President George Bush and Britain's Queen Elizabeth toasted the Anglo-American friendship at a state dinner at the White House last night.
Only 132 guests were invited to dine with the queen and her husband Prince Philip at the first white tie event hosted by Mr Bush and his wife, Laura, that came near the end of the queen's six-day US visit.
George Bush
In toasts before dinner, Mr Bush hailed the US-British alliance as a force for the "common good."
"Together we are supporting young democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Together we are confronting global challenges such as poverty and disease and terrorism," he said.
"We're confident that Anglo-American friendship will endure for centuries to come."
The queen said today's trans-Atlantic leaders can learn from 20th-century century figures like Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt.
"Whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, climate change or the eradication of poverty, the international community is grappling with problems certainly no less complex than those faced by our 20th century forebears," she said.
"Together with our friends in Europe and beyond, we can continue to learn from the inspiration and vision of those earlier statesmen in ensuring that we meet these threats and resolve these problems."
Mr Bush noted the queen's long history of dealing with successive US governments, just barely stopping himself before dating her to 1776, the year the 13 British colonies declared their independence from Britain.
"The American people are proud to welcome your majesty back to the United States, a nation you've come to know very well. After all you've dined with 10 US presidents. You've helped our nation celebrate its bicentennial in 17 . . . in 1976," Mr Bush said.
Mr Bush looked at the queen sheepishly, saying: "She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child" as the crowd burst into laughter.
The queen has occupied the British throne for 55 years and is 81.