Queen Elizabeth's birthday celebrations were being held this year with an extra festive theme - the Platinum Jubilee.
The Queen has become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service.
At the ceremony, the Israeli Chamber Orchestra quartet played songs by Ed Sheeran and Adele, and special royal dishes were served to the guests
The traditional Queen’s Birthday Party took place Wednesday at the British Ambassador’s residence in Ramat Gan, with a special royal theme celebrating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog congratulated the Queen on the special occasion in a filmed greeting, followed by a keynote speech and toast to the queen by Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked (Yamina). Among the guests were opposition leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) and his wife Sara Netanyahu, along with Israeli ministers, government officials, senior figures from Israeli trade, economy, diplomacy, and society spheres, and 750 of the Embassy’s friends and contacts.
Children’s drawings and 'coronation chicken'
Huge celebrations took place in the UK over the last weekend to mark the Queen’s historic Platinum Jubilee, including more than 7,000 public events and street parties, marching parades, an air show over the London sky, cooking competitions and a live music show at Buckingham Palace.
In Israel, the Embassy is also getting the local community involved in the celebrations: Children from a primary school in Ramat Gan dedicated drawings to the Queen, which were posted on the gates of the British Ambassador’s residence; Seminar Hakibutzim art students created royal-themed stage design and photo stands for the event, and the Israeli chamber orchestra played famous British pop songs as classical music – including hits by Queen, Adele, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and the James Bond soundtrack.
All the design at the event had a royal theme, including a golden and purple royal throne, the "royal" color purple everywhere, and a "Mad Hatter’s" style tea party from Alice in Wonderland.
The menu was based on traditional royal dishes – "coronation chicken," which was the official dish at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953; King Edward Potatoes, a potato variety grown in the UK, which was proclaimed in 1902 at the coronation of King Edward; and Beef Wellington fillet – a dish named after Wellington's first Duke, Arthur Wellesley.
Ambassador Neil Wigan said: "The Queen has been on the throne for 70 years – a glorious achievement. Queen Elizabeth is an extraordinary woman, who dedicated her entire life to serving her country and people."
"It’s a great honor for me to serve as her Ambassador at such a great time for the bilateral relationship between the UK and Israel. I’m not exaggerating when I say that our relationship is in the best place it has ever been."
Minister Shaked said: "The connection between Israel and the royal family, as well as the connection between the countries, is anchored in a common history and shared values. From the Balfour Declaration which was an essential milestone in the Zionist movement, to this very day, where our relations can be characterized as those of wide-ranging cooperation in a variety of different areas."
"With regard to the Royal Family, we have had, over the past years, the privilege of acquainting ourselves with its members due to the visit of Prince William, and afterwards of his father, Prince Charles, who participated in the event hosted by the President of the State of Israel commemorating 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz Death Camp."
