Royal To-Do at The White House Is Crowning Touch

After a photo op in the Blue Room, the 130 guests moved to the State Dining Room for dinner. The tables were covered with gold silk tablecloths, the gold-banded Clinton china and white orchids in vermeil candelabras.

The first lady sat between the prince and her father-in-law; the president sat next to Camilla at the same table with his mother. Jenna was seated next to de la Renta, and the secretary of state next to Mayor Tony Williams.

"Your royal highness, it is a great honor for Laura and me to host you and the Duchess of Cornwall at the White House," Bush said, before offering a toast "to the enduring friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States." The toast was greeted with much glass clinking and murmurs of "hear, hear."

Then the prince rose to make his remarks. He recalled his first visit to the White House in 1970, when his host was President Nixon and "the media was busy trying to marry me off to Tricia Nixon." He did not mention his last visit to the White House, almost exactly 20 years ago, when Diana stole the show by dancing with John Travolta.

The prince quoted Winston Churchill and praised Rosa Parks and then proposed a toast to the president "and the people of the United States of America."

At that point, White House officials hustled reporters out the door so it's hard to say what happened next, but if all went according to plan the guests tied on the old feed bag and tucked into Celery Broth with Crispy Rock Shrimp, followed by Medallions of Buffalo Tenderloin, Wild Rice Pancakes, Roasted Corn, Glazed Parsnips and Young Carrots, followed by Mint Romaine Lettuce with Blood Red Orange Vinaigrette, Vermont Camembert Cheese and Spiced Walnuts, followed by Petits Fours Cake, Chartreuse Ice Cream and Red and Green Grape Sauce. This was the first dinner from Cristeta Comerford since she was named White House executive chef. And it was all washed down with Newton Chardonnay "Unfiltered" 2002, Peter Michael Pinot Noir "Le Moulin Rouge" 2002 and Iron Horse "Wedding Cuvee" 2002.

After dinner, the party moved to the East Room to hear cellist Yo-Yo Ma (also a guest at the 1985 dinner) and pianist Kathryn Stott. The schedule then called for guests to dance in the Grand Foyer, the site of the famous spin of Di and Travolta. A picture of that moment still hangs in the White House, and was on display as guests filed into last night's dinner.

Throughout the evening, 300 people from Washington's Ethiopian community held an orderly but loud protest outside chanting, "President Bush, where is your vision? President Bush, where is your compassion?"

But the sound never made it inside, where inquiring minds wanted to know: Would Steagall, the poet laureate of Texas, be writing a poem about this historic evening?

"Never can tell," he said.