The British Embassy in Kathmandu celebrated the birthday of King Charles III on Thursday, marking a ceremonial highlight in the UK-Nepal diplomatic calendar.

Hosted by UK Ambassador Rob Fenn and Julia Fenn, the event brought together leading figures from political, academic, and diplomatic communities in Kathmandu to honour the monarch and reflect on the enduring ties between the two nations.

Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav was the chief guest at the reception, which took place shortly after the February visit of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

In his remarks, Ambassador Fenn expressed gratitude for the deep trust and goodwill shared between the two nations. “Nepal’s progress is attracting global attention,” he said. “In London, financiers are starting to talk about Nepal as an attractive investment destination. Their sentiment has been reinvigorated by the warmth and beauty they encountered during the recent royal visit.”

The ambassador also emphasised Nepal’s potential to climb economically by embracing global capital, implementing fiscal reforms, and improving its investment climate.

Drawing from a metaphor shared in his speech last year, Fenn likened the UK and Nepal to trekking partners choosing the steeper but more rewarding path towards prosperity, backed by steps such as Nepal’s sovereign credit rating and green bond initiatives.

On concessional loans from the international financial institutions, Ambassador Fenn believed that Nepal’s knapsack is full of goodies earmarked for Nepal by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. “The UK helped procure those entitlements and urges Nepal to take advantage of them,” he says. “Currently, these sources of finance are largely untouched. Yet this rocky path and other national infrastructure could do with an upgrade.”

He is of the view that Nepal has a modest supply of provisions but never consumes or distributes as much as they could. “The UK is Nepal’s strongest advocate,” he argues. “But our arguments for climate finance and other benefits–to which Nepal has a very strong claim–are undermined when Nepal does not use the resources they already have; and use them well.”

The event served as a platform to celebrate people-to-people ties, particularly the contributions of Gurkhas, Chevening scholars, and members of the Nepali diaspora. Guests included senior government officials, educationists, development partners, and journalists.

King Charles III’s birthday is traditionally observed as the United Kingdom’s National Day, and this year’s celebration was supported by corporate partners including Diageo, CIWEC, Barasinghe, and Yogeshwor Amatya.