Queen Camilla , Patron, English National Ballet, on Wednesday hosted a reception to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary, said a statement issued by Buckingham Palace.

The royal family’s Instagram account shared multiple pictures and videos from the event hosted by the Queen.

The statement said, “During the event, Her Majesty met staff, dancers, and supporters to recognise the company’s celebrated heritage, its innovative creation of new works, and its learning and engagement programme. “

It said, “The Queen became Royal Patron of English National Ballet in June 2024, and visited their East London home, the Mulryan Centre for Dance, in September 2024.”

The wife of King Charles III  hosted the reception in the Centre Room at Buckingham Palace, during which Aaron S. Watkin, the Artistic Director of English National Ballet and Sir Rupert Gavin, the Chairperson, said a few words before Lead Principal Ballerina Sangeun Lee performed the ‘The Dying Swan’.

The palace said, “Her Majesty met Sangeun Lee along with dance advocate and former chairperson of English National Ballet, Angela Rippon and Dame Arlene Phillips before meeting guests including from the Company’s Dance for Parkinson’s and ENBYouthCo programmes.”

It said, “The Company was founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, with a pioneering ambition to take ballet beyond opera houses.”

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board on Wednesday confirmed that the ongoing Pakistan tour will continue as scheduled after several players expressed desire to return home over security concerns.

In a statement, the SLC clarified that if any player wants to return to Sri Lanka despite the assurance, he will be replaced in a bid to ensure the continuation of the ongoing series without interruption, but the player would have to undergo a formal assessment by the cricket board over his actions.

The statement comes after at least eight Sri Lankan cricketers expressed reluctance to continue playing the ongoing three-match ODI series, followed by a T20I tri-series against Pakistan and Zimbabwe, due to security concerns, a Sri Lankan official told AFP.

The players have expressed fears for their safety following Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Islamabad, which killed 12 and wounded 27 outside a court. The victims included lawyers and petitioners who came to the court.

The Sri Lankan cricket board, in the statement, said the team management had informed the board earlier in the day that some members of the national squad had requested to leave Pakistan.

The board said it had immediately engaged with the players, assuring them that all safety concerns were being addressed in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and relevant authorities.

The board directed all players, support staff, and team management to remain in Pakistan and proceed with the tour as planned.

However, SLC clarified that if any player or team member still chose to return home, replacements would be sent promptly to ensure the series continues without disruption.

The cricket board also warned that any player or staff member who defies the directive would face a formal review after the tour’s conclusion, with disciplinary action to be decided accordingly.

Following the reservations expressed by the Sri Lankan cricketer, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said security around the visiting team had been increased following the attack.

To addresses the concerns, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Interior Minister, is meeting the Sri Lankan team to brief them about the security arrangements in place, sources revealed.

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six runs in the opening one-day international in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, a game that went ahead despite the suicide attack in the twin city of Islamabad.

The remaining matches are scheduled to take place on Thursday and Saturday, also in Rawalpindi.

PCB chief meets Sri Lankan envoy

The development came hours after the Sri Lankan High Commissioner expressed satisfaction over the security of its national men’s team following a meeting with Naqvi in Islamabad.

The satisfaction was expressed during his meeting with Interior Minister and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the cricket board said in a statement on Wednesday.

Both team managers, PCB Chief Operating Officer Sameer Ahmed, the Islamabad chief commissioner and the Islamabad police chief were also present on the occasion, according to the statement.

‎During the meeting, the chief commissioner and the IGP Islamabad gave a detailed briefing on the security being provided to the Sri Lankan team.

Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi said that the players of the Sri Lankan cricket team are “our state guests and all necessary measures have been ensured for their foolproof security.”

He emphasised that providing a safe environment to the visiting players is the top priority of the government.

The Sri Lankan high commissioner, in response, expressed solidarity with the government over the attack and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. He also expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements made for the team.

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