Late last night, Prime Minister Gordon Brown began his first trip to the U.S. as head of Her Majesty’s Government.

I had been paying only passing attention to the trip, as it seemed to offer little hope that anything impactful would be achieved.

But then I heard the destination for the PM’s transatlantic flight, and his itinerary for his first day in the U.S., and I realized something impactful already has happened.

Brown’s first stop? New York City. And his first destination? The U.N.

Now, I suspect that if asked, the folks at Downing Street would say that the decision to go to NY first was purely a result of scheduling concerns or convenience or whatever. (I actually have asked Downing Street this question via their Twitter feed. If they respond, I will post their answer is in its entirety.)

But over the past few weeks, political watchers are starting to notice that Mr. Brown may not prioritize the British relationship with the United States to the same extent as some of his predecessors.

Heritage Foundation scholar Nile Gardiner, writing in the Sunday Times, points out that, “since Brown took charge, the British embassy [in Washington] no longer uses the term ’special relationship’, and that the Anglo-American alliance has been downgraded to Britain’s ‘most important bilateral relationship’ in deference to Brussels.” (More on this from a story in the Telegraph.)

So it’s not hard to conclude that the Prime Minister’s travel schedule reflects his foreign policy priorities.

But as UK blogger Tim Montgomerie points out, “The world is a safer, stronger place when Britain and America are close.”

For me, as an American who loves Great Britain and believes that the Anglo-American alliance is one of the most important and effective on the planet, it’s disappointing to see either leader treat it this way.

Is this the end of the special relationship? Not a chance. Soon there will be a new President, and in another year or two, there might even be a new Prime Minister. Each may have different views and priorities than his predecessor. And thanks to the common culture, historical and language bonds between Britain and the U.S., the relationship can be swiftly rebuilt in the right hands.

That’s a hope for the future. For now, I hope Mr. Brown’s visit to the U.S. helps him see how truly vital the relationship is — for both nations.