Jamestown Celebration, Re-enactments, the Queen, and the BBC at WHRO

The replica Jamestown ships, The Susan Constant, center, Godspeed, right, and Discovery ply the waters of Hampton Roads as they make their way to Virginia Beach to participate in the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Va., Tuesday, April 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

I love this area! Such rich history all around us! 105 (minus one who died along the way) men and boys sailed across the Atlantic 400 years ago to become the first permanent English settlers in the New World. Little did they know they'd give birth to history's biggest superpower. The small group of high-born, but ill-prepared colonists who set up camp along the James River on May 14, 1607 on a swampy, mosquito-infested swath of land in Jamestown, were seeking gold and a water route to the Orient. What they found was famine, disease, drought and hostile natives.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, or Her Royal Highness (HRH), visited the Old Dominion (aka Virginia) recently. During the visit earlier this month, her Majesty walked the 200 yards from the Executive Mansion to the portico of the State Capitol in Richmond, greeted by well-wishers.

HRH carefully made the ascent up the steps of the newly-renovated Capitol (she is in her 80s now, after all). Gov. Timothy M. Kaine called it a “celebration of Virginia’s diversity.” Before the queen’s arrival, the crowd was entertained by bands and singers of bluegrass, gospel, jazz and soul. The queen, of course, was restrained.

Inside the Capitol, Elizabeth made a short speech to the General Assembly, which convened a special joint session. She noted how much Virginia has changed since her first visit in 1957 to honor the 350th anniversary of the Jamestown landing.

Wonder what she was thinking whilst glaring at VP Dick Cheney?

“Over the course of my reign and certainly since I first visited Jamestown in 1957, my country has become a much more diverse society, just as the commonwealth of Virginia and the whole United States of America have also undergone a major social change,” she said.

“The melting pot metaphor captures one of the great strengths of your country and is an inspiration to others around the world as we face the continuing social challenges ahead,” she said.

Later in the day, Queen Elizabeth II rolled past crowds in an open-topped carriage along Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg.

Her Majesty zipped down Interstate 64 by motorcade late Thursday afternoon from Richmond and boarded the carriage at the brick Capitol. Two chestnut horses named Captain and Ranger pulled her a half-mile to the Williamsburg Inn.

Three other carriages trailed along, carrying a group of dignitaries that included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Colin Campbell, the president, chairman and chief executive officer of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Bringing up the rear were four black sport utility vehicles crammed with men in bulletproof vests cradling big guns. My, my, how times have changed.

The BBC was here in Hampton Roads to cover HRH's visit and used the WHRO Radio studio. How cool! Check it out:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
http://www.whro.org/