Queen's Birthday Party 2010 Baku Azerbaijan.

HM Ambassador manages to keep a straight face while listening to Queen's version of God Save the Queen (as played by Brian May on top of Buckingham Palace in 2002) in front of a half bemused, half amused crowd. For a few moments, some, including the Minister of Culture and Tourism (also in the photo) thought something had gone horribly wrong as the introduction sounds as though it's about to launch into another Queen song.

In some countries the QBP is a family event in the grounds of the embassy/Ambassador's residence. In others it's a party that goes on late into the night, on one memorable occasion it involved a swimwear fashion show. Here in Baku it's an early evening drinks reception with most people coming straight from the office. It's hard to lighten the atmosphere, but the unusual anthem helped.

It's exhausting for everyone involved in the preparations, and doubly so for our female Azerbaijani colleagues who manage to do all the running about in extremely high heels!