Queen Visits Jamestown With Cheney

Monarch Tours America's First Permanent English Settlement

(CBS/AP)  She also mentioned the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech, where a gunman killed 32 people and then himself.

"My heart goes out to the students, friends and families of those killed and to the many others who have been affected," the queen said. "On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, I extend my deepest sympathies at this time of such grief and sorrow."

Afterward, she met briefly with students and faculty from Virginia Tech, including three who were wounded, and with 100-year-old Oliver W. Hill, a civil rights attorney whose litigation helped bring about that 1954 desegregation decision.

Thursday night, she toured Colonial Williamsburg in a horse-drawn carriage, waving with a gloved hand to thousands who lined Duke of Gloucester Street despite a drizzle.

O'Connor's carriage was the same one the queen and her husband rode in during their 1957 trip. The carriage the queen used Thursday was built in 1960 and is fancier.

The plane carrying the 81-year-old queen landed in mid-afternoon on Thursday, and 20 minutes later she emerged with her husband, Prince Philip.

Hundreds of people stood in lines for hours in a cool drizzle, some since dawn, to enter the grounds of the freshly refurbished 219-year-old Capitol.

"How often do you get to see the reigning monarch, much less in your own town?" said Keith Gary, the first spectator through the gates.

And while the queen represents a monarchy the United States went to some trouble to get rid of, her visit is prompting excitement and anticipation about the special relationship that exists between the Mother Country and her rebellious child.

---

Watch: Queen Elizabeth II Arrives In Virginia

---

As has often been the case with the queen's previous trips to the U.S., she will be feted by politicians and the public. America always rolls out its best for the queen, and she seems to enjoy herself when she's here.

Society Editor Victoria Mather says the queen has a deep affection for the United States:

"America has been our ally, and our friend, very particularly during the 20th century, and has fought beside us during two world wars. I don't think the colonial aspect of it is particularly interesting to her, other than in a historical sense."

Part of her appeal is her longevity — Elizabeth has already been through 10 American presidents dating back to Eisenhower. And while, by definition, she stays away from politics, she does have political uses.

On a California trip in 1983, her presence allowed a Republican President Ronald Reagan to draw a crowd of adoring West Coast liberal celebrities.

A current president with flagging popularity might also benefit from her reflected glory.

The venerable Churchill Downs, a colorful playground of the rich and famous, is never more festive than on the first Saturday of May, when high-born and low meet for the annual Run for the Roses. With the queen attending her first Kentucky Derby, Louisville is putting its best foot forward.

And though the queen has never attended the Kentucky Derby, she has visited the Bluegrass State a number of times before, namely to a horse farm in Lexington where she has taken her mares to be mated, according to her former spokesman Dickie Arbiter.

"It's going to be a great day for her. We have to remember, she is 81, so she's allowed a little bit of downtime between this sort of rather hectic state visit and the derby is the downtime," Arbiter said on The Early Show Friday.

She also will visit NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the National World War II Memorial in Washington before heading home on Tuesday.

[toolmangler-2009]

The Queen was taught "If you cannot say anything nice to or about someone, don't say anything at all"

[emhawks]

CHENEY & THE QUEEN DESERVE EACH OTHER.

[tbweb]

Cheney is hoping the Queen makes him a Knight! Good luck with that! LOL

[clarkssuppor]

r_r_k: thank you for your comments. please note that the prayer quoted is a Catholic prayer for the Queen. While catholics have their pope, they also pray for their queen (or president or prime minisiter, etc).

[iceman_1960]

The 2006 Helen Mirren film "The Queen", about the Royal Family and their reaction to Diana's death:

I don't know how accurate it is, historically, but it's a charming little film.

Two thumbs up.

[imprisonbush]

Cheney looks completely bored with the Queen. I was disappointed to see the Queen meeting with this fascist alleged VP. Why would anyone be seen with this fool. he's worse than the Shrub.

[j-whitman]

What's with the Pink ??? --- A new color code for Homeland Insecurity Dept. ?????

[j-whitman]

With the screws coming out of the British wood work on how the intell was fixed around the policy,,, I wonder if the Queen addressed the issue to King Diick ????

[inventagod2]

So the Queen didn't rate an audience with King George?
Or did she refuse to be seen with a cheerleader?

[cfin5]

r_r_k: Thanks for a very polite and correct posting for the Queen! I was begining to wonder if the was anyone with some class registered here. I have their names down and cant wait to crack my IQ throttle on them at a more appropriate time. Makes my scottish-american blood turn red,white, and blue plaid.