King Charles III's Birthday: Home Affairs Minister Appreciates Indonesia-UK Partnership

Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian, representing the Indonesian Government, attended the 78th Birthday Celebration of King Charles III. At the warm and festive event, Tito expressed appreciation for the close partnership that has been established between Indonesia and the United Kingdom. “A strong relationship has been forged between us, both Indonesia and the UK, in many areas, ranging from trade, the economy, military relations, to education, culture, the environment, climate change, and so on,” Tito said in a written statement on Thursday (11/6/2026). This was stated by Tito at the event held on Wednesday (10/6/2026) evening at the Four Seasons Hotel, Jakarta. Tito assessed that the relationship between the two countries is not only established at the intergovernmental level but is also reflected in the personal closeness of their leaders. He cited the meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and King Charles III some time ago, which resulted in a commitment to cooperation between Indonesia and the UK in efforts to restore ecosystems and preserve the environment. On the same occasion, Tito also touched on the traces of Indonesia-UK relations that were built long before Indonesia’s independence. This is evident, among other things, from historical relics such as Fort Marlborough in Bengkulu. In addition, the Rafflesia Arnoldii flower became known to the world through an expedition involving an English doctor, Joseph Arnold, together with Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. Tito then also mentioned the discovery of the Wallace Line, an imaginary line dividing the distribution of Asian-patterned flora and fauna in western Indonesia from Australasian-patterned flora and fauna in the east. The line was introduced by the English naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace. “So, that is the legacy of Sir Alfred Wallace, which remains valid and is a reference for every government, the international community, including researchers,” he said. Furthermore, he stated that Indonesia-UK relations are also strongly intertwined in the fields of sport and culture. According to him, many Indonesians are fans of English football clubs. These fans even intensively follow the developments of the football competition in the country. Meanwhile, from a personal perspective, Tito admitted to having an emotional closeness to the UK. This is because he once studied at the University of Exeter, England, through a scholarship from The British Council. “So, this memorable and prestigious birthday celebration for His Majesty King Charles III, firstly, will strengthen the relationship between the two countries in the future in many ways. Secondly, of course, we pray for His Majesty, wishing him a long life, and may God protect King Charles III,” he concluded.