Photo credit: Janet Donovan
No one expected Kate and Wills to show up in Washington so soon after her sister “Pippa” Middleton’s nuptials, but they did – May 24th to be exact. It’s hard to resist any invitation from Gérard Araud, The Ambassador of France, let alone a blow out uber Champagne party at the residence to say farewell after years of keeping Washingtonians very happy. Araud also served as France’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and was previously posted in DC.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
“I’ve been told I have to be brief, to be light and I shouldn’t cry,” Araud told a crowd of about 400 who by the time he hit the podium were on their 3rd glass of bubbly – make that four. “Let’s say that it’s au revoir for me, which means that we will meet again and maybe we meet again in three weeks or three months, but I’m sure that we’ll meet again. I have spent in all, eight years in this country. As you’ve noticed, I didn’t get rid of my accent and actually, when I was much younger, – a long time ago, – I spent four years in Washington, DC. So in a sense, I have been getting used to this … and so now that I know you so well, I really have the impression that I have to stay with you.” Everyone would second that and after the election of President Emmanuel Macron we are hoping there might be a chance of cancelling the recall.
Ambassador Gérard Araud
Ambassador Araud reminisced about his travels throughout the US expressing his thanks for the way he was greeted. “I think, and I can say because I’m coming from Paris so I have a reference, that you the Americans … are very nice people. Everywhere I went … visiting museums, plants, visiting politicians, I’ve been greeted with smiles and generosity and I’m extremely extremely grateful for that. I arrived in Chicago. I arrived in Seattle, in Houston. I was excited by what I was seeing in terms of the vitality, the difference, the creativity of your country. Science, art, economy. You are really a great, great country. So thank you very much. So thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your country. Really, I don’t cry but I really am deeply moved and really do hope you enjoy tonight. If I leave, which is quite likely but not certain … if I leave … actually, we need to have little bit of, as we say in French, suspense.” Ah, will President Macron step in and let us keep the most popular Ambassador in Washington so we can have a welcome party?
Carole Feld and Pascal Blondeau
Amb. Araud also recognized his long time partner Artist/Photographer Pascal Blondeau who upped the creativity at the embassy events with his whimsical art and edgy themes. On this occasion, he set a table in the dining room filled with decorative arts from previous events and where the seated guests were penguins, and polar bears and birds – replacing Secretaries of States, food critics, gossip columnists, TV hosts and the diplomatic community.
Aniko Gaal Schott
Being a Black Tie and Masks occasion, for those who lacked the latter, plenty were on hand.
Secretary of Commerce and Mrs. Wilbur Ross with Ambassador Araud
