After marking his actual 65th birthday in Sri Lanka with the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles celebrated on his return with a lavish party at Buckingham Palace.
Last Thursday the heir to the throne was the guest of honour at a bash which also celebrated his the 35th anniversary of his patronage of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the bicentenary of composer Richard Wagner.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe exclusive party, which reportedly cost £500,000, featured a champagne reception and a concert from the Philharmonia, with Charles choosing the music.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the event was paid for Indian private equity tycoon and philanthropist Cyrus Vandrevala and his wife, Priya.
The couple have become close to Charles and Camilla through their support of the Elephant Family conservation charity, which was founded by the Duchess' s brother Mark Shand.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAttending were 400 VIP guests including chancellor George Osbourne and his wife Frances and some of the wealthiest people in Britiain. Among them were the heir to the Daimler-Benz fortune Gert-Rudolph Flick and his wife Corinne.
It fell exactly a week after Charles celebrated with cake at a party thrown in his honour at the British High Commission in Colombo. The couple were in Sri Lanka for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders, following a nine-day tour of India.
