"Honoring the British king might seem an ironic beginning to our celebration of 250 years of American independence, but, in fact, no tribute could be more appropriate," the president intoned when welcoming the monarch to the White House. "Long before Americans had a nation or a constitution, we first had a culture, a character, and a creed. Before we ever proclaimed our independence, Americans carried within us the rarest of gifts: moral courage. And it came from a small but mighty kingdom from across the sea," the president continued. "For nearly two centuries before the Revolution, this land was settled and forged by men and women who bore in their souls the blood and noble spirit of the British. Here, on a wild and untamed continent, they set loose the ancient English love of liberty and the great Briton's distinctive sense of glory, destiny, and pride."