Welcome to Her Majesty’s Birthday Party and Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Tallinn!

Dear guests,

Welcome to our Platinum Jubilee Queen’s Birthday Party. We are celebrating Her Majesty’s seventy years of service with you, our close friends.  We wish to share a few details about the event.

On your way in, please stop for a minute and admire the the world’s finest luxury sedan Bentley Flying Spur. For official functions Her Majesty uses two Bentley limousines gifted to her during her Golden Jubilee in 2002. Severin Vilentšik, sales manager of Bentley Tallinn is available if you wish to find out more about any of Bentley’s current range of vehicles.

Please enjoy a glass of Gusborne Blanc de Blanc English Sparkling Wine as a welcome drink.  Gusborne is produced in Kent (where I am from) and is the UK’s most awarded wine producer.  Balen OÜ import it to Estonia. 

We are collecting again for the Foodbank in Tallinn: please drop off any donations on your way past.  Thank you for your support.  

At our event you will be able to enjoy traditional British fish and chips and equally traditional British curry.  Our chefs today are from the Royal Logistics Corps based in Tapa.

You will also find Eton mess produced by our chef, salads provided by Unique Hotels Group and a range of drinks provided by A Le Coq of London-Tallinn-Tartu. 

At 1725 I will make some short remarks and present two honours awarded by Her Majesty the Queen.

We will enjoy music by the jazz combo of the Estonian Defence Orchestra and from 1930, British-themed tunes from our DJs, Von Koff and Rhythm Doctor.

You will also find wine to sample from the Beykush winery near Mykolaiv in Ukraine.  Bottles of this are available to take away at a fundraising price of 50 euros, with all proceeds going to help Ukrainian refugees arriving in Estonia.  We also have auction prizes available, with funds supporting the same cause. 

I wish to extend heartfelt thanks to all of our sponsors for their support: LHV Bank, Admirals, Scottish Baltic Invest, rgp Designs, Lextal, Bentley, Unique Hotels Group, Gusbourne, A Le Coq, Tallink, Trendsetter, Starship, Prisma, Estonian Maritime Museum.

I hope you have a wonderful afternoon and evening with us.  

Slava Ukraini.  Elagu Vaba Eesti.  God Save The Queen.

Ross Allen
Her Majesty’s Ambassador in Tallinn

Running order

1630 Guests arrive

1645-1715 Jazz Combo of the Estonian Military Orchestra

1720 National anthems

1725-1735 Her Majesty´s Ambassador´s speech and greeting by President of Estonia

1735-1745 Honours Ceremony

1745-2000 Food is served

1815-1845 Jazz Combo of the Estonian Military Orchestra

1800-1900 Silent Auction in support of Ukraine

1930-2100 Von Koff and Rhythm Doctor

2100 Close

British Ambassador’s speech

President Karis, Prime Minister, President of the Rigikogu, Ministers, Excellencies, guests, friends,

Welcome to our celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and 96th birthday.

May I begin by thanking all of the sponsors whose support has made this event possible. I think LHV, Lextal, Admirals, Unique Hotels Group, Bentley, Gusbourne, Tallink (add rest) represent some of the best of British and Estonian companies. Please give them and my Embassy colleagues who have worked so hard to deliver today’s event, a round of applause. Thank you also to our chefs from the Royal Welsh, our own Residence chef, the jazz band of the Estonian Defence Forces and the Kalamaja Segakoor for feeding and entertaining us.

Before I speak about Her Majesty, a word on the British-Estonian relationship. I think with the visits of both Prime Ministers this year, with over 1500 British troops in Tapa presently, and a thriving economic relationship, our partnership is in very good health. Prime Minister Kallas has called us “the best of friends and the strongest of allies”, and I agree!

We are also now allies focused on a common purpose: providing support to Ukraine and ensuring Russia fails in its effort to brutalize and break up a fellow European democracy. I am proud that the UK and Estonia agree on the need to provide maximum support to Ukraine, and that neither of us buys into foolish ideas of “off ramps” and “not humiliating Russia”. Estonia’s response to the current crisis has been exemplary and inspirational: thank you.

Many, probably all, of you, are already supporting Ukraine personally in different ways. To give you another opportunity to do so, may I draw your attention to the auction table over there, where you may buy Ukrainian wine and bid on some excellent lots.

And now to Her Majesty. I am proud to be not just the UK Ambassador but Her Majesty’s Ambassador. Her seventy years of service to the UK and to the Commonwealth is unparalleled and inspirational. And I am pleased that she was able to visit Estonia in 2006 and see this beautiful and impressive country for herself.

Her example of service prompts me to thank each of you for your service. Perhaps you serve in your country’s armed forces, or as President or a Minister or Ambassador, or other government official? Perhaps you work or volunteer in organisations that help the vulnerable or protect our countries? Or you run a business, take risks, employ people, and pay the taxes that sustain our countries. There has also been a big increase in people joining the Kaitseliit. However it is you serve, thank you for your service.

I thank President Karis for attending today. After a few words from him, I shall be presenting two awards to individuals, one British and one Estonian, for their service on behalf of Her Majesty.

Before I hand over to President Karis, I hope you enjoy the rest of the event, and I say to you all, Slava Ukraini, Elagu Vaba Eesti, and God save the Queen.

The British National Anthem

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.

Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign.
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.

The Estonian National Anthem

Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm,
kui kaunis oled sa!
Ei leia mina iial teal
see suure, laia ilma peal,
mis mul nii armas oleks ka,
kui sa, mu isamaa!

Sa oled mind ju sünnitand
ja üles kasvatand;
sind tänan mina alati
ja jään sull’ truuiks surmani,
mul kõige armsam oled sa,
mu kallis isamaa!

Su üle Jumal valvaku,
mu armas isamaa!
Ta olgu sinu kaitseja
ja võtku rohkest õnnista,
mis iial ette võtad sa,
mu kallis isamaa!

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