SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Americans reject monarchism. It's in our DNA. But Queen Elizabeth II was one monarch most Americans respected and admired. She had grace and grit — lifelong characteristics that were brightly displayed on a venturous trip to California in 1983.
Her son and successor, King Charles III, shared his mother's attribute of staying calm and cool. And the then-prince showed it while being hosted by "era of limits" Gov. Jerry Brown at the state Capitol in 1977.
The queen's trip certainly didn't turn out as she had expected. And the prince's visit undoubtedly caught him by surprise. But both were upbeat in their reserved royal ways and apparently enjoyed the experiences.
