President Bush (r) toasts Queen Elizabeth II at the White House, 7 May 2007

President and First Lady Laura Bush have welcomed Britain's Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, to a formal White House dinner in honor of the visiting royalty.

Attire for the men at the Monday evening event is "white tie," the first such extremely formal event of Mr. Bush's presidency.

The royals, the Bushes and invited guests will dine on a five-course meal that includes spring pea soup, dover sole (a type of fish) and lamb. The White House says the tables for the dinner will be adorned with historically significant pieces that include gold-rimmed china, the President's House crystal pattern and English Vermeil flatware.

During toasts before the dinner began, the Queen and Mr. Bush spoke of the close ties and shared goals between the United States and Great Britain.

Earlier Monday, Mr. Bush welcomed the royal couple to the White House with a military honor guard and a 21-gun salute.

On Tuesday, the Queen will tour the Children's National Medical Center in Washington and the nearby NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. She will also lay a wreath at the National World War II Memorial before departing for London.