Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, laid a wreath at George Washington's tomb on Thursday, Oct. 1. It was his first visit to Mount Vernon in 25 years.

The stop was part of a broader U.S. trip marking the America 250 celebration, as first reported by FFXnow. The British Embassy organized the visit, and British Ambassador Sir Christian Turner accompanied the duke on a morning tour of the estate, located about 20 minutes south of McLean along the Potomac.

The Royal Family's official account said on X that the duke toured Mount Vernon's new education center, met supporters and historians and laid the wreath "in recognition of the year of America 250 celebrations."

Prince Edward also walked through the mansion, visited the history encampment and ended at the George Washington Presidential Library, where he viewed artifacts from Washington's life and tasted whiskey. A published photo showed the duke, in a gray suit, carrying a floral wreath at Washington's tomb.

Doug Bradburn, president and CEO of Mount Vernon, said the visit continues a tradition of British royal visits to the estate stretching back more than 170 years. King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and King Charles III have all visited.

"In this celebratory year, this is exactly the right time to come to this place, which is really at the highest state of preservation right now it's ever been at," Bradburn told FFXnow.

Turner praised Washington's decision to step away from the presidency as "really quite radical" and said the duke's visit to Mount Vernon shows the U.S.-U.K. relationship remains strong.

The visit also raised awareness of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, a youth achievement program Prince Edward's father, Prince Philip, founded in 1956. The program serves young people ages 14 to 24 in more than 120 countries. Prince Edward chairs the award's international foundation and is himself a Gold Award holder.

The Award USA, established in 2016, operates as an independent nonprofit based in Chicago. Over half of its U.S. participants report they are from a marginalized race, ethnicity or ability status.

Mount Vernon has undergone major upgrades ahead of the anniversary year. The mansion reopened Dec. 10, 2025, after a $40 million preservation project. The education center reopened June 11 after a separate $20 million renovation featuring nine galleries, six immersive media experiences and hands-on learning spaces.

During the same trip, Prince Edward visited the Metropolitan Opera in New York and Western High School in Baltimore, where the school became a new Award partner. He also attended the King's Birthday Party at the British Ambassador's residence.

Mount Vernon is open daily at 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy.