Victor Smith Presents Letters of Commission to Queen Elizabeth (PHOTO).

At the short and colourful ceremony which exhibited a collage of Ghanaian and British culture, Mr Smith and his wife, Mrs Adwoa Smith, were treated to a traditional British chariot ride from the offices of the Ghanaian High Commission to the Buckingham Palace, a release from the Information and Public Affairs unit of Ghana’s High Commission in London said.

“As the Royal chariot meandered through Hyde Park Corner from Belgrave Square to the forecourt of Buckingham Palace known for its tourist attraction, bystanders and onlookers greeted the spectacle by waving and taking pictures,” the release said.

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, received the letters and discussed various subjects ranging from Ghana’s cultural and colonial ties to Britain as a member of the Commonwealth and the Ebola outbreak in some parts of West Africa.

They also reminisced the Queen’s visit to Ghana in 1999 when she first encountered Mr Smith who was then an aide to former President Rawlings.

High Commissioner Smith is the 15th Ghanaian High Commissioner accredited to the Court of St James to serve in the United Kingdom.

He was also accompanied by Mr George Blankson, the Head of Consular and Welfare; Mr Asare Damptey, the Head of Chancery; Commodore Seth Coomson, Defence Attaché, and Ms Zuwera Ibrahimah, the Head of Information and Public Affairs.

The presentation of letters was followed by a luncheon reception at the residence of the High Commissioner which was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, chiefs and elders from the Ghanaian community in London, friends and family of the Smiths and staff of the Ghana High Commission.

The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr Khaled Al-Duwaisan, congratulated Mr Smith on a successful presentation of letters and expressed his admiration for Ghanaian culture, especially its kente and warm people.

The Marshall of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr Alistair Harrison, also paid glowing tribute to the three Ghanaian

Members of Parliament (MPs) in the British Parliament, as well as Lord Boateng, Mr Kofi Annan and Danny Welbeck, the footballer.

He assured the high commissioner of continued good relations with Ghana.