A Glittering Courtesy Call

Tongue firmly in cheek, The Economist of London chose last week to publish a Declaration of Dependence, suggesting that Britain might be better off reunited with "our American Brethren " as the 51st state. Among the magazine's grievances against the present government: "They have repeatedly and cruelly increased the Price of stamps, thereby effectively levying a Stamp Tax; they have reduced the Value of the Pound to just about 1.776 Dollars, which is an excessively Bicentennial Figure." The Declaration acknowledged past differences ("What if we did burn down Washington in 1814? Jimmy Carter, at least, ought to approve "), but in support of its plea for reunification pledged "our Lives, what is left of our Fortunes and what is left of our sacred Honour." The Economist's Declaration was a new wrinkle on an old theme: in George Bernard Shaw's 1929 political comedy, The Apple Cart, a British monarch rejects a U.S. plea for reunification out of fear that England would become, in effect, just another American state.

Nothing, of course, could have been further from the mind of Queen Elizabeth II last week, when she paid the most glittering courtesy call of the U.S. Bicentennial--a five-day visit to the former colonies of her great-great-great-great-grandfather, George III. Still, she noted, while the events of 1776 may have severed constitutional ties between the two countries, the rupture "did not for long break our friendship." She went so far as to thank the American founding fathers for "a very valuable lesson." Said the Queen: "We learned to respect the right of others to govern themselves in their own way."

Making her second state visit to the U.S., the Queen came ashore with her husband, Prince Philip, and an entourage of more than 50 from the 412-ft. royal yacht Britannia at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia. In Independence Hall she presented Britain's Bicentennial gift to the U.S.: a six-ton bell cast in London's Whitechapel Foundry. which made the original Liberty Bell in 1752. Philadelphia's rough-hewn Mayor Frank Rizzo was nearly overcome by it all. "A little boy from South Philadelphia having lunch and dinner with the Queen," he gushed. "Only in America can that happen."

The most elaborate U.S. function for the Queen was a state dinner in the White House Rose Garden, bordered with Queen Elizabeth roses. Under a gleaming white canopy and with TV cameras recording the event (see SHOW BUSINESS & TV), 224 guests gathered in a dazzle of diamonds and a cloud of pastel-tinted chiffon and crepe. Among them were Lady Bird Johnson, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Telly Savalas (star of Kojak, the Queen's favorite TV program), Olympic Skater Dorothy Hamill and White House Economic Adviser Alan Greenspan, who escorted TV's Barbara Walters.

After a dinner featuring New England lobster en bellevue, saddle of veal, peach ice cream bombe and three American wines, the guests endured an hour of indifferent entertainment. The headliner, at Elizabeth's request, was British-born Comedian Bob Hope, who delivered some uncharacteristically flat one-liners ("When we see a crown in America, we expect a margarine commercial"). When the orchestra struck up a waltz, Ford danced sedately with the Queen. Halfway through a number, to his surprise, he was cut in on by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. Said he: "Best party in six presidencies."

Rocky's Pat. Next day Rocky stole another scene--this one from House Speaker Carl Albert, who was the Queen's official host at a luncheon with congressional notables. For the first part of the meal, Rockefeller monopolized Elizabeth, while Albert had to settle for a chat with British Foreign Secretary Anthony Crosland. After lunch, Rocky committed a minor breach of protocol by giving the Queen an unroyal pat on her back as she viewed the copy of the Magna Carta that was on display in the Capitol's Rotunda.

After a dinner in Ford's honor at the British Embassy that night, the Queen displayed a rather thorough knowledge of the sporting world during a reception for 1,400 guests. "How are you feeling?" she asked Boxer Muhammad Ali, who was still limping from Japanese Wrestler Antonio Inoki's bruising kicks in their recent bout. "Which leg was hurt the worst?" It was his left, and it was getting better.

Rubberneckers. For the most part, when the Queen and Philip were not occupied with formal functions, they rubbernecked, albeit in regal style. They took in a dozen historic sites in Washington. At the Lincoln Memorial, the Queen warmly greeted more than a dozen of her subjects from Commonwealth nations who were lining the steps. As she was about to leave, the horse-loving Queen caught sight of mounted police Sergeant Dennis Ayres and his bay stallion, Like a Bull. She strode through the motorcade and, delaying her departure, chatted with Ayres about the horse.

In New York, Elizabeth made a side trip to trendy Bloomingdale's, where she watched a fashion show and was given a 19th century Sioux pipe. The royal couple also visited Newport, R.I., and Boston, where they worshiped at Old North Church. Before heading for Montreal to open the Olympics--their daughter, Princess Anne, is a member of Britain's equestrian team--the royal couple toured the U.S.S. Constitution, yet another relic of an Anglo-American war. No matter. While Elizabeth's forebears lost a continent two centuries ago, she won over a nation last week with her warmth and easy grace.

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