A warm moment that strengthened friendship through a celebration filled with togetherness

The strong ties between Indonesia and the United Kingdom were once again highlighted through the celebration of King Charles III’s 77th birthday, held in Jakarta on Wednesday, 25 June 2025. Hosted by the British Embassy at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Mega Kuningan, the event carried the theme Royal Summer Soirée, creating a joyful atmosphere while reflecting the close and growing partnership between both nations.

The celebration was attended by a number of prominent Indonesian figures, including former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, and Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Science, and Technology Stella Christie. Other distinguished guests included Deputy Minister for Women Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica Tan, Deputy Minister for Immigration and Correctional Affairs Silmy Karim, and East Java Deputy Governor Emil Dardak.

In his remarks, British Ambassador to Indonesia Dominic Jermey emphasized that the event was not only a celebration of King Charles III’s birthday, but also an opportunity to showcase the richness of both nations’ cultures and to further strengthen UK-Indonesia relations.

Jermey shared that Indonesia holds a special place in King Charles III’s heart, with the King’s admiration for Indonesia inspired by stories from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the country five decades ago. According to Jermey, His Majesty consistently expresses his appreciation for Indonesia’s culture, biodiversity, and the friendship shared by both countries.

The Ambassador also reflected on the meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and King Charles III during the King’s state visit to the UK in November 2024. One of the key topics discussed was efforts to support elephant conservation in Indonesia. As a follow-up to those discussions, Jermey recently accompanied Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, on a visit to Aceh, where President Prabowo has officially designated an elephant conservation area.

This initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and is supported by the UK Government. Beyond conservation, the current strategic partnership between the UK and Indonesia focuses on four main areas: promoting prosperity, ensuring environmental sustainability, supporting global peace, and advancing human resource development.

The event also included strategic discussions with business leaders from both countries, reinforcing the shared commitment to building meaningful collaboration. Through this celebration, the UK and Indonesia continue to strengthen their relationship, laying the foundation for even broader cooperation in the future.