A day of pomp and circumstance closed with an evening of elegance last night as President George Bush joined the Queen for a state banquet held in the US statesman's honour in the ballroom of Buckingham Palace.
The Queen donned a gold gown and stunning diamond jewellery and President Bush was in white tie for the lavish affair, which was attended by 170 guests, including the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Tony and Cherie Blair and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Other luminaries at the banquet, which featured an address by the Queen, included US Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Sir Richard Branson and the chairman of the BBC Gavyn Davies.
Invitees enjoyed a menu of consommé with sorrel, roast halibut with herbs, breast of chicken with basil, roast potatoes, savoy cabbage and salad, followed by a dessert of vanilla praline and coffee ice cream. The elegant ambience was enhanced by luxury table settings, including 1953 coronation glass and 1760 Manchester Sèvres china, and a live music programme ranging from bagpipe reels to an array of popular tunes such as My Heart Will Go On and songs from South Pacific, Fiddler On The Roof, The Blue Bells Of Scotland and O Sole Mio.
The day was also marked with royal gift-giving as the Queen and Prince Philip presented President Bush and his wife with symbolic treasures to mark the historic occasion. The First Lady received a jewellery box made by the Queen's nephew Viscount Linley, while President Bush received a solid silver rule engraved with the royal cypher and the US presidential seal, and a specially-bound copy of The Royal Treasures, A Gold Jubilee Celebration catalogue of a recent Queen's Gallery exhibition.
Meanwhile, the Bushes gave the royal couple a specially commissioned set of china.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
