Princess of Wales greets Emir of Qatar in first state visit since cancer treatment
The Princess of Wales has returned to the most high profile of public duties since her chemotherapy, joining her husband and the King to welcome the Emir of Qatar and his wife to the UK.
The Princess attended part of the state visit, while the Queen attended the second part in a never-before-deployed royal job share.
While the Princess is making a gradual return to public life after her cancer treatment and did not attend the evening banquet, the Queen has had pneumonia and avoided a long wait outside in the cold for the ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade.
Conversely, the Princess did join the official welcome, escorting, alongside her husband, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher from their unnamed private residence to Horse Guards Parade where they were greeted by the King.
The Prince of Wales at times appeared protective of her, occasionally laying a supportive hand on her back during the engagements.
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Queen Camilla, who told guests that her illness, previously described only as a chest infection, had actually been pneumonia, took her place at the evening banquet, cutting some elements slightly short to avoid tiredness.
Both women attended a Buckingham Palace lunch with the wider Royal family and the Qatari delegation, going on to view a small exhibition of Royal Collection artefacts relating to the UK-Qatar relations laid out across two tables in the Picture Gallery.
The Princess wore a coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, a nod to the colour of the flag of Qatar, and a hat by Sahar Millinery. Her jewellery once belonged to Elizabeth II, with the striking four-stringed pearl choker necklace previously seen regularly on the late Queen and Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Emir and his wife were officially welcomed to the UK by the King, in a full ceremony showcasing the pomp and pageantry of the military.
In the winter sunshine at Horse Guards Parade, the King introduced the Sheikh to a line-up including Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, and Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, with the Prince of Wales acting as host for the Sheikha.
Introductions complete, the King, who is 76 and having treatment for cancer himself, smiled as he ushered the two younger couples to either side of him for a photograph.
The Emir inspected the Guard of Honour, formed by the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, with the King walking behind him.
Slight tweaks to the format of the State Visit allowed the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery – usually based in Green Park for the event – to play a more visible role in welcoming the Emir, who has a keen interest in horses.
As the King and Emir walked across the gravel of Horse Guards Parade on their official business, the Prince of Wales drew the Sheikha into conversation with him and the Princess on the dais.
The royal party then departed Horse Guards in a carriage procession: the King in the Irish State Coach with the Emir and Sheikha, with the Waleses following in the Australian State Coach with the Qatari prime minister.
After a second welcoming ceremony at Buckingham Palace, the Royal family gathered en masse for lunch in the Blue Drawing Room, followed by the look at exhibition of items from the Royal Collection.
The King and Queen escorted the Emir and Sheikha, pointing out the various objects relating to Qatar-UK relations, with the King appearing to enjoy telling them about the collection and its “most absolutely extraordinary library you’ve ever seen”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales followed behind, walking closely and talking to one another.
She pointed at a gold mantel clock featuring a bronze model of a horse, which was given by the Sheikh to the King as the Prince of Wales in 2010, and peered closely at a set of photographic prints by Robert van der Hilst, a Dutch photographer, which capture the spirit of Souq Waqif, Doha’s historic market.
The Duchess of Edinburgh wore a long-sleeved, floor-length gown and stopped to read the artefact labels carefully. The Duke of Edinburgh, Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent were also there, hosting the visiting Qatari delegation.
The Picture Gallery was decorated for Christmas, with trees adorned with white lights and baubles mounted above the large doorways.
During the day, the King and Emir swapped gifts between their families.
The King gave a hand-knotted Prayer mat, a handmade Koran stand, and a falconry glove. He received six gifts in return, including a side table, a model of a traditional sailboat used in pearl diving and a photograph of Arabian Horses.
The Queen and Sheikha exchanged an ornate pill box and a necklace.
The Emir, 44, was educated in Britain, attending public schools Sherborne and Harrow, before graduating from Sandhurst military academy.
It is the second state visit of this year and the fourth of the King’s reign, following South Africa, South Korea and Japan.
