Queen Elizabeth remembered for her historic 1976 trip to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Eighty-seven-year-old Hobie Cawood was the superintendent of Independence National Historic Park when Queen Elizabeth visited Philadelphia.

It was July 6, 1976, the year of the bicentennial, and Cawood was proud to show her highness the historical landmark.

SEE ALSO: Former Park Service ranger recalls opening door for Queen Elizabeth during Philadelphia visit

After the tour, when the queen gifted a bell to the United States, Cawood was invited to the royal yacht, Brittania.

Inside a drawing room on the vessel, he had a lengthy conversation with both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. There the queen told Cawood her sister, Princess Margaret, wanted Cawood to know she remembered him when he gave her a tour two years prior in 1974.

The queen, Cawood remembered from his North Carolina home, was thoughtful, inquisitive and easy to be around.

"I got to meet a lot of world leaders ... but Queen Elizabeth II is at the top of the list. She did ask some very intelligent questions along the way... The queen could be an intimidating person, but when you meet her, she comes over as a friend. It was easy to talk to her," said Cawood.

SEE ALSO: Queen Elizabeth helped Philly celebrate America's bicentennial in 1976

After meeting with the royal couple on Brittania, Cawood and his wife attended a special dinner at the Philadelphia Museum of Art where he interacted again with the queen.

"My wife and I were talking to someone else and someone touched my elbow and there she was, and she says, 'My you look quite different tonight,'" recalled Cawood. "I was in a tuxedo instead of a National Park Service uniform. She had a tiara and a peach dress and I said, 'Your majesty, you surely look good too.'"

In 2013, the bell was moved to make way for the Museum of the American Revolution. It's currently in storage but will be relocated soon.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, has died. She was 96 years old.