The Diplomat
More than 500 people attended Wednesday’s reception hosted by British Ambassador Hugh Elliott at his official residence to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday, bringing back the annual celebration that has been suspended for the past two years because of the pandemic.
The celebration is the equivalent of the United Kingdom’s national day and commemorates the official birthday of Elizabeth II. The actual birthday of the monarch, who is 96 years old, is April 21. On this occasion, in addition, the Platinum Jubilee was also celebrated, that is, the 70th year on the throne of Queen Elizabeth, the first British monarch to reach such a milestone.
In a brief welcoming speech, the British Ambassador expressed his admiration and respect for the figure of Elizabeth II, of whom he stressed that “she is the best diplomat in the world, with her commitment, her discretion and her dedication. No one has done more to strengthen the bonds of friendship, understanding and respect between the United Kingdom and the rest of the world”.
During her reign, Elizabeth II has traveled more than any other monarch. She has made 260 official visits abroad, including nearly 100 state visits. Among them, she visited Spain in 1988, when she toured Madrid, Barcelona and Seville with her husband, Philip of Edinburgh.
In his remarks to the audience, the ambassador also referred to the strong ties that exist between the British and Spanish monarchies: “there is great affection between our royal families, relations are very close.”
The ambassador and his wife served as hosts for personalities from the world of politics, business and society. Among those attending the reception were: the Secretary of State for Digitalization, Carmen Artigas; the Secretary of State for Migration; Jesús Perea: the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Luis Cuesta; the Secretary General of the Department of Economic Affairs and G20 in the Cabinet of the Presidency of the Government; Manuel de la Rocha; and the Director of the Department of International Affairs of Moncloa, Emma Aparici; the Introducer of Ambassadors, María Sebastián de Erice; the Director General of Foreign Policy and Security, Federico Torres; the Deputy Director General of International Affairs and Security, Manuel Selas; and the former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Bernardino León.
Also present were prominent businessmen, such as Ignacio Galán, president of Iberdrola; Andrés Guevara, president of BP Spain; Carlos de Palacio, president of Talgo; and Cristina Hernández de Luna, president of GSK.
Also in attendance were Amador Ensenat, Chief of Staff of the Spanish Army; Carlos Martínez Merello, second Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy; and a large number of diplomats, including ambassadors from different countries accredited in Spain.
Strong condemnation of the war in Ukraine
The British ambassador took the occasion to condemn “Russia’s brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine” “Putin has already failed in many ways: he has strengthened NATO and brought allies even closer together. But our collective job is to keep up the pressure on Russia and multidimensional support for Ukraine. Let’s avoid getting used to a war in Europe.” Elliott further expressed his “deep admiration for the bravery of the armed forces and people of Ukraine.”
Regarding the pandemic, the ambassador wanted to thank the work of the scientists and pharmaceutical companies that developed the vaccines, and the work of all health professionals, recalling the Princess of Asturias Award received by the British Sarah Gilbert: “A group of people without whom we would not be here today”. “We applauded from our balconies, and we applaud again today,” he stressed
This celebration in Madrid continued the official Jubilee festivities in the United Kingdom, which took place from Thursday through last Sunday with an extensive program of public events. The celebrations included the traditional military parade for the Queen’s birthday called Trooping the Colour, the Platinum Party at the Palace, and the Platinum Jubilee Parade. On Sunday afternoon, millions of people took part in the Grand Jubilee Lunch in more than 200,000 locations across the country, with screenings, street parties and luncheons.
