King Edward VII succeeded to the throne of the United Kingdom in January 1901. Before his accession, he made extensive tours of territories of the British Empire or under British control as the Prince of Wales. His visit to Canada was regarded as the first modern official visit to overseas territories by a member of the royal family,[1] and his visit to India was the first to the country by a future British monarch.[2] As King, he revived state visit to foreign countries as an important tool of diplomatic maneuver and royal influence, playing a significant role in establishing the modern form of state visit of the British monarchs.[3] Among his many visits to European countries were the first state visit by a reigning British monarch to a republic (France) and the first to Russia as well as some less formal ones that were not counted as full state visits (e.g. his visit to Austria in August – September 1903).[4] He did not make official tours of British territories outside Europe as King.
Date | Country | Areas visited | Host |
---|---|---|---|
27–30 April 1903[66][67][i] | ![]() |
Rome | King Victor Emmanuel III |
1–4 May 1903[69][70][71][j] | ![]() |
Paris, Vincennes | President Émile Loubet |
8–10 April 1907[72][73][74][k] | ![]() |
Cartagena | King Alfonso XIII |
21–25 April 1908[76][77] | ![]() |
Copenhagen | King Frederick VIII |
26–27 April 1908[77][78] | ![]() |
Stockholm | King Gustaf V |
28 April – 2 May 1908[79][80] | ![]() |
Christiania | King Haakon VII |
9–11 June 1908[81][82][83][l] | ![]() |
Reval | Emperor Nicholas II |
9–12 February 1909[85][86] | ![]() |
Berlin | Emperor Wilhelm II |
Date | Territory | Areas visited | Host |
---|---|---|---|
8–13 April 1903[87][88] | ![]() |
Governor Sir George White | |
16–21 April 1903[89][90] | ![]() |
Valletta | Governor Sir Charles Clarke |
13–17 April 1907[91][92] | Valletta, Attard | ||
21–25 April 1909[93][94][95] | Governor Sir Henry Grant |