The White House Correspondents’ Association weekend began with a bang on Friday evening, featuring a lively gathering at the British embassy. This event was a collaborative effort involving the Daily Mail and public relations agency Brunswick.
British Ambassador Sir Christian Turner graciously opened the doors of his elegant residence to a diverse array of guests, including media executives, influential personalities, business and technology leaders, diplomats, and key figures from Washington, D.C.
Highlighting the impact of the Daily Mail’s widely read journalism, Sir Christian entertained attendees with a personal anecdote. He recounted how, in November 2022, his mother-in-law, a devoted Daily Mail reader, called him to report that Pakistan’s then-prime minister, Imran Khan, had been shot.
Reflecting on the tumultuous day, Sir Christian shared that, after a long day dealing with the diplomatic crisis surrounding the assassination attempt, his mother-in-law insisted on informing him of the news because it was prominently featured in the Daily Mail.
With an audience that included Fox News hosts Harris Faulkner and Brian Kilmeade, CNN chairman Sir Mark Thompson, and leading journalists from major media outlets, Sir Christian emphasized the critical role of journalism today.
“The Founding Fathers of this incredible nation enshrined the First Amendment as a cornerstone of America,” he stated. “Freedom of speech is not a luxury. It is the foundation of democracy.”
He said ‘the right to speak your mind’ was ‘at the heart’ of the British and American nations.
The ambassador noted that, with King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving on Monday for their eagerly anticipated state visit – the first by a British monarch in almost 20 years – there could not be a better moment to celebrate Anglo-American relations.
The White House Correspondents’ Association weekend kicked off in spectacular style on Friday night with a celebration at the British embassy
The party was hosted in conjunction with the Daily Mail and PR firm Brunswick
Sir Christian Turner, the British ambassador, opened the doors of his lavish residence for the party
Guests roamed throughout the jewel of Embassy Row
‘It’s been quite a year, and it’s about to get busier,’ he said, pointing also to the celebrations of America’s 250th birthday.
Henry Timms, the CEO of Brunswick, joked that the spectacular gardens must have been pruned to perfection for Friday night’s crowd, with the impending Royal visit an added bonus.
And Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics for the Daily Mail, declared that the evening was ‘sure to be the talk of the town’ – especially given the team’s recent string of scoops.
‘Even though the Daily Mail has British roots, our DC team is dominating coverage on everything rocking Washington, rattling the White House, and setting tongues wagging on Capitol Hill,’ she said.
‘In a city defined by power and personalities, the Daily Mail’s DC bureau has built a newsroom that doesn’t just follow the story.
‘We break it, shape it, and, when necessary, challenge it – as many of you here tonight may have experienced.’
Many of political aides, diplomats and Cabinet staffers raised wry eyebrows.
But then it was on to the party, with a DJ spinning the tunes on the terrace in front of the stately mansion.
Guests including Mark Halperin, Scott Jennings and Dr Mehmet Oz, the TV presenter turned Medicaid and Medicare administrator, sipped on DC Insiders, a cocktail created specially for the night, commemorating the launch of the Daily Mail’s must-read weekly politics newsletter. Combining honeyed bourbon and orange marmalade, the DC Insider was the textbook tipple for an Anglo-American soiree.
Three bars were spread throughout the chandeliered entertaining rooms, allowing the hundreds of guests to roam throughout the jewel of Embassy Row.
Bow-tied servers circulated with roast beef canapes and mini crab cakes, and a chef on the terrace served up platters of the ambassador’s twist on fish and chips – caviar on fries.
Faulkner, elegant in a white pant suit, told the Daily Mail she was ‘blessed’ to be invited to such a soiree.
Indeed, the embassy, built in 1931 by Sir Edwin Lutyens, truly set the standard to the US capital. Lutyens, widely seen as the greatest British architect of the 20th Century, was also responsible for building much of New Delhi, and creating a series of war memorials and British country houses.
Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics for the Daily Mail, declared that the evening was ‘sure to be the talk of the town’
Fox News host Harris Faulkner told the Daily Mail she was ‘blessed’ to be invited to such a soiree
Guests including Scott Jennings (pictured) sipped on DC Insiders, a cocktail created specially for the night
When he began building his sole project in the United States, no other embassies were in the area.
Lutyens gave the residence an imposing Queen Anne façade, and designed it to echo a British country estate.
Now it is filled with spectacular works of art, ranging from an Andy Warhol screenprint of the King’s mother, Elizabeth II, to a giant Grayson Perry tapestry and Damien Hirst’s 1994 dots, Pardaxin.
It was indeed the perfect setting for a media and political party.
Sir Christian raised his glass at the end to toast ‘the journalists who keep us honest, the advisors who keep us sane, and the sponsors who keep us libated.’
