The British embassy celebrated the 89th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II in a grand reception at the ambassador’s residence in Seoul last Thursday, which attracted more than 500 guests.

The birthday of Queen Elizabeth II falls on April 21, but diplomatic missions around the world are given time flexibility in commemorating the event, the British embassy told The Korea Herald.

The queen is the head of state of the U.K. and 15 other Commonwealth countries. She assumed the throne in 1952 at age 25 and had four children with Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Royal baby Princess Charlotte, the daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was born on May 2.

“In celebrating the birth of the royal baby princess and birthday of the queen, we mark the longstanding friendship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea,” British Ambassador Charles Hay said in a speech in both Korean and English. 

“I am particularly proud that this ground which we are standing on has been the site of U.K. representation in Korea from the beginning of our 132-year-long relationship.”

Hay, who started at his post in February, said becoming the British ambassador to Korea has been his “dream-come-true.” In travelling to Busan, Daegu, Gangneung, Jirisan Mountain and Jejudo Island, the ambassador said he felt “touched by the warmth and hospitality of Korean people.”

In December last year, Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, unveiled the Korean War Memorial on the banks of the Thames River in London. It honors British service personnel who fought in the Korea War (1950-53), where over 1,000 died.

The bronze statue designed by Scottish sculptor Philip Jackson was a gift from the Korean government. A model of the monument will be permanently displayed at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan.

The ambassador mentioned the visit to Korea of British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon in January, and former Trade Minister Lord Ian Livingston in March, as important developments on his calendar.

Martin Fryer, the director of the British Council Korea, told The Korea Herald that the popularity of the royal institution and the queen remain high in the U.K. The largely symbolic monarchical institution has been “sensitive to the mood of the people,” thus dampening discontent and uniting citizens, he said.

“People identify with the historical continuity of the monarch,” Fryer said, adding that the queen represents stability and continuity of the British polity.

Despite the secular and multicultural transformation of British society since World War II, Fryer noted, the monarchy has preserved symbolic power and tradition. The queen has weekly private meetings with the prime minister, which are kept confidential, and signs parliamentary bills.

The rise of the Scottish Nationalist Party and U.K. Independence Party ― which have sought to replace the “politics of ideology” with the “politics of identity” according to the New York Times ― is good news culturally, Fryer claimed.

“Regionalism will expose the diverse array of local traditions and histories previously subsumed under the national identity,” Fryer said. “It will add richness to the regional identities and benefit cultural and educational collaborations with other countries.”

The political fragmentation was started by administrative devolution, which has given more autonomy and responsibility to local assemblies, he added. “The trend has been encouraged by the central government, as there is a consensus that decision-making is best done locally.”

Britain and Korea can cooperate in the creative industries of art, design, music, film and fashion, as both countries seek to innovate their economies, the director pointed out. Building on the first Creative Economy Industry Forum in Seoul last year, the next forum will be held in London in November.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)