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Great Ormond Street Hospital Visit / "Guild Hall" Party

Chris Cadman, author, “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

At the Guildhall on 20th July, 1988 Michael was honoured at a medieval banquet to celebrate his sold out British tour. A fanfare of trumpets heralded Michael’s arrival as 250 guests stood to welcome him. Michael stood on a dais, with Jimmy Safechuck, the youngster from his Pepsi ads, as the Band of the Corps of the Royal Engineers marched past.

Tribute tunes played for him included, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “All I Ask From You,” from Phantom of the Opera and as an armoured knight galloped to Michael on the dais to present him a sword, the tune of “Nightfall In Camp” blazed out. The band also played a version of his classic hit “Billie Jean,”

“We’ve never had all this fun before, not even for royalty,” said a delighted official.

Michael’s response was:

“Gee. A King? I never knew. I love your traditions. You have so much history here in England!”