A proclamation by the King and a letter from Donald Trump are among the items sealed in a time capsule and buried in the heart of the US capital to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Other contents included a commemorative coin struck by the Royal Mint to mark the semiquincentennial milestone and presented as a gift by Charles and Queen Camilla during their state visit back in April.
Also enclosed in the canister was soil from the ancestral Northamptonshire home of George Washington, who led the fight for independence from the British and became the new nation’s first president.
And there were creative contributions from students at the Washington Academy in Sunderland, who wrote poems, letters and even a rap inspired by the founding father.
The capsule, symbolising the long-standing UK-US relationship, was interred in a prime position next to the Washington Monument landmark, which is within sight of the White House, Congress and the Lincoln Memorial.
It and its “twin” companion canister, which was placed under the restored George Washington statue in London’s Trafalgar Square last year, will not be opened until July 4 2276, when the US commemorates its 500th birthday.
The dedication ceremony in Washington DC included a military colour guard, with music performed by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and the British Army’s Band and Bugles of The Rifles brass ensemble, which included the playing of their respective country’s national anthems.
Speaking at the event, Britain’s ambassador to the US Sir Christian Turner said the aim of burying a time capsule was “to speak to the future”.
He told the gathering: “So to the Americans and Britons who will stand here in 2276, to tell them that in 2026, two nations once divided chose instead to build a friendship that endures, prospers, and inspires, and may it continue to do so for centuries to come.”
US secretary of the interior Doug Burgum said: “The Washington Monument stands at the heart of our nation’s capital as an enduring symbol of American history, strength and the ideals that shape our country.
“As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the Department of the Interior is proud to place this time capsule underneath one of our most iconic landmarks.
“Together with its twin in London, it honours the enduring bond between the United States and United Kingdom while carrying the story of our time forward to the Americans who will celebrate our nation’s 500th birthday.”
The message from the King, contained in the canister and inscribed on a stainless steel plate, said: “As this capsule is laid beneath the Washington Monument, it carries with it a greeting from the United Kingdom to the people of the United States on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of your nation’s independence.”
It then quotes in the form of a proclamation two passages from the monarch’s historic speech to Congress back in April, when he said: “Today I am here on this great occasion in the life of our nations to express the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States.
“To the United States of America, on your 250th birthday, let our two countries rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples and of all the peoples of the world.”
Mr Trump’s letter paid tribute to the founding fathers and the enduring American spirit.
He said: “For 250 years, this burning flame of liberty has been carried down from one generation to the next and carried our people and nation to heights our founding fathers could never have dreamed.”
The president also claimed that under his leadership the US had seen “an incredible renewal of optimism, a resurgence of patriotism and a glorious rebirth of national pride”.
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