Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip to visit Virginia for Jamestown anniversary

Wednesday, November 15th 2006, 8:43 am

By: News On 6

LONDON (AP) _ Queen Elizabeth II said Wednesday that she and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will visit Virginia in May to mark the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown Settlement.

``The Duke of Edinburgh and I look forward to our state visit to the United States of America in May 2007 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown Settlement,'' she said in a speech marking the opening of Britain's Parliament.

Buckingham Palace confirmed she would travel to Jamestown for the events, but said no details of the queen's schedule have been confirmed.

President Bush said in Moscow that he hoped the visit would celebrate strong British-U.S. relations.

``The United States and the United Kingdom enjoy an extraordinary friendship that is sustained by deep historical and cultural ties and a commitment to defend freedom around the world,'' the statement said. ``We look forward to Her Majesty's state visit as an occasion to celebrate these enduring bonds.''

The queen and Prince Philip have made three previous state visits to the United States, the last in 1991 to meet President George H.W. Bush.

In October 1957, they traveled to the United States and met President Dwight Eisenhower and in July 1976 attended bicentennial celebrations alongside President Gerald Ford.

An informal visit to the U.S. West Coast took place in 1983.