HM Sultan Brunei Attends Gurkha 200 Pageant in London









BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, June 10, 2015

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, attended the Gurkha 200 Pageant in London last night to mark the bicentenary of Gurkha service to the British Crown.

During the pageant, His Majesty met with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as well as other members of the British Royal Family before a session with the special guests comprising dignitaries, foreign diplomats and senior Gurkha military officials.

Following the meet sessions, His Majesty proceeded to the Figure Courtyard to view the ‘Gurkha Pageant 200’ commemorating 200 years of Gurkha Military Service to the British Crown.

The event commenced with a fanfare, which was followed by the national anthem of the United Kingdom.

A minute of silence was also observed for the victims of the recent earthquake in Nepal.

Field performances was also enacted, and depicted 200 years of Gurkha military services that began in the early years of the British regime in India up to the recent conflict in Afghanistan.

Nepalese traditional dances were also performed by the family members of the Gurkha military, accompanied by musical performances of the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.

Prior to the pageant, His Majesty was also led to view a table display which, amongst others, displayed a gift from Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien to General Sir Walter Walker in appreciation for his services in Borneo during the 1960s.

More than 1,000 special guests, including contributors to the Gurkha Welfare Trust, attended the event.

Following the pageant, His Majesty attended a dinner hosted by His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Prince of Wales who also serves as the Patron of the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

Sir Peter Wall, Chairman of the Gurkha Welfare Trust commenced the dinner with opening remarks.

Several dignitaries, corporate members, foreign diplomats as well as senior Gurkha military officers attended the dinner.

Accompanying His Majesty to the event was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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