- A letter signed by George Washington, accepting the British surrender that effectively ended the American Revolutionary War, is being exhibited in London for the first time.
- Written in October 1781 following the British defeat at Yorktown, Virginia, the document initiated negotiations for the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which saw Britain formally recognise US independence.
- The letter is a central exhibit in “Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story, 1763–1783” at The National Archives in Kew, which traces the birth of the United States through documents from both sides of the Atlantic.
- Dr Sean Cunningham, the exhibition's curator, emphasised the letter's tremendous consequences, marking the moment Britain accepted the loss of its 13 American colonies.
- Separately, the US State Department is preparing a limited release of commemorative passports for America’s 250th birthday, featuring a picture of President Donald Trump, available initially only on request at the Washington, D.C., passport office.
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