All Hail the Queen

The town of Williamsburg has opened it arms wide to the British royalty which is due to grace Virginia this week. This is not the first visit Queen Elizabeth II has made to Williamsburg and Jamestown; the first visit was in 1957 three years after the Queen Mother, Elizabeth I had visited in 1954. Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, arrive in Richmond on 3 May 2007. There the Queen will address the assembly at the capital in Richmond, then journey on to Williamsburg where a carriage awaits them to tour through the historic Colonial Williamsburg.

On Friday morning, 4 May, the Queen and Prince Phillip are scheduled to tour Jamestown settlement and historic Jamestown Island. Jamestown Island is the actual landing site of the original colonist; Jamestown Settlement is a recreation of the island. During this tour the royal couple intend to present a gift to the people of Virginia. It is not known what the gift will be, however, the last gift from the Queen was a tortoise shell jewel case so large it takes two people to hold. The Jewel case, made in Jamaica around the 1660s, will be on display for the Queen to view along with other visitors to the DeWitt Wallace Arts Museum in Williamsburg.

In the afternoon on Friday the royal couple have different agendas. Prince Phillip will travel to Norfolk to luncheon there, as well as attend a reception on the USS Wisconsin. Queen Elizabeth will dine at the Governor's Palace, and then visit the College of William and Mary to ring the Wren bell and receive a class award. The couple's departure plans have not been announced.