Capital Goes Gaga Over the Queen for a Day

As the queen and Bush appeared outside the White House, hundreds of spectators flung their arms skyward, pointing digital cameras in her general direction.

In the crowd, Ann Jones, 52, of Greenville, Miss., debated the color of the monarch's hat with those around her. It was hard to see over heads from their vantage point, but an accommodating 6-foot-4 high school student used his video camera to give all a better view. Yellow, some said, definitely yellow. No, white, others disagreed. No, no, the hat is blue!

The hat, in fact, was black and white, with a big flower pinned to the front.

In his remarks, Bush sought to emphasize the British government's support of his administration in Iraq and elsewhere. "Today our two nations are defending liberty against tyranny and terror," he said. "We're resisting those who murder the innocent to advance a hateful ideology, whether they kill in New York or London or Kabul or Baghdad."

Speaking after Bush, Elizabeth said her visit to Jamestown last week to mark the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English colony in North America had given her "new insight" into this country's foundation.

The party then headed into the White House for a private lunch that included wild asparagus veloute, seared baby sea bass and raspberry meringue.

"It was just a family, relaxing luncheon," Laura Bush later reported, noting that two presidential siblings, Dorothy and Marvin, were there along with Sir David Manning, the British ambassador to Washington. There was no word on whether Elizabeth, who herself owns 14 dogs, had made the acquaintance of four-legged Bush family members Barney and Miss Beazley.

Afterward, the Bushes accompanied the royal couple across the street to their guest quarters at Blair House, stopping along the way for an unannounced appearance before 369 squealing elementary and middle school children from the IDEA charter school and the British School in the District.

"Oh my God! Ahhhhhh!" shrieked 14-year-old eighth-grader Shayla Young, faking a swoon after giving the president a tight hug. The queen accepted flowers and signed autographs for the youngsters.

Later in the afternoon, Manning and his wife, Lady Catherine, hosted a garden party for the queen at the British Embassy, where Elizabeth did not stop to smell the abundant roses but stood on AstroTurf to receive visitors beneath a huge white tent.

Guests appeared to opt for the Pol Roger champagne over the Earl Grey tea while nibbling cucumber sandwiches, scones with blackcurrant jam, and chocolate and raspberry tarts. The Regimental Band of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards played the James Bond theme as well as "Rule, Britannia."

Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser waited with his partner, Branden Wallace, who wore a kilt. Radio talk-show host Diane Rehm wore a huge hat to distract attention from the cast on her broken ankle. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters it would be "presumptuous" of her to repeat what the queen said during their brief conversation.

The queen wore pearls and a diamond brooch with her hot-pink coat, hat and black patent shoes, appearing now and then like a bright fuchsia dot in the crowd out on the lawn before returning to the tent, where Wallace caught the royal eye with his kilt.

"Well done," she told him.

Staff writer Steve Vogel contributed to this report.