A White House Dinner Fit For A Queen

Elizabeth II And Guests Dine On Caviar And Lamb At White House

(CBS/AP)  "Ours is a partnership always to be reckoned with in the defense of freedom and the spread of prosperity," she said.

"Her message was very clear," the queen's former press secretary, Dickie Arbiter, said on The Early Show Tuesday. "She was speaking on behalf of the British government in saying that, yes, we do have differences, we do talk about these differences, but we're still united."

Earlier gaffes aside, the day had the White House at its freshly painted best and inspired excitement inside and outside its gates.

Under lampposts adorned with the two countries' flags, throngs hoping for a rare glimpse of royalty lined Pennsylvania Avenue for much of the day. Hats of all shapes bobbed down downtown streets in unusually high numbers.

Mrs. Bush insisted at midday that the president was enthusiastic about wearing white tie and tails — though admittedly after being persuaded by his wife and secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, to elevate the dinner to that exalted level in the first place.

"We thought if we ever were going to have a white-tie dinner, this was going to be it," Mrs. Bush said.

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Photos: America Welcomes The Queen

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Presidential spokesman Tony Snow disputed any notion that the royal visit was a welcome break for a White House burdened by low approval ratings and acrimonious tussles with congressional Democrats over the Iraq war.

"There's a lot of other activity going on," he said tersely.

The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, were treated to a trumpet fanfare, a 21-gun salute and a parade by the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps at a morning arrival ceremony attended by thousands of guests. From there, the Bushes and the royals repaired to a very exclusive lunch, with only the two countries' ambassadors and a few family members.

The leaders and their spouses then mingled briefly on the street with dozens of British and American schoolchildren. Bush, in the unusual position of playing second fiddle, followed while the queen accepted bouquets of flowers and signed autographs.

Surrounded by a full honor cordon, the first couple greeted the royals on the North Portico for the fifth state dinner of the Bush presidency. Mrs. Bush helped the queen from her car, and advance coordination kept the ladies' attire from clashing.

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State Dinner Guest List & Menu

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Mrs. Bush wore an aqua creation by Oscar de la Renta with rhinestones, silver beading and a bolero jacket, while the queen had a cream gown with a sparkling bodice, a blue sash, long white gloves and a diamond tiara.

"I think the purpose of the white tie dinner is to reciprocate for the queen's white tie dinner that she hosted for the president and Mrs. Bush in 2003 at Buckingham Palace," former White House social secretary, Lea Berman, said on The Early Show Monday.

Among the 134 guests in the State Dining Room decked out in white and gold were scores of diplomats, businessmen and members of Congress. Other than Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and golfer Arnold Palmer, the celebrity quotient was low.

A number of top Bush fundraisers made the cut. Some were so-called Rangers, who raised over $200,000 for Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, including automotive executive James Click, investor Brad Freeman and former Enron president Richard Kinder. Former Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, who ran Bush's campaign fundraising in 2000, was also in attendance.

The menu and entertainment were designed as a showcase of America's best: spring pea soup with U.S. caviar, Dover sole almondine, spring lamb with chanterelle sauce and local vegetables and an arugula, mustard greens and romaine salad, said executive chef Cristeta Comerford.

Virtuoso Itzhak Perlman was playing violin after the meal.

But after all the excitement and hundreds of hours of preparation, Mrs. Bush suggested that this white-tie affair could not only be their first — but last. She called the dinner, somewhat wistfully, "the most elegant and most formal that we'll host."

[gunnerv1]

swaneea Hummmm.... President of a "Union" ...Sounds like a DemocRat!

[gunnerv1]

veteran71 you must be talking about the Kennedy's right, Bush's IQ is higher than Kerry's

[gunnerv1]

Veteran71 You must be talking about the Kennedy's, Right!

[realpatriot1]

shingles1,

It's the flight suit boy, just ask Jeff Gannon.

Did you hear that the Drunk-In-Chief said that the Queen had been here before for the Bicentennial...in 1776?

[vastr-wcon]

There were 18 major Repug Party contributors invited to the dinner as pay-back. The only surprise is that Dubya and Rove didn't pull some strings and get their most- favored contributor Abramoff to the dinner.

Poor Queen, she probably had to hold her nose throughout dinner from the stench of these Repugs.

But at least Dubya didn't disappoint. Once again - true to form - he embarrassed and shamed this country.

[lars008-2009]

this is the new millennium... hasn't the world outgrown the need for monarchies by now??? living off the people... same with dictators... same with theocracies...

[cpaide]

What a lame dinner menu! Give her some real American food for hell's sake or let her stay at home and eat that boring English chow with her butler.

[shingles1]

Which one's the queen?

Prancer flight suit boy or the bejeweled one on the left?

[inventagod2]

The Queen is charming and proper, and we of this country left the monarchy in history for very good reasons.
While our troops were dying in Iraq - tricked into a 'war' of dubious merit, our Commander in Chief was daintily eating scones with Her Majesty.
Maybe it's time for a 'Second Tea Party'...

[jwhitmann]

THERE IS NO GOD, ONLY THE CLINTONS

I've never believed in God ever since my Catholic priest abused me when I was a boy