The British Embassy celebrated the Official Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II with a garden party at Ambassador Scott Wightman’s residence in Seoul on Thursday.

This year’s celebration was held a little later than in past years, in part because of weeks of nationwide mourning over the tragic Sewol maritime accident which claimed 300 lives of mostly young people off the country’s southwest coast in April.

As guests arrived at the embassy, they were greeted by a Scottish bagpiper. Some 600 people attended the celebration, including politicians, diplomats, military officers and friends of Britain. National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa delivered a keynote speech.

This year, a number of British corporate sponsors introduced their products and services with booths and sample tables.

“We seek to celebrate the queen’s birthday and promote the United Kingdom while enjoying English tea and Scotch whiskey, and seeing the beautiful coasts of Wales and Northern Ireland,” said British Ambassador to South Korea Scott Wightman in his opening remarks.

The National Assembly speaker highlighted exchanges between the British monarch and South Korea by recalling the visit here by Queen Elizabeth in April 1999. The queen hosted two South Korean heads of state. She hosted the late President Roh Moo-hyun during his visit to the U.K. in 2004 and President Park Geun-hye in 2013.

Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne on Feb. 8, 1952, during the Korean War, with her coronation taking place on June 2, 1953. She paid a state visit here in 1999 amid much fanfare. The official birthday of the queen is not her actual birthday, which is April 21. She is 88 years old.

The United Kingdom was one of the first nations to establish diplomatic relations with Korea. Ties officially began with the signing of a treaty that established diplomatic ties by a British minister stationed in Tokyo, Sir Harry Parkes, and Min Young-mok of Korea on Nov. 26, 1883.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2014@heraldcorp.com)