MIAMI (WSVN) - South Floridians are mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, including those who got a chance to be in her company when she visited the Sunshine State three decades ago.
As the world remembers and pays tribute to the long-serving monarch, who died at her Scottish estate on Thursday at the age of 96, those who met her during her Florida visit in May 1991 are speaking out about their encounters with royalty.
Speaking with 7News on Friday, former City of Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez summed up the historic opportunity to host the queen.
“Gracious, elegant, positive for Miami,” he said. “The entire visit went super well.”
At the time, Suarez said, Miami was trying to shake off growing pains and a stigma as a crime-ridden and drug-fueled town.
“There’s nothing like the sort of stamp of approval from the Queen of England to say that we had arrived,” he said.
Dr. Paul George, HistoryMiami Museum’s resident historian, also remembers the queen’s trip.
“It just gave us additional recognition. We’re a young city, and we thrive on this, and we’re a tourist city, and we’re a developing city,” he said.
George said the visit began with the royals landing in a sleek Concorde jet.
Pictures captured the queen as she paid a visit to a Miami icon: Vizcaya. She was seen meeting with staff of the property’s museum and garden.
“Many people were there. A lot of young kids were there,” said George.
Uriah Goldfinger was a 12-year-old student chosen with a group of other children from Miami to be at Vizcaya for the royal visit.
“We were there, she came floating in,” he said. “The boys were told to bow, the girls were told to curtsy, and we were told not to speak to her.”
But Goldfinger, who went to Coconut Grove Elementary School at the time, said he felt a chance to address the monarch was an opportunity that only comes once in a lifetime, so he couldn’t pass it up.
“I bowed when she walked past. I blurted out, ‘How long have you been queen?’ And she responded with, ‘Too long. Look it up in your reference books,'” he said.
“‘I’m gonna let you figure it out from the history books.’ That was kind of cute,” said Suarez. “It was like a teaching moment for a youngster.”
The quick-witted queen encountered more local students when she stopped by Booker T. Washington Middle School in Overtown.
Speaking with 7News, the principal at the time, John Williams, said he has vivid memories of the royal visit.
“When Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip came and they visited the school, Booker T. Washington … The Queen of England came to the school. It was really big for the Booker T. family,” he said, “so they were excited, as well as I and the alumni of Booker T. Washington.”
The school later became Booker T. Washington Senior High.
Dade County was not the only stop the royals made while in Florida. They also went to Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson.
The queen and prince were greeted by late Monroe County Mayor and Conch Republic ambassador Wilhelmina Harvey.
The royals eventually wound up at PortMiami, surrounded by an elite crowd.
Suarez said he was there.
“We had a very private dinner on the yacht, the royal yacht, which is called the Royal Britannia, right off the Port of Miami,” he said. “We were very impressed with the other people who were there, including two ex-presidents.”
Former presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford were in attendance, along with a long list of renowned guests. Williams was also invited to attend the reception on board the yacht.
“It was great to be able to mingle with royalty for one night,” said Suarez.
South Floridians wishing to sign the queen’s condolence book may do so next week at Miami’s British Consulate, located at 1001 Brickell Bay Drive. They may come in Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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