On 6 May 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrived in Winchester via the Royal Train and received the keys to the city at the Guildhall. They returned again after WWII on 17 May 1946 – a ball was held to celebrate their visit. Queen Elizabeth II visited the city on the 5 July 1955, giving a speech on the balcony of the Guildhall. Contemporary photos show children on the roofs of shops and houses along the Broadway, positioned to see the Queen. The Queen’s visits followed in the footsteps of her predecessors, including her namesake, Elizabeth I, who visited Winchester several times during her annual ‘progresses’, including visits in 1560, 1574, 1586 and 1591.
