Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip will visit Virginia
May 3-4 to help commemorate the founding of Jamestown 400 years ago, but
they'll be here a week before the official anniversary events for
America's first permanent English settlement.
The monarch and her husband will visit the United States from May 3-8,
Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday. "America's Anniversary Weekend" is
May 11-13.
The first two days of the trip they will be in Virginia for the
Jamestown commemoration. They also will attend the Kentucky Derby on May
5, then spend time in Washington May 6-8 for a visit hosted by President
Bush and first lady Laura Bush, according to the palace, which earlier had
announced that the queen would visit Virginia sometime in May.
The royal couple will be welcomed with "true southern hospitality," Gov. Timothy M.
Kaine said in a statement Wednesday.
"This royal visit speaks to the importance of Jamestown to both of our
countries, reaffirms the strong, historic ties between our nations, and
demonstrates a mutual commitment to reinforce these connections as we go
forward together," Kaine said.
The trip will be the queen's fourth state visit to the U.S. During her
first visit, she went to Jamestown in October of 1957, the year of
Jamestown's 350th anniversary. Organizers are looking forward to showing
the queen the many changes that have taken place since then.