Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell (second right) and Dr. Barbara Munske (right) are joined in saluting Queen Elizabeth II on her birthday by His Excellency Professor The Most Hon. Kenneth Hall, Governor-General, and Mrs. Hall. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

MY DAAHLINGS, she is, and without any doubt Europe's reigning monarch! Her personal wealth places her in the coveted category of one of the world's richest women. Not that anyone really knows her true financial status, as with their reputation for that stiff upper lip, they would never tell. She is, however, the beloved of her people, and can be argued to be the only monarch who has managed to keep her 'empire' when others lost theirs, and in doing so, still manages to maintain the glowing admiration of her subjects, whether they be found in the upper echelons of the fabulously well-to-do, or the bowels of any of the most inner-city slums that litter world geography!

Little wonder here really, as she is not your run-of-the-mill monarch, she is the girl princess who became queen, and grew up with her subjects, while at the same time acting like a beacon of inspiration to millions both at home and even more so, abroad.

And so it is that decades later, the young Princess Elizabeth who came to the throne with a bounty of goodwill has managed to maintain that goodwill, by her perceived decorum and commitment to duty, through the good and the bad times; through personal and/or familial tragedy, and/or national or international disasters ­ Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been a beacon of hope, a paragon of virtue and an all-enduring symbol of unity!

To be sure, there have been some very hard times, historically, socially and collectively during her reign, but through it, all Her Majesty The Queen came to symbolise the gentler, kinder side of life all throughout the years.

And so it was that on the occasion of her 80th birthday, there were millions across the world whose hearts bonded in reaching across waters and land in wishing for Her Majesty a joyous birthday!

MARKING THE OCCASION

Naturally, there were birthday parties/receptions around the globe to mark the occasion. Here in Kingston, Britain's first citizen, His Excellency High Commissioner Jeremy Creswell, and his companion, Dr. Barbara Munske, threw open the doors to their official residence, Trafalgar House, in Trafalgar Park, New Kingston, at the British High Commission's grounds, and threw a commemorative reception that was truly fabulous!

The invitations that went out announcing the affair was somewhat of a piece of work, in that, it presented a list of dos and don'ts that under ordinary circumstances would have been enough to make all but the very committed royalists think of the wisdom of attending. After all, receptions/parties are supposed to be fun outings, not the dreaded anticipation of an obstacle course!

Well, my dears, these are the times we are now living in, as the political conditionalities occasioned by the security considerations and requirements of the 'new world' have made it thus! And so, partying, at least at the diplomatic level, is no longer a carefree indulgence, but an exercise in the studious application of the powers of observation, and thus prevention!

Sweet-things, the invite did stipulate that the dress code was 'casually elegant'. Well my daahlings, guests deigned otherwise and honeys, how, as this one was far more elegant than casual, and for my word, fabulously so!

Oh, my word, sweet-things, we are talking Dolce and Gabana, here, Donna Karan, Vera Wang; Oscar de la Renta, Dior, and Chanel here, and my dears, how! Oh my children, it was fab, all fab, and then some!

GIANT MARQUEE

Honeys, it had rained some time earlier in the afternoon, and as a precaution against another downpour drenching guests, there was one giant marquee, just off the residence, and so upon their arrival guests were greeted by a nattily dressed High Commissioner Creswell and a flawless looking Dr. Munske, in fabulous emerald green couture ensemble, then ushered by High Commissioner's staff through the entrance of the main house and on to the east patio, then on to the well manicured lawns.

And dears, speaking of those in attendance, we are talking one representational do here and nothing but, as not only was the very the crème of the Jamaican society in attendance, but it did not stop there as through its very many outreach programmes and aid projects, the High Commissioner and staff have not only come in contact with a wider cross-section of the Jamaican people, they have made fast friends in different communities. They too were represented, and it made for one fabulous do!

My daahlings, with the Wide Grin Quartet of really fabulously talented musicians providing fabulous background music, and the lawns and verandah teeming with the fabulous, the well-to-do, the chic and the often quoted, Trafalgar House, was buzzing with the rush of fabdom!

And then there was the fare!

Pumpkins, no scrimping here, a fare that was fit for royals and near royals and honeys how!

And the absolute best part of the whole affair was welcoming his guests and toasting both Her Majesty and his host country, by the High Commissioner.

Among those out were: Governor General The Most Honourable Professor Kenneth and Her Excellency Mrs. Hall; Foreign Minster Senator Anthony Hylton; Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies; The Most Hon. Edward Seaga; Hon. David Coore; MP KD Knight; MP John and Urla Junor; Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe; JDF Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Hardly Lewin; The Right Reverend Dr. Robert Thompson, Bishop Sufragan of Kingston and wife Mrs. Charmaine Thompson; Fr. Richard HoLung; Senators Dr. Trevor Munroe; Anthony Johnson and Dorothy Lightbourne; MP Derrick Smith and wife Carlene; MPs Babsy Grange; Ed Bartlett; Delroy Chuck; Joseph Hibbert.

Lord Bill Morris; Lady Patricia Golding; Hon. Maurice and Valerie Facey; Carole Issa-Cartade; Robert MacMillan; Jo Paige; Chris and Michelle Bovell and their lovely daughter Paula Kerr-Jarrett; Joe Matalon; the elegant Erica Downer; Anthony and Jeanne Watson and son James Watson; Mrs. Jennifer Lim; Dr. Oswald and Marigold Harding; Beverly Lopez; Hugh and Margaret Croskery; Richard and Diana Stewart; Paul and Oriente Issa; Mrs. Ruby Martin; Hon. Mike and Peggy Fennell; William Tavares-Finson; Mr and Mrs. Stephen Facey; Cliff and Joan Stone; Tino Calderrelli and the lovely Gloria Palomino; Noel and Jacqueline DaCosta; Dr. Glenda Simms; Stuart and Yvonne Fisher; Aubyn and Tamara Hill; Janet Farrow; Joan McDonald and her daughter; Fay Ellington; Dr. Jonathan Greenland and wife Dr. Rebecca Tortello Greenland; Clelia de barreto Hunter; Rosina Moder-Ashbourne.

From the Diplomatic community there were: Spanish Ambassador HE Jesus Silva and his wife Sara Silva; Japanese Ambassador HE Hiroshi Sakurai and wife Kinuko Sakurai; South African Ambassador Advocate Faith D' Radebe and husband Jabulani Radebe; Indian High Commissioner HE Kailash Agrawal; Chilean Ambassasor HE Alfanso Silva; Brazilian Ambassador HE Cezar De Souza Lima Amaral and wife Lidia; Panamanian Ambassador HE Ricardo Mareno Flores; out-going High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago HE Dennis Francis; UNDP Juan Carlos Espinoza; Ambassador Richard and Marguerite Bernal; High Commissioner Gail Mathurin; Ambassador Madge and Tunty Barrett; Ambassador Maxine Roberts; former JDF Head Maj. General John Simmonds; Senior Deputy DPP Paula Llewellyn; Dr. Ann Robinson Bridgewater; ACP (Acting) Leon Rose; Commander George Reynolds and wife Michelle Wilson-Reynolds; Robbie Epstein; Jonathan and Toni Wemyss-Gorman; Ulle Bangerter; Christopher Whyms-Stone and wife the lovely Nicola Sykes; Orville Orr; plus several scores others.