Visit to Rio de Janeiro – November 8-11,1968

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in Rio de Janeiro (Itamaraty Historical Archives)

November 8 – Friday

The second day in Campinas started with a horse ride at the Santa Eudóxia Ranch and a visit to the Jockey Club. At 14:45, the royal couple took off from the Viracopos Airport bound for the Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro, where they landed at 16:00.

In Rio, their programme started with a cocktail reception at the Yacht Club at 17:30. In the evening, the royal couple offered a dinner to some fifty guests on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

November 9 – Saturday

In the morning, while the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Mauá Shipyard in the neighbouring city of Niterói, the Queen visited tourist sites in Rio de Janeiro: the Botafogo Beach, the Mirante Dona Marta, a well-known overlook, and the Outeiro da Glória, a historic church. Governor Francisco Negrão de Lima offered a luncheon in honour of the royal couple at the Museum of Modern Art for two hundred guests.  In the afternoon, Queen Elizabeth II participated in the symbolic launch of the construction of the Rio-Niterói Bridge at the Caju borough. At 22:00, the royal couple attended a reception in their honour at the Embassy of the United Kingdom (despite the fact that the capital of Brazil had moved to the newly-built Brasília, the diplomatic corps would remain in Rio de Janeiro until the early 1970s).

November 10 – Sunday

The first event, at 10:00, was the laying of a wreath of flowers at the Monument to the Dead in World War II.  Later, the royal couple visited the Anglican Church and again the Embassy of the United Kingdom to greet the staff.  The Queen and the Duke of Edinburg had lunch aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia and at 17:00 they attended a football match between the all-stars of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, at the Mário Filho Stadium, the Maracanã.

Queen Elizabeth II hands the victory trophy to Pelé after a football match in Maracanã (Brazilian National Archives)

November 11 - Monday

In the morning, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburg boarded the Royal Air Force VC10 aircraft from the Galeão Airport on their way to Chile, their next destination.