THE birthday and coronation of King Charles III were celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago last Wednesday at the Maraval residence of British High Commissioner to T&T Harriet Cross and her husband Phil Saltonstall.
The King was coronated on May 6 at Westminster Abbey but although his birthday is on November 14, the acting Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Paula Gopee-Scoon explained that according to the tradition established since 1748, His Majesty gets to celebrate the event twice a year.
The hundreds who gathered were entertained by a fusion of UK and T&T cultures. As Cross put it, both countries found common understanding and a joint sense of purpose and fun. These understandings, she said, were sustainability, youth and diversity.
Cross danced and formed a conga line to the music of Trinidad-British Soca artist Triniboi Joocie while her husband Phil Saltonstall painted himself in green and was covered in leaves to portray folklore character papa bois.
AZP News was on hand and captured the photos below:
Acting Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Paula Gopee-Scoon, left, with British High Commissioner Harriet Cross
Chairman of Scotiabank Derek Hudson, left, with former West Indies cricketer Dinanath Ramnarine
Deputy, US Military Liaison Office, Lieutenant Commander James Brown and Lindsay Brown. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
British High Commissioner Harriet Cross dances in a conga line to the music of Triniboi Joocie. Behind Cross are Vered Westell and investor/trader David Wahlers
Businessman Richard Smith and his wife Camille. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
Cupcakes given out at the King’s Birthday Party in Maraval
Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox with sceptre and robe. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
Former energy minister Kevin Ramnarine, second right, his wife Priya, left, with Ravi Murugesan and Professor Roger Hosein, right. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
Justice Frank Seepersad and his wife Camille. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
Acting Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Paula Gopee-Scoon, left, with artist Davi Ramkallawan viewing her depiction of King Charles’ ascent to the throne
Head of Political, Economic and Communications Team at the British High Commission Chinali Patel and her husband Ravi Murugesan. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
From left are William Miller, Jeanine Tucker-Miller, Catherine Broadbridge and Angela Potter
British High Commissioner Harriet Cross with AZP News Editor-in-Chief Prior Beharry. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
Speaker of the House of Representatives Bridgid Anisette-George and President of the Senate Nigel De Freitas
Naparima MP Rodney Charles, right, with Capil Bissoon, second right, UNC International Relations Officer Nicholas Morris and attorney Brian Baig, left. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
Vice President of Corporate Operations of bpTT Giselle Thompson, left, with her husband Paul Thompson, second left, Helen Moses-West and her husband head of the Police Complaints Authority David West, right. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan and his wife Pamela
British High Commissioner Harriet Cross dances to the music of Triniboi Joocie
Former energy minister Kevin Ramnarine, second right, speaking with Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy Shante Moore, right, as Deputy British High Commissioner Tamsin Clayton, left, Professor Roger Hosein, second left, and Priya Ramnarine, look on. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
British High Commissioner Harriet Cross and her Papa Bois husband Phil Saltonstall
