Hyderabad: The British deputy high commission at Hyderabad hosted its annual Queen’s Birthday Party (QBP) after a gap of almost four years. This year’s celebration held special significance as the UK marks The Queen’s platinum jubilee. The Queen has ruled for longer than any other monarch in British history.
A grand reception showcased the ‘Best of British’ food and drink, as well as highlighted the role of technology and innovation in forging a cleaner, greener, more diverse and inclusive ‘Tomorrow’s World’.
Nigel Adams, minister of state in the British Cabinet Office, was the chief guest at the QBP. He is the first Cabinet-rank minister to visit Hyderabad in the last seven years. British High Commissioner Alex Ellis was also present.
Andrew Fleming, British deputy high commissioner to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, said: “Her Majesty The Queen is the UK’s foremost diplomat; an incredible source of 70 years of constancy during periods of enormous social change. We pay tribute today to her exemplary devotion to a life of service and celebrate the international cooperation that she has championed throughout.”
Andhra Pradesh IT minister Gudivada Amarnath and Jayesh Ranjan, principal secretary, IT, represented the two states.
Several dignitaries from the governments of both states, representatives from other diplomatic missions, captains of industry, and leaders from the fields of arts, culture and sports attended the event. The Queen’s Birthday Party is celebrated by British embassies and high commissions around the world. The Queen turned 96 on April 21. The platinum jubilee was celebrated in the UK over an extended four-day weekend in June.
Physical exhibits at the QBP included a Jaguar Land Rover Electric vehicle, the Pavegen smart tile which generates renewable energy using footsteps and a unique virtual reality science museum experience narrated by British astronaut Tim Peake.
