London, November 2015. A Banquet was hosted by Anthony Bailey, OBE, together with His Honour Sir Gavyn Arthur, 675th Lord Mayor of London, in honour of His Imperial Highness The Prince Napoleon, Head of the Imperial House of Bonaparte and Vice-President of the Royal Deputation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George.
The Banquet, which was held to mark the 200th anniversary year of the Battle of Waterloo. took place on Wednesday 25 November 2015 at the historic Stationers’ Hall in the City of London in the presence of 200 distinguished guests. During the evening, Prince Napoleon was granted the Freedom of the City of London. The proposers of the Freedom were Sir Gavyn Arthur and Anthony Bailey.
In his welcome speech Anthony Bailey said: “The granting of the Freedom of the City of London, is one of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence today. But this event isn’t just about the past, it is also about the future – a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the historic and contemporary partnership which exists between our two capital cities, London and Paris.
We gather too this evening at a moment of deep and prayerful solidarity with France and the French. Our cities and citizens of London and Paris stand tall and proud as they have and always will, as eternal defenders of freedom and democracy”.
Prince Napoleon said: “Tonight in front of such a prestigious and friendly gathering, I feel the meaning of the honour you bestowed on me. In thanking you all for your presence and, dear Anthony, and Sir Gavyn allow me to add how I value the encouragement you are giving me. I am happy and grateful it’s happening at this moment in my private and public life and conscious of its obligations as well as the benefits, which I might enjoy with it! God bless our two great European nations, our two ancient European cities and our common European identity. “
The Banquet was attended by HE Sir Rodney Williams, KGN, GCMG, Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, TRH Prince and Princess Louis of Luxembourg, HI & RH The Grand Duke George of Russia, HRH The Princess Elena of Romania and Mr Alexander Nixon, HRH Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia, HRH Princess Beatrice of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, HRH Princess Annunziata of Bourbon Two Sicilies and Count Fredrik Creutz, TGDH Prince and Princess Constantin of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, HSH Princess Marie Therese von Hohenberg, Lady Bailey, HH Prince Joachim Murat, The Prince of Pontecorvo, HSH Princess Katarina von Hohenberg and Don Carlos de Mendez Vigo, Princess Cristina Tchkotoua and Mr Alexander Livingstone.
Among those attending were also the High Commissioner of Grenada, the Ambassadors of HM The King of the Belgians, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Kosovo and the Slovak Republic, The Chargé d’Affaires of The Netherlands, The Earl and Countess of Erroll, Admiral Lord West of Spithead and Lady West, Lord Watson of Richmond, CBE, Bishop Angaelos OBE, Diana, Lady Farnham, Sir Ben Kingsley CBE, the Hon. Lady de Zulueta, the Hon. Mrs Teresa Adderley, the Hon. Mrs Bernard Lever, Count and Countess Florian Hartig, Countess Olympia von und zu Arco-Zinneberg, Countess Maximiliana von und zu Arco-Zinneberg, Baron Henry von Blumenthal, Baron and Baroness Vincenz Stimpfl-Abele, Sir Paul Jenkins, Sir Michael and Lady Craig-Cooper, Sir Tony Baldry, Sir Christopher and Lady Sweeting, Sir Kenneth Knight, Dame Judith Parker, Lady Davis, Mons. Vincent Brady, Sir Michael and Lady Griffiths, Sir Nadhmi and Lady Auchi, Professor Sir Mansell and Lady Aylward, Sir William Jeffcock, Lady Davies (Master, the Chartered Surveyors’ Company), Mr Ian Makowski (Master, the Tin Plate Workers’ Company) and Mr John Rowsell (Master, the Lightmongers’ Company).
To read the speech of Anthony Bailey, please click here.
To read the speech of HIH The Prince Napoleon, please click here.