By Stone Martindale May 8, 2007, 3:11 GMT
I know I am going on about the Queen, but I really want her to stay, and have some of our leaders leave, if you feel me. Queen Elizabeth II represents so much that is good about Britain, and especially the British people, all of them.
US President George W. Bush (C) and First Lady Laura Bush (L) greet Britain's Queen Elizabeth II prior to a State Dinner on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, D.C. 07 May 2007. The Queen is visiting the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown settlement, the first permanent English settlement in America. EPA/SHAWN THEW
My fondness for them isn't just because of Marks and Sparks, custard triple creme filled desserts, high tea, lovely crystal and fresh brewed Guinness with twigs in it, or that I can understand them much easier than Italians when I am in Europe. Long standing traditions and respect for them matter, especially in this uncivilized time. Did I mention their double and triple cream?
The American president, George Bush, actually donned a tux and white tie to toast the beloved Queen Elizabeth and the enduring Anglo-American friendship at a posh state dinner at the White House on Monday night honoring the British monarch near the end of whirlwind six-day visit here.
A Black Chevy Suburban brought the Queen and the Prince to the gala dinner. Why we didn't bust out a Cadillac Escalade for this auspicious event is beyond me, Posh and Becks use them everywhere they go in Los Angeles.
Laura Bush, our first lady, wore an aqua gown. The queen wore a white gown with a blue sash and a stunning crown.
Bush toasted the U.S.-British alliance as a force for the "common good."
"Together we are supporting young democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Together we are confronting global challenges such as poverty and disease and terrorism," he said. "We're confident that Anglo-American friendship will endure for centuries to come."
The queen cited the legacies of the great leaders Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt as aspiring role models for all statesmen.
"Whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, climate change or the eradication of poverty, the international community is grappling with problems certainly no less complex than those faced by our 20th century forebears," she said.
"Together with our friends in Europe and beyond we can continue to learn from the inspiration and vision of those earlier statesmen in ensuring that we meet these threats and resolve these problems."
Some of the dinner guests reported by Reuters included former first lady Nancy Reagan, golfer Arnold Palmer, Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel winner and violinist Itzhak Perlman.
The Queen and her husband Prince Phillip celebrated the 400th anniversary of the British settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, a visit to families traumatized by the Virginia Tech shooter, and the happy day at the races, the Kentucky Derby.
A formal arrival ceremony on the White House South Lawn was replete with marching fife-and-drum corps. Trumpets heralded the arrival of the dignitaries. The U.S. Air Force Band played both national anthems before thousands of invited guests on a gorgeous day, all live feed and broadcast on CNN.
Apart from the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, Elizabeth II is also Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, where she is represented by Governors-General. The sixteen countries of which she is Queen are known as Commonwealth Realms, and their combined population is 128 million.
Your Talkback on this Story