The Queen's Birthday

Cheers! For 93 years old, The Queen sure knows how to party! In a previous post I mentioned that the diplomatic cocktail parties everyone associates with diplomatic life only happen a couple times a year. Well, we attended one last night. We were invited to the UK Ambassador's residence to celebrate the Queen's 93rd birthday. This event happens at British Embassies world-wide every year.  After a few cocktails someone asked the British diplomats if this was sort of like their national day or independence day. It struck me, the independence days I had become accustomed to all over the Americas probably did not exist in most of Europe. The British diplomat responded with a wink admitting, "Well yeah, most independence days are a country's celebration of their independence from us!" Hahaha. I had never really thought about it from their perspective before. According to Wikipedia, "At present, the Queen's Official Birthday is marked as a de facto national day by British diplomatic missions overseas, but not in the UK itself."

Well anyway it was a bash. I had been expecting an evening garden party with wine, silver platers, clinking glasses, and pleasant hushed conversations. Instead the Ambassador gave a toast and ended her speech with the line from Bohemian Rapsody "Is this the real life..." and within seconds a Queen cover band finished the phrase, took over the stage and rocked (see video). There was Johnnie Walker and Hendrick's Gin alongside mezcal and Don Julio. There were dessert tables, modern art, Triumph motorcycles, photo booths with crazy hats, and someone walking around in a Queen's Guard outfit (fuzzy hat and all). I have to give a shout out to their 2019 plastic reduction campaign and art theme. It was a far cry from what I had expected but I gather the Queen knows how to have a good time, even in her 90's. Plus I got to speak English...God Save the Queen!

In Love & Tacos

on the way

with the newlyweds

Mr. Doodle