Queen to miss ceremonial welcome during Qatar state visit after chest infection
The Queen is to miss the ceremonial welcome during the Qatari state visit after suffering significantly diminished reserves of energy following her chest infection.
Doctors have urged Camilla to take time to rest and fully recover from the lingering effects of the illness, which she contracted a month ago following a long-haul trip to Australia and Samoa.
The King and the Prince and Princess of Wales are set to welcome the Emir of Qatar and his wife to the UK on Tuesday as part of the traditional outdoor welcome on Horse Guards Parade.
It will be the first state visit in which the Princess has taken part since her cancer diagnosis as she continues her gradual return to public duties.
She will meet Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, with Prince William in London, before accompanying them to the parade ground to meet the King and senior government figures.
The King, the Prince, the Princess of Wales and their guests will then take part in a carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace, where they will attend a lunch and visit a picture gallery exhibition in the royal residence.
The Palace said the Queen’s programme had been tweaked, meaning she will miss both the ceremonial welcome and the carriage ride. However, she will join the Emir and his wife for the lunch and hopes to be able to attend the gallery display.
The 77-year-old will still be present at the state banquet in the evening, and will pose for a group photo as it begins. However, She will take a short break before dinner while guests are being met in a receiving line.
The Princess of Wales will not be in attendance at the banquet, but the Prince will be there.
With temperatures expected to hover around 7C in London on Tuesday, it is likely that royal doctors were keen for the Queen to miss the ceremonial welcome to avoid her standing in the chilly December air for an extended period of time.
The ceremony, which sees the royal party gather on a royal dais, involves the King inspecting a Guard of Honour with his visiting head of state. It marks the start of a busier week for the Princess of Wales, who will be hosting her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on Friday, when she is expected to be joined by her children and husband.
Sheikh Tamim, the 44-year-old Emir of Qatar, was educated in Britain, attending Sherborne and Harrow before graduating from the Sandhurst military academy. He set up Qatar Sports Investments, which owns the French football team Paris Saint-Germain, in 2005.
On Wednesday, the final day of the two-day visit, the Emir will visit Sandhurst before travelling to the Palace to bid a formal farewell to the King and Queen, with Her Majesty expected to be present. He will also go to Downing Street for bilateral talks with Sir Keir Starmer.
Qatar, one of the richest Gulf states, is a key mediator in the Israel-Hamas war, and there are reports the Government is hoping to seal a free-trade deal with the Gulf Co-operation Council. However, the country has faced criticism over its human rights record, in particular its criminalisation of same-sex relationships.
