Past Events
PEACE DAY CENTENARY, 19 JULY 2019
Portugal-UK 650 had its launch at St James’s Palace in London with a ‘Celebration of Peace and Perpetual Friendship’ on 19 July 2019, marking the centenary of ‘Peace Day’.
On Peace Day 100 years ago, on 19 July 1919, around 15,000 soldiers from all Allied Forces, including the Portuguese Regiment, gathered in London to celebrate the end of World War I and marched on the Victory Parade in front of the British and Portuguese Royal Families. On the saluting dais, erected outsid Buckingham Palace, for the Victory Parade, besides the British Royal Family, only the Portuguese Royal Family, were invited to attend.

Peace Day 19-07-1919. From left: King Manuel II of Portugal and his wife Queen Augusta Vitoria, Prince of Wales, King George V, Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra
The ‘Celebration of Peace and Perpetual Friendship that Portugal-UK 650 organised on 19 July 2019, took place at The Queen’s Chapel, in St James’s Palace, London, under the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, with the presence of authorities from both countries.

We chose The Queen’s Chapel at St James’s Palace in London because it was the private chapel of Queen Catherine of Braganza, daughter of King João IV of Portugal. Above the altar is the coat of arms of Queen Catherine de Braganza supported by two angels. Her coat of arms is a combination of her coat of arms as Princess of Portugal and the coat of arms of her husband King Charles II, thus uniting the arms of Portugal and the United Kingdom.

This event provided a rare opportunity to view the ‘Braganza Silver’, a famous set of silver pieces used in the marriage of King Charles II and Queen Catherine of Braganza. This set is part of the Crown Jewels and is kept in the Tower of London. Beautiful pieces of ‘Braganza Silver’, were brought to The Queen’s Chapel, under police escort, specifically for the Portugal-UK 650 event and were put on display on the main altar. We are very grateful to the Royal Household and Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal for organising the display of these pieces.

The Portugal-UK 650 event at the Queen’s Chapel in St James’ Palace, was led by Rev Canon Paul Wright, Sub-Dean of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, Deputy Clerk of the Closet, Her Majesty the Queen’s Domestic Chaplain and Sub-Almoner.
Chris Sainty, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic, read the first reading in Ebglish, at the ‘Celebration of Perpetual Peace and Friendship’. The Minister Plenipotentiary and Consul General of Portugal, Ms Cristina Pucarinho, read in Portuguese, a passage from the Gospel of St John on friendship. At the Portugal-UK 650 event, which took place at St James’s Palace, the music was conducted by Joe McHardy (Director of The Choir of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal) and Professor Owen Rees (Director of the Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford University).

The University of Oxford was well represented. In the next photo we can see the following University members :

-Provost of The Queen’s College: Professor Paul Madden. Queen Catherine of Braganza was Patroness of this College founded in 1341.
-Heather Professor of Music: Professor Eric Clark. The Heather Professorship was established in the Faculty of Music in 1624 and is associated with a Fellowship in Wadham College.
-Professor Liam Gearon of the Faculty of Education, Fellow Royal Society of Arts, Portugal-UK 650 Scientific Committee
-Dr Maria João Rodrigues de Araujo from The Queen’s College and the Faculty of Music.
In the photo you can also see:
-His Excellency Ambassador Chris Sainty, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Portugal.
-His Excellency Ambassador Manuel Lobo Antunes, Portuguese Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
-Ms Cristina Pucarinho, Minister Plenipotentiary and Consul General of Portugal.
-Rev. Canon Paul Wright, Sub-Dean of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal.
-Rev. Stephen Brookes, Her Majesty’s Deputy Priest in Ordinary and Chaplain of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Sung mass at the Cathedral of Porto, 9 September 2019
Sung Mass by The Choir of the Cathedral of Porto and the Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford on the feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral. King John I and Philippa of Lancaster were married in this Cathedral on 14 February 1387

Choral Masterclass by Owen Rees, Aveiro, 10 September 2019

Concert at the Cathedral of Aveiro, 10 september 2019
Concert by the Choir of The Queen’s College Oxford with a joint performance with the Choir Voz Nua from Aveiro. British and Portuguese music.

Concert at Lapa Church, Porto, 11 September 2019
Choir of the Cathedral of Porto and the Choir of The Queen’s College. Director Owen Rees. British and Portuguese music.

Concert at the Cathedral of Braga, 13 September 2019
Choir of The Queen’s College Oxford, Director Owen Rees. British and Portuguese music.

Concert at Mosteiro de Santa Cruz, Coimbra, 14 September 2019
Concert by the Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford. Director Owen Rees.
British and Portuguese music. Works by Pedro de Cristo, Duarte (Missa beata virgine Maria), anonymous (preserved in a manuscript from Santa Cruz de Coimbra), William Byrd, Charles Wood, John Rutter, Herbert Howells William Harris

Sung Mass at the Cathedral of Braga, 15 September 2019
Sung Mass by the Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford. Directed by Owen Rees.

EVENTS 2021
Presentation of Portugal-UK 650 in Vizela, 21 April 2021
Speakers: Mayor of Vizela and Maria Joao Rodrigues de Araujo, President of Portugal-Uk 650

University of Cambridge, 30 November 2021
Masterclass and Wine Tasting

University of Oxford, Restoration of the Independence of Portugal, 1 December 2021
Choral Vespers and Port Wine Reception. The Queen’s College, University of Oxford. Choir of the The Queen’s College, directed by Owen Rees. Celebrant: Rev Katherine Prince, Chaplain of The Queen’s College. Programme included Portuguese and English music of the time of the Restoration. You can watch the livestreaming of the Choral Vespers here. This event was supported by the Camoes Institute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal and the Embassy of Portugal in UK.

Online workshop “ Making an Alliance Last in an Age of Conflicts: Obligations and Deterrence in the Medieval Anglo-Portuguese Treaties.”, 7 December 2021, 17h00
Speaker: Jenny Benham FRHistS FHEA, Senior Lecturer in Medieval History, University of Cardiff, School of History, Archaeology & Religion. Discussant: Russell Sandberg, Professor of Law, University of Cardiff, School of Law and Politics. In partnership with JusGov, School of Law of Minho. Scientific coordination: Alexandra M Rodrigues Araujo and Joao Sérgio Ribeiro.

Theatre Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Theatro do Circo.
11, 12, 13, 14 January 2022 at 21h30. 12 and 13 January 2022, 15h00 school matinées.

New Year’s Gala, Espaço Vita, Braga, 22 January 2022, 21h00

Webinar : “The Mobility between Portugal and the United Kingdom after Brexit. What role for the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance?”, 27 January 2022, 15h00-16h30
Speakers Allan F Tatham, Professor of Law, University Sao Pablo CEU and Patricia Jeronimo, Professor of Law, University of Minho, In partnership with JusGov, School of Law, University of Minho. Scientific coordination: Alexandra M Rodrigues Araujo and Joao Sérgio Ribeiro.

Call for Papers for Papers/Panels for the Interdisciplinary Conference “650th anniversary of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance: Taking Stock of the Past and Envisioning the Future”. Closed.
The Conference took place on 6-9 July 2022, at the University of Minho and was organized by the University of Minho – JusGov and the School of Law – in partnerhsip with Portugal-UK 650.

“Macbad”. An adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth for the younger ones. 4, 5 february 2022, 15h00.

Anglo Portuguese Alliance Reading Week – 7-11th of March
A eading Week dedicated to the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance with a programme full of activtities and performances took place in the second week of March. The Reading Week was organized in partnership with the City Council of Vizela and was intended for a school audience.

Launch of Commorative Place –
On the 16th of March, there was a reception at the British Ambassador’s residence in Lisbon, where a commemorative plate, created by Vista Alegre, was launched. This plate will be of a limited edition and was created especially within the Portugal-UK 65O Initiative celebrations.

23rd March 2022, 12h00
Presentations of Commemorations at City Council of Braga and launch of Dance in Perpetuity project in partnership with English National Ballet. With the presence of Ricardo Rio Mayor of Braga, Katherine Felton Head of Politics at the British Embassy in Lisbon, Maria Joao Rodrigues de Araujo president of Portugal-UK 650, Fleur Derbyshire-Fox Director of Engaement of ENB, Laura Harvery Headh of Creative Programmes at the ENB and Joana Miranda Coordinator of Braga Media Arts.

Planting of a yew to commemorate the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance by H.E. Chris Sainty, UK Ambassador to Portugal at AESAS. Leaflet explaining the event and the choice of yew tree here.

Tree planting to mark H.M. the Queen’s Jubilee as part of “The Green Canopy”, by H.E. Chris Sainty, UK Ambassador to Portugal, the AESAS community and Portugal-UK 650.

“Portugal-UK 650” Opera, 21 April 2022, 21h30, Auditorio Vita

Webinar “Do Rossio à City: Diaspora Sefardita e relaçoes luso-britanica na primeira metade do seculo XVIII”, 22 April 2022, 15h00

“Portugal-UK 650” Mega Concert, 24 april 2022, 18h00, Altice Forum Braga
