The last time the UK celebrated a King’s Birthday Party was in 1951. His Majesty King Charles III was born on 14 November 1948 and ascended the throne as the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the Realms of the Commonwealth on 6 May 2023. The Coronation was a once-in-a-generation event and one of the most significant cultural moments of 2023. President and First Lady Marcos met His Majesty at Buckingham Palace and, along with leaders and dignitaries from across the globe, attended the Coronation ceremony held in Westminster Abbey.  

The King’s Birthday Party, held at the British Ambassador’s Residence, blended tradition and modernity. The event included speeches by British Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau, Laure Beaufils, and Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Antonio Morales from the Department of Foreign Affairs. Before the toast to the health of the King, the choir from the British School Manila sang the British and Philippines national anthems. There was a symbolic cutting of a cake bearing the royal insignia of His Majesty the King. Music performances by students from the British School Manila concluded the formal ceremonies. The celebration featured signature food and drinks from the 4 nations of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  

Around 500 guests including a wide range of dignitaries from the Government of the Philippines, business leaders, and eminent figures from the fields of diplomacy, arts, education, research, business, and sports attended the celebration. 

Ambassador to the Philippines, Laure Beaufils, said: 

In celebrating the birthday of His Majesty the King, we also celebrate the many rich and diverse links between the UK and the Philippines, and our peoples. The strength of the relationship between our two countries holds exciting prospects for the future – founded on strong partnerships and built on shared values. I am proud that we are working together to build a safer, greener, more prosperous and more peaceful world.

In London, the King hosted a reception on the evening of his birthday for NHS workers at Buckingham Palace, honouring 150,000 internationally trained nurses and midwives practising in the UK. The reception is part of the celebration of 75 years of the National Health Service, attended by health and care workers from the Philippines working in regions across the UK. Philippine Ambassador to the UK Teddy Boy Locsin was also in attendance, along with members of the Filipino Nurses Association and Philippine Nurses Association. 

This year’s King’s Birthday Party has been organised with the generous support of our partners at HSBC Philippines, Pru Life UK, Fil-Anglo Management & Promotional Consultants, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Pilipinas Shell, Pandiman Philippines, All British Cars Inc / Inchcape, Monde Nissin, BDO, Concrete Masters Inc, Unilever, Standard Chartered Bank, Jollibee, The Autohub Group, BSO, Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, Security Bank, T1 Project Services, SSI, Bench, Etihad, and Diageo. 

Further information

• Images from the event can be found here: https://adobe.ly/469ssEM  

• The King’s Birthday Party is celebrated by British Embassies and High Commissions around the world. 

• The King’s Birthday falls on 14 November, but his official Birthday in 2023 was marked on 17 June, when The King’s Birthday Parade (also known as Trooping The Colour) was held in London. 

• In addition to his official and ceremonial duties in the UK and overseas, His Majesty has championed a wide range of causes relating to the environment and sustainable development, the arts, healthcare and education for decades. 

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