LONDON - In the splendor of Buckingham Palace and even a fast game of table tennis with British kids, President Barack Obama spent a full day of his European tour on Tuesday tending to and underlining the importance of U.S. relations with England. Along the way, baby boomers Barack and Michelle Obama cemented their deepening friendship with the 85-year-old queen.

In toasting Queen Elizabeth II at only the second state dinner the British have ever thrown for an American president, Obama called her "a living witness to the power of our alliance and a chief source of its resilience."

The queen, in turn, described the relationship between the two countries as "tried, tested and, yes, special."

Tuesday's state visit was all about images-with-a-message before Obama delves into the gritty details of foreign policy with British Prime Minister David Cameron on the last day of his visit to England, and makes an address to Parliament reassuring Europe about its place in American foreign policy. At the same time, the president kept one eye on the devastating Midwest tornadoes at home, scheduling a visit to Missouri on Sunday as soon as he returns from his four-nation tour of Europe.

In the formality and ceremony of the president's state visit in London - and in the unscripted personal moments that played out within that framework - Obama was working to shore up the U.S. relationship with Britain and to further his efforts to see Western allies shoulder a greater share of the burden in addressing trouble spots around the globe.

Tuesday was a day for over-the-top pomp: Not just a 21-gun salute, but a 41-gun salute at the palace (20 extras because the shots were fired from a royal park) and an additional 62-gun salute from the Tower of London (21 bonus booms because they were fired within the city of London, palace officials explained).

As a special treat, the Obamas had a chance to meet newlyweds Prince William and new wife Kate, who came down from Wales for what one palace spokesman called "a bit of a chin wag." The couples had a morning visit, but the newlyweds didn't stay for dinner.

State visits are arranged by Britain's government as a way of courting allies and rewarding friends. The queen's guest list and even her dinner toast are coordinated with officials.

Although most previous presidents have visited England and met the queen, a number of features are required by British protocol in order for the trip to be considered a state visit. George W. Bush is the only previous U.S. president to be accorded a state visit, according to Buckingham Palace.