She's seen every U.S. president since the 1950s come and go, and on Monday, Queen Elizabeth made her return to the White House in Washington. The British monarch is winding up her visit to the "colonies", after a whirlwind tour that included historic Jamestown in Virginia and a long-cherished stop at the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.

She received the usual pomp that surrounds a royal visit, including a 21-gun salute, a welcome from the U.S. Air Force military band and a reception on the lawn of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Bush, his wife and the Queen shook hands before watching something the U.S. hasn't seen in a long time - a parade by an Old Fife and Drum Corps, dressed in black tricorn hats, white wigs and redcoats, a tribute to the Brits who once settled the territory.

There were the usual diplomatically dull speeches, until Bush made one of his famous gaffes. Or was it planned?  "The American people are proud to welcome Your Majesty back to the United States, a nation you've come to know very well," he told her. "After all, you've dined with ten U.S. Presidents. You helped our nation celebrate its bicentennial in 17 -- in 1976."

Then seeing the apparent disapproval on the Queen's face, he followed it up with this line. "She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child."

Bush will host the first and likely only white tie gala dinner of his presidency in the evening, and the talent promises to be as high falutin' as the guests - the main entertainment will be provided by violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman.