasts cultivars that were initially traded between the nations through the early 1800s. As a central focus of the garden, the bell is on public display for the first time since its arrival in the United States. The Landenberger Family Foundation made the garden possible through a donation to the Trust.
The Benjamin Rush Garden was officially opened to the public in July 2024 after the Trust oversaw a complete rehabilitation that began in November 2023, creating accessibility to visitors by connecting the upper and lower portions with a ramp and fixing the water feature on the north wall. Through the picturesque, gated entranceway to the garden on 3rd Street, visitors behold swaths of Smooth Hydrangea, Dwarf Chokeberry, and Viburnum adorning the pathways and garden walls. Perennials surround the garden’s center, including Lady’s Mantel, False Blue Indigo, Phlox, Sage, and Salvia. Dogwoods are prominently placed inside the evergreen garden, producing vivid white flowers that persist well into the late spring months. The London Plane trees lining the garden will bloom for generations.
A newly installed brick and Wissahickon schist veneer ramp in the northwest corner of the site connects the upper and lower sections of the garden’s accessible infrastructure, including ample seating for visitors. The bluestone inner circle of the garden around the armature and bell is engraved with 13 interlocking rings displaying the names of the 13 original colonies, inspired by an original Benjamin Franklin design. A decorative Renaissance dolphin head accentuates the rehabilitated water feature on the bluestone north wall as its water source with shell basins for cascading water. Increased wall and pinpoint lighting illuminate the armature and bell, presenting a spectacular view of the gardens at dusk.
The rehabilitation of the Benjamin Rush Garden is the first of many capital improvements around the park completed in preparation for 2026. Other projects inside Independence National Historical Park (INHP) the Trust has helped with are the restoration of the First Bank of the United States and a handicap-accessible ramp to Independence Square.
To learn more about the Trust and its ongoing mission to support INHP by protecting, preserving, and interpreting Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the vibrant gateway communities, please visit www.inht.org.
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About Independence Historical Trust:
Independence Historical Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to support Independence National Historical Park by protecting, preserving, and interpreting Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the vibrant gateway communities. Established in 1972, the Trust was the first Friends group to support a national park. As a partner, the Trust invests the public’s philanthropic dollars in park programs, conservation efforts, and capital campaigns. The Trust also works with other partners in the historic area to enhance the visitor experience. For over 52 years, the Trust has been the Philanthropic Partner of Independence National Historical Park. To support these initiatives or learn about other Semiquincentennial projects, please visit the website at http://www.INHT.org.