State Visit from the President of the United States: November 18-21, 2003

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 21-11-2003 US President George Bush bids farewell to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as he and his wife leave Buckingham Palace Friday November 21, 2003, to travel to the Sedgefield constituency of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The President and his wife are on the last day of their three-day state visit to the UK.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 21-11-2003 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II bids farewell to Laura Bush before she and her husband left Buckingham Palace Friday November 21, 2003, to travel to the Sedgefield constituency of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. President Bush and his wife are on the last day of their three-day state visit to the UK.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 21-11-2003 US President George Bush (left) shakes hands with the Duke of Edinburgh as he and his wife Laura (second right) say farewell before leaving Buckingham Palace Friday November 21, 2003, to travel to the Sedgefield constituency of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The President and his wife are on the last day of their three-day state visit to the UK where they have been guests of Queen Elizabeth II (second left).

 

[Binny]

Hi!

Just wanted to mention a fellow Kiwi - Hayley Westenra is only 16, and she has an amazing voice.

Teenage diva performs for Bush and Queen

22.11.2003

New Zealand teenage singing sensation Hayley Westenra has performed at a banquet hosted by United States President George Bush for the Queen and a group of select guests in London.

The 16-year-old sang as part of a half-hour musical show based on the works of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber at Winfield House in Regent Park.

Among the 60 guests were English Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, actor Michael Caine and American Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Westenra, whose album Pure is No 7 on the British pop charts, performed four songs, including Pie Jesu and I Believe My Heart, a song from Lloyd Webber's new musical, Woman in White.

Mr Bush, who had his photograph taken with Westenra, told her she had an amazing voice and that her performance was a great end to the evening.

Westenra moved to London last year to record her international debut with Beatles producer Sir George Martin and has had invitations to play at the Classical Brit Awards and a party held by Victoria Beckham.

Recently she performed with Jose Carreras and Bryn Terfel in Wales and will appear on Michael Parkinson's Christmas show.

 

[Dennism]

Watch out, Charlotte Church!

 

[Josefine]

how many state visit has irt been between the two countries during the time E has been queen

 

[Elspeth]

According to CNN, the Queen and Prince Philip made state visits to the USA in 1957, 1976 and 1991 (I assume the 1976 visit was timed to coincide with the bicentennial celebrations), as well as an official but not state visit to the US west coast during President Reagan's first term in office. There have been visits from various US presidents to the Queen, but the only one that was actually called a state visit was when George W. Bush visited in 2003.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

Are they long lost brothers? ...Or are they just distinct proof that we evolved from apes?

Please refrain from making such childish comments.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

Are you sure about the 'evolved" part?

I know these are two years old, but we should refrain from name calling.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

No...we do not bow or curtsey to any royalty, nor is it expected of us to do so.

A very interesting story about Jacqueline Kennedy, mybags.

Maybe I am a big tradtional, but I think that regardless of whatever historical battles were fought, President Bush and the First Lady should've bowed and curtseyed to the Queen, if only out of respect.

Fine if they wouldn't bow to Prince Charles, but to the Queen? The most nominal demonstration of courtesy in my view.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

Observing Protocol

The American Government has advised its officials not to bow or curtsey to anyone, this I feel is extremly churlish and shows a lack of respect for the Sovereigns in the World.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

The American Government has advised its officials not to bow or curtsey to anyone, this I feel is extremly churlish and shows a lack of respect for the Sovereigns in the World.

We do not bow or curtsey, nor would ANY sovereign expect, an American to bow or curtsey to any Queen, King, etc.

It is not a sign of disrespect, and may I remind ALL of you on here that QEII has stated NO ONE has to bow or curtsey to her anymore.

HM would NEVER expect or require an American to bow or curtsey.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Well, HM has never said that herself. Her aides and those who advise on protocal have said it and now it's included in Debretts etc but it's still the social expectation that you should bow or curtsey. And I think thats how its always been - the Sovereigns couldnt care less but the people do.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

Well, HM has never said that herself. Her aides and those who advise on protocal have said it and now it's included in Debretts etc but it's still the social expectation that you should bow or curtsey. And I think thats how its always been - the Sovereigns couldnt care less but the people do.

Are you sure? When I met her for lunch last week and attempted to do so, she took my hand and said to me, "My dear, no need to do that. With your bad knees I would have to pull you back up and at my age that is not gonna happen!"

Lol...I love it when Sam responds..

 

[BeatrixFan]

LOL. She said that to you too? I told her, I said, "Lizzie, I want to curtsey and curtsey I shall".

 

[Warren]

LOL. She said that to you too? I told her, I said, "Lizzie, I want to curtsey and curtsey I shall".

Excuse me. Surely you said "If it may please Your Majesty, I want to curtsey and curtsey I shall."

 

[BeatrixFan]

Of Course I did. She replied, "Shut ya trap luvvie and git a nice cuppa dahn ya gregory".

 

[RoyalProtocol]

We do not bow or curtsey, nor would ANY sovereign expect, an American to bow or curtsey to any Queen, King, etc.

It is not a sign of disrespect, and may I remind ALL of you on here that QEII has stated NO ONE has to bow or curtsey to her anymore.

HM would NEVER expect or require an American to bow or curtsey.

This Palace statement was and still is considered by many to be one of the modernistic "get in touch with the peope" moves that has never really taken off, if you look a footage of the Queen 's Golden Jubilee the only people Her Majesty simled at when leaving St Paul's Cathedral were those who had the decency to Bow and Curtsey to Her.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Has anyone actually got the text of this statement? I've never seen it and I find it a little odd that HM would release such a statement. Her aides and staff members might tell people that they don't need to if they don't want to but I don't believe there was ever an official statement.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

This Palace statement was and still is considered by many to be one of the modernistic "get in touch with the peope" moves that has never really taken off, if you look a footage of the Queen 's Golden Jubilee the only people Her Majesty simled at when leaving St Paul's Cathedral were those who had the decency to Bow and Curtsey to Her.

Sorry Darlin', at no point were we ever expected to bow or curtsey. People did so if they wished. I was in England for the Jubilee, in London, both nights for the Prom and the Party and then the Parade. When her car passed down the Mall both ways I did not notice a lot of people bowing or curtseying.

Just because you are British does not give you the right to imply a demand of Americans bowing or curtseying.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I got a very strange look from the Princess Royal last year when I bowed from the waist as she passed at Trooping the Colour. Nowadays it isn't the custom to bow from the waist although I always have when I've met members of the Royal Family. She looked a little taken back and then smiled. I think she must have appreciated it that people were still loyal enough to show courtesy. Or maybe she thought she was in Japan. I just don't know.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

Sorry Darlin', at no point were we ever expected to bow or curtsey. People did so if they wished. I was in England for the Jubilee, in London, both nights for the Prom and the Party and then the Parade. When her car passed down the Mall both ways I did not notice a lot of people bowing or curtseying.

Just because you are British does not give you the right to imply a demand of Americans bowing or curtseying.

It never has been customary to Bow/Curtsey while HM was in a car or carriage, the custom only applies when the Sovereign passes in person such as in a procession down the aslie or when actually meeting A member of the Royal Family in person. I am not demanding that Americans bow/curtsey but to me it just appears churlish.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

We don't bow or curtsey period. It is not required, expected, demanded, requested, asked for, wished for, etc.

While the irony of how we separated from England at the time is clear in the sense of the present American interest specifically in the British Royal Family over the years is obvious. Her Majesty, being the intelligent and pragmatic woman she is, knows better than to expect anyone from any other country outside her realm to bow or curtsey.

 

[Mandy]

It's probably just as well that Americans don't bow or curtsey. Can you imagine bowing or curtseying to a different Hollywood flavour of the month. I recall listening to a TV report about Prince William which the reporter concluded with, "We Americans may not have a Prince William, but we have our very own princes like Brad Pitt of Hollywood." I laughed til I fell off my chair.