May 5, 2025: Prince Edward pauses after laying a bouquet of flowers at a portrait of his mother at Benjamin Rush Garden in Old City. Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh and youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, stopped at the plaque that commemorates her 1976 gifting a bell to the United States from the people of Great Britain on the 200th anniversary of American independence.
The queen’s Bicentennial Bell rang twice a day for decades atop a tower at the former Independence National Historical Park Visitor Center. It then spent 11 years in storage before being put back on display last year at the garden.
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Park Ranger Jason Thompson takes photos before the ceremony for the Bicentennial Bell in the Benjamin Rush Garden at Third and Walnut Streets.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
High school students from Passaic, N.J. on a class trip to the Museum of the American Revolution walk over to watch activity at the nearby Benjamin Rush Garden before the arrival of Prince Edward.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Members of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry color guard - with American and British Union Jack flags - await the arrival of Prince Edward.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The volunteer cavalry troop was the first organized in defense of the colonies, and is one of the oldest military units of any kind in the country that has been in continuous service.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker introduces Prince Edward.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward asks guests to please sit down, as everyone stands as he steps to the lectern.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Spectators watch as Prince Edward speaks. He has previously visited Philadelphia on two previous royal visits - in 2012 and 2018.
Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Mayor Parker and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward (left), Duke of Edinburgh, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (center) and Steve Sims, Superintendent of Independence National Historic Park (with hat) view the bell. Pointing is Warren Holzman from Iron Studio, who created the armature that holds the bell, that was is storage since 2013.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward (left) takes a glance back toward the Bicentennial Bell as he leaves the ceremony. The bell was installed in the garden last summer after rehabilitations funded by the Independence Historical Trust and the Landenberger Family Foundation.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward pauses after laying a bouquet of flowers at the commemorative portrait of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. She visited Philadelphia in 1976 and presented the bell to the people of the United States from the people of Great Britain.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Tourists pass as the Bicentennial Bell at Benjamin Rush Garden is reflected in windows of the Merchants' Exchange Building following the rededication ceremony.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
String quartet musicians from Central High School watch as Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, speaks during a visit to Constitution High School Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2025.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The School District of Philadelphia is the first urban school district in America to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, a global youth achievement award that challenges young people aged 14-24 to develop skills, confidence, and resilience.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward (rear, center) meets with Constitution High School students in a roundtable Q and A.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. (right) meet with the students.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward shakes hand of Constitution High School junior Jaz'shanay Ivory.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Prince Edward poses with students during a visit to Constitution High School Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2025. To his right is Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. School board president Reginald Streater (with bowtie) at left, and Constitution principal Brianna Robb is second from right.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Edward rededicated the bell - cast at the Whitechapel Foundry in London, the same foundry that originally cast the Liberty Bell in 1751 - and helped kick off festivities leading up to next year’s Semiquincentennial.
The King of England’s brother wasn’t the only celebrity involved in Philly 250 last week. Mascots from all five of the city’s professional sports teams (and Temple University’s owl) wowed the crowd at a pep rally launching the city’s recruitment of 10,000 “Phambassadors” to serve as Philly champions, advocates, and storytellers ahead of America’s big birthday celebration in 2026.
Since 1998 a black-and-white photo has appeared every Monday in staff photographer Tom Gralish’s “Scene Through the Lens” photo column in the print editions of The Inquirer’s local news section. Here are the most recent, in color:
