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Kate joins Qatar welcome as Queen says she had pneumonia King hails Qatar's peace efforts - and banquet menu revealed
(about 5 hours later)
Watch: Kate joins royals for Qatari state visitWatch: Kate joins royals for Qatari state visit
The diplomatic red carpet is being rolled out for a state visit from the Emir of Qatar, with the King and the Prince and Princess of Wales leading a royal welcome. At a glittering state banquet in Buckingham Palace, King Charles has praised his Qatari guests for their “tireless mediation efforts over the past year in pursuit of peace”.
The visiting Qatari royals were given a parade along the Mall, but Queen Camilla stayed away from the outdoor parts of the official welcome - as she revealed she had been suffering the side-effects of a form of pneumonia. The Emir of Qatar is on a state visit to the UK - and the King highlighted the Gulf state’s role in negotiations in the Gaza conflict and the return of Israeli hostages.
Catherine took part in the carriage procession, marking another stage in her return to official duties. The diplomatic red carpet had been rolled out for the wealthy, gas-rich country, which has strong business and military ties to the UK.
The Qatari visitors were given a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, to be followed by a visit to the Houses of Parliament and a state banquet on Tuesday evening. Queen Camilla, who revealed she had been recovering from a form of pneumonia, attended the state banquet, having missed the outdoors parts of the official welcome.
It was Catherine's first state visit since ending her chemotherapyIt was Catherine's first state visit since ending her chemotherapy
There have been criticisms over Qatar's record on LGBT rights - and a small group of protesters shouted "Qatar's anti-gay shame" as the royal carriages went past. State banquets are a centrepiece of such visits, held in the grandeur of the ballroom of Buckingham Palace, with a 4,000-piece dinner service.
Queen Camilla had to pull out of the ceremonial welcome on a chilly Horse Guards Parade, as it emerged that she's still suffering from the side effects of a chest infection, but she is taking part in events in Buckingham Palace, including the state banquet. Sir Keir Starmer, as prime minister, was on the top table for the first time, along with the King, Queen and Prince of Wales - and the Qatari royal couple, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani.
She told guests at the state visit that her chest infection had been a form of pneumonia, which has now cleared, but she still sometimes suffers from post-viral fatigue and bouts of extreme tiredness. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch was sitting next to David Beckham, who on his other side was seated next to Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris St-Germain football club.
Palace sources say she has recovered well, but the "episodic" fatigue has meant the Queen has had to miss a number of engagements over recent weeks. David Beckham had been seen earlier holding hands with his wife Victoria as they arrived at the banquet.
But the Princess of Wales was involved in a state visit for the first time since ending the chemotherapy treatment that followed her cancer diagnosis. The guests sat behind elaborate table settings - with microphones poking out of the flower displays of those speaking on the top table.
After taking part in the carriage procession, she joined a private lunch at the Palace, along with the King, Queen and other senior royals. On the menu was Cornish lobster and quail eggs for a starter, with pheasant wrapped in Savoy cabbage, roasted celeriac puree and potato gratin as a main course, followed by an iced bombe with ice cream and a plum sorbet.
Each guest had a setting of five different glasses - and for those wanting an alcoholic drink, the wine list included Chapel Down Grand Reserve 2018, Puligny-Montrachet Les Nosroyes, Domaine Genot-Boulanger 2019, Chateau Lynch-Bages, Pauillac 2000 and a Chateau La Tour Blanche.
The Queen joined King Charles in welcoming the Qatari royals at Buckingham PalaceThe Queen joined King Charles in welcoming the Qatari royals at Buckingham Palace
In the winter sunshine, tourists held up their phones to take photos as the UK and Qatari royals went along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, with flags of both countries hung along the route. A renovation project at the palace means this will be the last such state banquet held here for the next couple of years, with the next likely to be at Windsor Castle instead.
State visits are a mix of elaborate ceremony and practical politics, offering hospitality on a grand scale to an important international partner. King Charles welcomed the Emir of Qatar and praised the country’s mediation efforts in the Middle East.
This is a carefully choreographed effort by the UK government to build warm relations with Qatar, from the pageantry of marching bands to a Downing Street meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. “In the most desperate of circumstances, Qatar’s continued toil, perseverance and diplomatic efforts are quite simply invaluable,” said the King.
The Qatari visitors are from a Muslim country but it won't be an alcohol-free banquet at the palace, with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks being served. A champion of building bridges between religions, the King quoted from the Quran - “Whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity” - and words from the Bible, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Among the symbolic gifts exchanged, King Charles gave the Emir a hand-knotted prayer mat and a handmade wooden stand for a Quran. In return, the Emir gave an inlaid side table, made using limestone and sodalite, a blue-coloured mineral. In response, the Emir praised the King’s efforts for “inter-faith dialogue” and said the UK and Qatar are “not only friends, but partners”.
The King also gave an important honour to Qatar's Emir, appointing him Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. State visits are a mix of elaborate ceremony and practical politics, offering hospitality on a grand scale to an important international partner. It’s soft power with parades and chandeliers.
This carefully choreographed effort to strengthen relations with Qatar began with a ceremonial greeting at Horse Guards Parade and then a carriage ride along the Mall to Buckingham Palace.
On Wednesday there will be a meeting between the Emir and the prime minister at 10 Downing Street.
The Qatari royals were given a carriage procession to Buckingham PalaceThe Qatari royals were given a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and ministers Yvette Cooper and David Lammy joined the ceremonyPrime Minister Keir Starmer and ministers Yvette Cooper and David Lammy joined the ceremony
The UK Foreign Office, which advises on which countries are invited for a state visit, says Qatar is a key defence partner and that trade between the UK and the gas-rich Gulf state is worth £6.6bn per year, with £40bn of Qatari investment in the UK economy. Qatar has been seen as an important bridge between the West and the Middle East, hosting international events such as the 2022 World Cup.
Qatar has been a mediator in talks over the conflict in Gaza, though the role was suspended last month. The UK Foreign Office says Qatar is a key defence partner and that trade between the UK and the gas-rich Gulf state is worth £6.6bn per year, with £40bn of Qatari investment in the UK economy.
And the country's Emir has been a regular visitor to the UK, coming here at least eight times in the past decade.
He studied at school in the UK and attended Sandhurst military academy.
Qatar has been seen as an important bridge between the West and the Middle East, hosting events such as the 2022 World Cup.
There are close military ties. The UK and Qatar have a joint RAF Typhoon squadron based at RAF Coningsby - the first joint RAF squadron since World War II, says the Foreign Office.There are close military ties. The UK and Qatar have a joint RAF Typhoon squadron based at RAF Coningsby - the first joint RAF squadron since World War II, says the Foreign Office.
BBC diplomatic correspondent Caroline Hawley describes Qatar as a small country which plays an outsized role in global affairs. Catherine, the Princess of Wales, was part of the official welcome and carriage procession - her first participation in a state visit since the end of the chemotherapy that followed her cancer diagnosis.
Thanks to its reserve of natural gas, the Gulf state is also one of the richest countries in the Middle East, with high-profile investments in the UK. But the Queen had pulled out of the ceremonial welcome on a chilly Horse Guards Parade, as she continued to suffer from the side effects of a chest infection.
Qatar owns Harrods, the Shard, and the luxury London hotel Claridge’s. And it has significant shares in Sainsbury’s and Heathrow Airport. She told guests at the state visit that her chest infection had been a form of pneumonia, which has now cleared, but she still sometimes suffers from post-viral fatigue and bouts of extreme tiredness.
There have been protests against this week's visit, including by the Peter Tatchell Foundation, which has criticised Qatar's record on LGBT rights, women's rights and the treatment of migrant workers. There have been criticisms over Qatar's record on LGBT rights - and a small group of protesters shouted "Qatar's anti-gay shame" as the royal carriages went past on the Mall.
There have been complaints about this week's visit, including by the Peter Tatchell Foundation, which has criticised Qatar's record on LGBT rights, women's rights and the treatment of migrant workers.
Human Rights Watch has said the visit should not ignore Qatar's "troubling rights record".Human Rights Watch has said the visit should not ignore Qatar's "troubling rights record".
In response, the UK government says it regularly discusses human rights with its Qatari counterparts and is opposed to discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender.In response, the UK government says it regularly discusses human rights with its Qatari counterparts and is opposed to discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender.
The centrepiece of such state visits is the state banquet, where the King and Emir will give speeches in front of dignitaries from both countries, in the grand setting of the Buckingham Palace ballroom. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “Our strong, historic ties with Qatar are vital to UK prosperity, growth and security.
The Princess of Wales won't be at the banquet but it will be the first time Starmer will have been at this diplomatic showcase as prime minister. “The UK government is committed to continued strong relations with Qatar to deliver partnerships of mutual value.”
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Our strong, historic ties with Qatar are vital to UK prosperity, growth and security.
"The UK government is committed to continued strong relations with Qatar to deliver partnerships of mutual value."
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