British Embassy in Tel Aviv celebrates Queen’s Birthday with a royal Platinum Jubilee themed reception
With a keynote speech by Minister Ayelet Shaked, 750 guests joined Ambassador Neil Wigan to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years of service.
The traditional Queen’s Birthday Party took place yesterday (Wednesday, 15 June 2022) at the British Ambassador’s residence in Ramat Gan, with a special royal theme celebrating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne.
President Herzog congratulated the Queen on the special occasion in a filmed greeting, followed by a keynote speech and toast to the queen by Minister Ayelet Shaked. Among the guests were Leader of the Opposition Benjamin Netanyahu and Mrs. Sara Netanyahu, Ministers, Government Officials, senior figures from Israeli Trade, Economy, Diplomacy and society spheres, and 750 of the Embassy’s friends and contacts.
Children’s drawings and Coronation chicken
Huge celebrations took place in the UK over the last weekend to mark the Queen’s historic Platinum Jubilee, including more than 7,000 public events and street parties, marching parades, an air show over the London sky, cooking competitions and a live music show at Buckingham Palace.
Here in Israel the embassy is also getting the local community involved in the celebrations. Children from a primary school in Ramat Gan dedicated drawings to the Queen, which were posted on the gates of the British Ambassador’s Residence. Seminar Hakibutzim art students created royal themed stage design and photo stands for the event and the Israeli chamber orchestra played famous British pop songs as classical music – including hits by Queen, Adele, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and the James Bond soundtrack.
All the designs at the event had a royal theme, including a golden and purple royal throne, the “royal” colour purple everywhere, and a “Mad Hatter’s” style tea party from Alice in Wonderland.
The menu was based on traditional royal dishes including Coronation chicken, which was the official dish at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953; King Edward Potatoes, a potato variety grown in the UK, which was proclaimed in 1902 at the coronation of King Edward, and Beef Wellington fillet – a dish named after Wellington’s first Duke, Arthur Wellesley.
Ambassador Wigan said:
The Queen has been on the throne for 70 years – a glorious achievement. Queen Elizabeth is an extraordinary woman, who dedicated her entire life to serving her country and people.
It’s a great honour for me to serve as her Ambassador at such a great time for the bilateral relationship between the UK and Israel. I’m not exaggerating when I say that our relationship is in the best place it has ever been.
Minister Shaked said:
The connection between Israel and the royal family, as well as the connection between the countries, is anchored in a common history and shared values. From the Balfour Declaration which was an essential milestone in the Zionist movement, to this very day, where our relations can be characterized as those of wide-ranging cooperation in a variety of different areas.
With regard to the Royal Family, we have had, over the past years, the privilege of acquainting ourselves with its members due to the visit of Prince William, and afterwards of his father, Prince Charles, who participated in the event hosted by the President of the State of Israel commemorating 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz Death Camp.
And thank you also to our three Platinum sponsors, BDO, Shore Capital and Abouelafia.