The Diplomat
The British ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott, celebrated the birthday of King Charles III on Thursday at his residence with some 600 guests, among whom was the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente.
Likewise, representatives of some of the companies that contribute to the close commercial relationship between the United Kingdom and Spain attended, such as Marco Patuano, CEO of Cellnex, or José Manuel Rodríguez, Global Director of Government and Institutional Affairs at Iberdrola.
Carlos III celebrates this Saturday, June 15, his second official birthday as monarch. He will do so in London, leading the events of Trooping the colour, a military parade that for more than 260 years has marked the official anniversary of the British sovereign.
“It has been a pleasure to celebrate this official birthday of His Majesty King Carlos III with so many Spanish friends. But we have also celebrated the close personal ties that unite our royal families, as well as the commercial, cultural and historical ties that foster a lasting friendship and a continued spirit of cooperation between Spain and the United Kingdom,” said Elliott.
The connections between both countries were precisely the common thread of the celebration, which featured a ‘bilateral’ menu designed in part by British chef Marc Fosh, whose restaurant in Palma de Mallorca has a Michelin star. Among his creations for the guests at the party, the ‘coronation’ chicken tartlets stood out – a recipe created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 – with Jabugo ham or the traditional English dessert Eton mess with strawberry gazpacho and basil.
Hugh Elliott, who concludes his time as ambassador to Spain in September after five years in the position, brought his personal touch to the menu with a cocktail made with the British gin Tanqueray 0.0% and the jam that he prepares himself every year with bitter oranges grown in the gardens of the Real Alcázar of Seville and collected in person. This is the same jam that the ambassador sends annually to Buckingham Palace and that is not missing from the breakfast table of the British royal family.
Strong cultural ties also shaped the musical selection, with a joint performance by a piper from the 152 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps of Northern Ireland and another Spaniard from the “Guadarrama XII” Brigade. He also delighted attendees with the Nottinghamshire Band of the Royal Engineers. The final part of the musical evening was performed by DJ Cori Matius, a participant in the British Council’s musical academy We are equals.
To underline King Charles III’s commitment to the fight against climate change, the Embassy replaced single-use decorations with reusable or recyclable ones. In addition, some of the decorations were made with seasonal fruits and vegetables, from local suppliers, which were donated to the Madrid Food Ban
The Ambassador with Minister Óscar Puente.
