Queen Elizabeth Comes Stateside
The royal's press secretary dishes on her activities during her U.S. visit.
May 2, 2007 — -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are set to arrive in Virginia Thursday to help celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first English settlement in America, Jamestown, Va.
The queen will fly with an entourage of 35 people and 3 tons of luggage.
"The only thing I can say about the queen's wardrobe is that it's always a surprise," the queen's press secretary, Penny Russell-Smith, told "Good Morning America." "Well, I think the national colors, which of course both countries share, will probably, possibly feature."
To mark the occasion, the queen had a brand new portrait shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz.
During another visit to the United States in 1957, one English news report called America a "pesky colony."
"The queen certainly wouldn't see America that way," Russell-Smith said. "America is, of course, one of Britain's oldest and closest allies."
While his grandparents are away, Prince Harry might deploy to Iraq.
"Of course, Prince Harry carries on an … active service career very much in the footsteps of his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh, but also his uncle the Duke of York who served in the Falklands campaign," Russell-Smith said.
Her majesty also plans to meet survivors from the Virginia Tech shooting. She will spend the weekend in Kentucky and attend the Kentucky Derby.
"If she takes a bet, it'll be a private one, so I don't think we'll be learning any betting tips from the queen," Russell-Smith said. "The queen is a close studier of form. She is an expert [horse] breeder in her own right."
The queen will also meet President Bush at a state dinner at the White House Monday night, after a garden party for 700 hosted by the British ambassador.
"The garden party will have some very traditional garden party fare in terms of sandwiches, cake and, of course, tea," Russell-Smith said.
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