BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION CELEBRATES KING’S BIRTHDAY
The Voice of Chandigarh:
The British High Commission will today (31 October) host the King’s Birthday Party in New Delhi. The gala event pays tribute to His Majesty King Charles III as the UK’s Head of State. India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has been invited as the Chief Guest for this evening’s celebration.
It comes after a landmark year in UK-India relations, with an agreed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a shared vision for 2035, and reciprocal visits of our Prime Ministers to each other’s countries.
Diplomatic relations between the UK and India have reached new heights this year. This year His Majesty the King personally welcomed Prime Minister Modi to his royal residence at Sandringham and to mark Prime Minister Modi’s 75th birthday, he recently gifted the Prime Minister a tree as part of his ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
When he was The Prince of Wales, His Majesty visited many countries at the request of the UK Government – including 10 official visits to India – and continues to do so as King.
His Majesty has taken a keen and active interest in all areas of public life for decades. The King has been instrumental in establishing more than 20 charities over 40 years.
A wide range of dignitaries from the Government of India, representatives from Commonwealth nations, business leaders and eminent personalities from varied fields are also expected to attend the King’s Birthday Party. The event will showcase the best of British food and drink through a menu featuring British cheeses and wines and dishes representing the fusion of UK and Indian food. Guests will get to enjoy renditions of some of the UK’s most loved musical exports throughout the evening’s entertainment, including tracks from British artists who have toured in India in recent months.
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said: “I am delighted to host the King’s Birthday Party in Delhi among friends and leading British businesses, like HSBC, who are driving our economic partnership with India. It is fantastic to be here tonight with so many people who drive the strong connection between our two countries.
“His Majesty The King personally met Prime Minister Modi at Sandringham in July. He greatly values the strong ties and special friendships shared between the UK and India. He has often praised the work we are doing together to tackle the world’s most significant challenges. I am delighted that a commitment to climate and clean energy, an issue close to His Majesty’s heart, is one of the pillars of the UK and India’s shared vision for our partnership in 2035.
“It has been a brilliant year for the UK-India relationship. In May, we signed the landmark Free Trade Agreement, one of the broadest, most comprehensive, most ambitious deals that India has ever done. Having Prime Minister Modi travel to the UK and Prime Minister Starmer visit Mumbai in the same year set a clear vision for our partnership. This partnership is delivering prosperity for both our people, with diplomatic relations at an all-time high, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future brings.”
This year’s King’s Birthday Party in Delhi was made possible by the gracious support of HSBC India, Barclays, Prudential Plc, Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools, BAE Systems, bp, British Airways, Aviva Life Insurance – India, Shell India, Diageo India, William Grant and Sons, Suntory Global Spirits, and Fortune Gourmet Specialities Pvt Ltd.
