One’s candles are blown out all over again — this time officially
● She has a fondness for corgis, understands the dictum of wearing colour to get noticed in the crowd and, unlike lesser mortals, gets to celebrate her birthday not once but twice a year.
So even though she was born on April 21 1926, Queen Elizabeth’s birthday was officially marked on Wednesday. To observe the occasion, the affable British high commissioner to SA, Nigel Casey, invited us to his Pretoria residence.
Arriving at the stately Waterkloof house, I am welcomed in song by triple Grammy winners the Soweto Gospel Choir, before shaking hands with our host and his deputy defence adviser, Wing Commander Alistair Green.
In the back garden, up comes Thandi Orleyn, who — outside her expansive financial portfolio through Peotona — chairs the BP Southern Africa board.
Thandi is wearing a camel-coloured coat over a bright and cheerful David Tlale African print dress and says she’s “no longer on the social scene” when I mention I haven’t seen her in ages.
Waiters pass around dishes including roasted butternut and chilli-flaked soup served in teacups, and yummy creamy chicken, mushroom and chive pot-pies.
And here’s a nice catering touch I hope catches on: in a nod to the environment, the occasion is free of single-use plastic.
Things get started when the high commissioner climbs on stage to join the choir in singing the South African and British national anthems.
“Having reached the great age of 50 myself this year, I now understand the full value of having not one but two birthdays,” he confides afterwards. “First, because it gives us time to reconcile ourselves to the passing of the years; and second, because it gives us choice as to which kind of weather we want to celebrate our birthdays in.”
The story goes that the royal tradition of two birthdays dates back to the time of King George II, who was born in November but thought it best to celebrate when the British weather is usually fairer.
Mind you, all this talk about birthdays takes a back seat when Nigel confirms the news many of us Prince Harry and Meghan Markle fans have been waiting for: the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — and their son Archie — will visit SA in September.
“I predict a hat- and frock-buying frenzy … that could well restore economic growth all on its own,” he says.
SA’s international relations director-general Kgabo Mahoai speaks next, and when proceedings end I pick up a flute of champers and snack on a tasty green-herb lamb chop, which comes with a grilled potato round.
I meet Irene Charnley, the telecoms billionaire. Elsewhere I spot Martin Kingston, the SAA board member who has rankled the airline’s unions; Réjane Woodroffe, who Casey honoured for her work in tackling rural poverty; and former Idols judge and online radio station owner Gareth Cliff, who poohpoohs a suggestion that he pose for a pic.
Then it’s meeting a trio of Proteas headed to the UK next month for the Netball World Cup, and a couple who turned up in their traditional regalia, Abubakar Mustapha from the Nigerian high commission and his wife Nabila.