UK and US seal time capsule beneath Washington Monument for 250th anniversary

To commemorate the semiquincentennial of American independence, a time capsule was interred beside the Washington Monument, containing a proclamation from the King, a letter by Donald Trump, a special Royal Mint coin, and soil from George Washington’s ancestral home in Northamptonshire. Contributions from Washington Academy students in Sunderland—poems, letters and a rap—were also included. A twin capsule was placed under the restored George Washington statue in London’s Trafalgar Square last year.

The dedication ceremony featured a military colour guard, music from “The President’s Own” Marine Band and the British Army’s Band and Bugles of The Rifles, and the playing of both national anthems. Britain’s ambassador to the United States and U.S. Secretary of the Interior spoke about the gesture symbolising enduring Anglo-American friendship. Both capsules are slated to be opened on July 4 2276, the United States’ 500th anniversary.