“The Ambassador represents His Majesty the King and the Government of the United Kingdom in the country to which he was assigned”summarizes the official page of the government of the United Kingdom – the nation made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – under the profile of kirsty hayes (46), the British ambassador to Argentina who agreed to share tea with PEOPLE before the coronation of the King Charles III and of the Queen Camilla.
As a member of their staff served up some sweet little bites (among them the classic and appetizing apple crumble), we started chatting about how the British live. this great historical fact that has the world in suspense: “It is very strange for all of us because most of us only live the reign of a sovereign, and this coronation implies many changes. I mean, even my title changed! Because in English I was ‘Her Majesty’s Ambassador’ and now I’m ‘His Majesty’s Ambassador’. Also They are going to change the words in our national anthem and the appearance of our bills and coins. It’s a big change.”
“In addition, for many people the queen was a symbol of an era for so many years, so many historical events and so many prime ministers,” Kirsty reflects without mentioning something implicit: that the decoration of the diplomatic residence in which we find ourselves is also going to reflect the change, since currently a huge work representing Queen Elizabeth II leads the main staircase Of marble.
“It will be fantastic to see the coronation because we haven’t seen one for many years, and it’s a tradition that was established some nine hundred years ago and, in general, I think we do the ceremonies well,” he says with a smile that takes us back to the weddings of Kate and William and Harry and Meghan, to the Queen’s jubilee and their splendid farewell. “On the other hand, it will also be a very special moment for the population because different groups, communities and cities will have their own festivals in each place”, adds Hayes.
–How will the coronation event be in Buenos Aires?
-Special! We are going to celebrate that national day by holding an event in the morning at the residence. We don’t have the list of the figures that will accompany us yet, but we plan to do something cute and memorable.
– Do you feel that this historic and massive event that will take place in London will give more strength to the monarchy?
-Yeah. It’s a moment of national solidarity, something we also saw during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. I was in London at the time and it was dazzling: there were flowers, flags and celebrations everywhere.
–Could it be that you have received a very special invitation?
–(Extends his smile) Yes! I was lucky to receive an invitation to the Garden Party of the celebration in London. So, after the event in Buenos Aires, I’m going to go directly to the airport to arrive at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. It will be a great honor for me. And this happened because, in addition to having my official position, I I have a volunteer position with Brooke, an NGO that cares for horses and donkeys in developing countries, and our president is the Queen Consort: Camila Parker Bowles. That’s why I received this invitation.
Do you personally know the future queen, Camila Parker Bowls?
–Yes!, and to the king, before being king too. I saw him in very short moments: once he visited my university when I was there, and another time he came to the Westminster Chancellery nursery where my children, Liberty and Jasper, were. I was also with the couple in Sri Lanka in 2013, when there was a Commonwealth Heads of Government conference, and I was the lead negotiator for the UK. In that opportunity I attended many meetings with both. And, well, with the queen consort I can tell you that I had tea at Clarence House.
Not many can tell. What can you tell us about her and her personality?
–That she is very, very nice, that she is very committed to the cause and to the welfare of animals –and horses in particular–, and that she has a great knowledge of the whole subject.
–A worldwide curiosity: What do you think Carlos III will contribute?
–I think we are going to see very different things with this sovereign, because he has a very personal commitment in areas such as the environment, youth and the cultural diversity of the United Kingdom. So I think that some modern and different things from the known ones are going to come.
– Is there emotion in the English streets for Carlos or, as they say, are there many who would have wanted William, his heir to the throne, to assume?
–Obviously, Guillermo is very popular and charismatic, but there is great respect among the population for the public service that Carlos has provided for so long, and I think that the whole country is going to celebrate this very special occasion.
Photos Diego Garcia
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