Britain’s Queen Elizabeth will attend the Kentucky Derby, the pre-eminent American horse race, in May when she makes her first visit to the United States in 16 years, Buckingham Palace said recently. The British monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, are making the visit to mark the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement, England’s first permanent settlement in North America. The royal couple will be in Virginia on May 3-4 as the state marks the 1607 founding of Jamestown. They also will be the guests of President George W. Bush in Washington. “This royal visit speaks to the importance of Jamestown to both of our countries, reaffirms the strong, historic ties between our nations and demonstrates a mutual commitment to reinforce these connections as we go forward together,” Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine said in a statement.