When Air Force One touches down after a long flight from Washington D.C., President Bush will step onto British soil as the first American President ever to pay a State Visit to this country. The 43rd President of the United States is also the 11th President to take office during The Queen's reign, which began in February 1952, when Harry S. Truman was resident in the Oval Office.
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The Queen meets the 43rd President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, for the first time at a lunch at Buckingham Palace in July 2001 |
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King George VI was the first reigning British monarch to visit America. On 8 June 1939, he and Queen Elizabeth arrived at Washington Union Station and were met by President Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. The King and Queen stayed in the United States until 11 June, during which time they visited Washington, New York and Hyde Park (the Roosevelt family home).
Since The Queen's accession to the throne, there have been many visits back and forward across the Atlantic between the two nations. The Queen first visited the United States as Sovereign in 1957, when she and The Duke of Edinburgh were guests of President Eisenhower.
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The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh attend a banquet in the White House during their visit to the United States in 1991, when they stayed as guests of President and Barbara Bush |
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In 1976 the couple visited as guests of President Ford, and took part in celebrations for the Bicentennial of American Independence. The most recent visit to the United States came in 1991, when The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh stayed as guests of President George Bush and Barbara Bush. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh also made an official visit to the West Coast of America in February-March 1982.
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President Woodrow Wilson with King George V in December 1918. The President came to Europe after the end of the First World War and spent several days at Buckingham Palace |
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American Presidents have visited the United Kingdom and stayed as guests of the monarch before, but never before have these visits been described as State Visits, due to a preferred lower-key ceremonial programme.
The first American President to stay at Buckingham Palace was Woodrow Wilson, who stayed with King George V between 26 and 31 December 1918. Since then, only Ronald Reagan has stayed as an official guest of The Queen. That was at Windsor Castle between 7 and 9 June 1982.
The President and Mrs Reagan arrived at Heathrow Airport on the evening of 7 June, and were later welcomed by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle. The following day, The Queen and the President went riding in Windsor Home Park. Mr. Reagan then addressed Members of both Houses of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster, before lunching with the then Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, in Downing Street. That afternoon, Mrs Reagan visited St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London.
A magnificent State Banquet was held in the evening. The Queen wore a white silk dress with short sleeves and gold embroidery, accompanied by a pearl and diamond tiara, necklace and earrings. The meal began with Darne de Saumon Balmoral and was followed by Selle d'Agneau Rôtie Sauce Madère, Epinards en Branches, Chou-fleur Mornay, Pommes Croquettes and Salade. Dessert was Framboises St. Georges.
The Queen officially welcomed the Mr and Mrs Reagan, before complimenting the President on his equestrian proficiency.
"I greatly enjoyed our ride together in the morning and I was much impressed by the way in which you coped so professionally with a strange horse - and a saddle that must have seemed even stranger!"
The President's reply talked of the common heritage between the two countries and thanked The Queen for her hospitality.
"Nancy and I are honoured to be your guests at this beautiful and historic castle. As we rode over these magnificent grounds this morning, I thought again about how our people share a common past. We are bound by so much more than language: many of our values, beliefs and principles of government were nurtured on this soil."
The President touched upon the impending birth of a son to The Prince and Princess of Wales. Prince William of Wales was born on 21 June 1982.
"This place symbolises both tradition and renewal, as generation after generation of your family makes it their home. We in America share your excitement about the impending birth of a child to the Prince and Princess of Wales. We pray God will continue to bless your family with health, happiness and wisdom."
The President and Mrs Reagan departed London Heathrow the next day for the return trip to the United States.
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President John F. Kennedy with The Queen at Buckingham Palace in June 1961. The President and Mrs Kennedy were entertained to dinner by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh |
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Although President Bush will be the first President to stay at Buckingham Palace since Woodrow Wilson, many Presidents in between have called upon The Queen throughout the course of her reign. Her Majesty has met every single US President since the time of Harry Truman, when, as Princess Elizabeth, she and The Duke of Edinburgh stayed with the President in the United States near the end of 1951.
In June 1961, President John and Mrs Jackie Kennedy dined with The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace. President Richard Nixon had lunch with The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in February 1969. President George and Mrs Barbara Bush and President Bill and Mrs Hillary Clinton also visited The Queen in June 1989 and December 2000 respectively.
When President Bush and Laura Bush arrive at Buckingham Palace, it will not be their first visit. They had lunch with The Queen on 19 July 2001 during a visit to Britain. This time, however, they will be accommodated in the palace for three nights.
By an extraordinary coincidence, they arrive, as did President Reagan and his wife 21 years ago, in the weeks surrounding a Royal birth. In 1982, The Prince and Princess of Wales were expecting a baby. The weeks preceeding this year's visit have seen another royal birth. The Countess of Wessex gave birth to a baby daughter on 8 November, The Queen's seventh grandchild.
This is the second State Visit of 2003, following the visit of President Putin and Mrs Putina of the Russian Federation, who stayed at Buckingham Palace 24-27 June 2003.
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