Her Majesty’s actual birthday falls on April 21 and the rather splendid affair of her official birthday on the second Saturday in June every year.  It is marked by the world famous ceremony of Trooping the Colour, where the colors of a different regiment is presented ceremonially and the troops are inspected.

The British diplomatic community in Saudi Arabia however have a special dispensation to mark the royal birthday early. It is because of considerations of the local weather — temperatures in June make it unpleasant to hold the event outdoors. By happy coincidence the official birthday is very close to Her Majesty’s actual birthday.

UK Ambassador Tom Phillips welcomed the guests and especially Ambassador Muhammad Tayyeb, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Makkah province, representing the Kingdom at the event.

Reflecting on the reasons for celebrating a birthday at all, Phillips said birthdays, like all anniversaries, “were times for taking stock and remembering our roots and our values, assessing what has been achieved and future direction.”

They were part of the way both individuals and nations defined themselves. “National days mark the birthdays of states and peoples. In the case of my country, of course, we mark our national day with a birthday: The Queen’s,” he said.

Seven months into his tenure, Phillips noted that part of his job was to ensure that “relations between our two Kingdoms are in good working order, and that Saudi Arabia’s concerns and perceptions are well understood by my government.”

He said that was particularly because of the inter-linkages between the history of Britain and that of Saudi Arabia, going back to the days of King Abdulaziz and figures such as Capt. Shakespear, Abdullah Philby, Gertrude Bell and Percy Cox.

Phillips hinted at what he described as “momentous times in the region and emphasized that the UK remained fully conscious of what Saudi Arabia had achieved in its still relatively short history as a unified nation.

“We admire the achievements of His Majesty King Abdullah and the course of reform and participation he has set for the nation; we see Saudi Arabia as a key strategic partner in the region working to common goals of sustainable security and stability.”

Following another tradition that stretches back over nearly half a millennium, the evening concluded with the Sunset Ceremony and the lowering of the Union Flag to mark the end of the official day and the event for another year.