Washington turned out adoring schoolchildren and ladies in hats for Queen Elizabeth II’s visit. The White House, too, laid on special touches at President Bush’s first-ever white-tie state dinner to honor America’s closest ally and make the queen feel welcome.

The centuries-old vermeil flatware and candelabras came from a London silversmith. A made-of-sugar replica of the queen’s 1953 coronation rose graced the cake. English farmhouse cheeses accompanied the salad course.

And the traditional “special guest” invited only at the last minute was sure to be of interest to an avid horse enthusiast such as the queen: Calvin Borel, the jockey who rode Street Sense to victory in the Kentucky Derby this weekend with the royals in attendance.

“It’s just like winning the Kentucky Derby–it might even be better,” Borel said as he arrived for the dinner