LONDON (AP) — The Prince of Wales will help kick off Qatar’s trip to Britain on Tuesday as the UK government enlists one of the royal family’s most popular supporters to ensure a successful visit by the leader of a special friend, even. as the princess recovers from cancer treatment.
The event will be one of the few seen by Prince William’s wife, known as Kate, since she was diagnosed with cancer in March, underscoring the importance of the gas-rich gulf state that invests billions in Britain and played. a major role in the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
William and Kate greeting Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani in the morning. The couple will then go to the Horse Guards Parade in central London, where King Charles III will officially welcome the emir and Sheikha Jawaher to Britain at the start of a two-day visit that will include a trip to Westminster Abbey, a reception at Buckingham Palace and. meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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Queen Camilla, who has been suffering from a chest infection, pulled out of an outdoor event on medical advice. He plans to participate in a luncheon at the palace and attend a party that evening.
Although it is smaller than the US state of Connecticut, Qatar has the third-largest gas reserves in the world and invests in the UK. The Qatari Investment Authority is the owner of the luxury retailer Harrod’s and has major shareholders in British companies such as Barclays Bank and the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s. It has also invested heavily in London real estate, including the Shard, western Europe’s tallest building.
But the show of flamboyance that is being sent to the emir is always uncomfortable with human rights advocates who say that women and LGBTQ + people face discrimination in Qatar, and migrant workers have not been paid “extreme abuse” that occurred during the 2022 football preparations. World Cup.
“Accepting the royal visit without addressing these issues is tantamount to washing away Qatar’s rights,” said Yasmine Ahmed, UK director of Human Rights Watch.
The state visit comes at the end of a difficult year for the British royal family.
The king was suspended for two months after it was announced in February that he had an undisclosed form of cancer. Just a few weeks later, Kate publicly announced her cancer diagnosis and said she, too, would be stepping back from public duties to focus on her treatment and recovery.
With Charles returning to public duties at the end of April, Kate needed more time and her return has been delayed.
The princess has made few public appearances this year, especially at times of national importance. They included the annual parade for the king’s birthday in June and the men’s final at Wimbledon in July. Most recently, he participated in the annual Remembrance Day celebrations in November to honor the world’s war dead.
The princess announced in September that she had finished chemotherapy.
Another reason why the government and the royal family may have asked Kate and William to play a bigger role in Qatar’s state visit is because they have a lot in common with the emir.
All three are in their 40s and educated at top British prep schools. Emir and William both graduated from the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, with Emir serving in the Qatari army and William in the British Army and Royal Air Force.
Kate and William will join the Qatari royals and the king and queen in a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace.
After lunch at the palace, the emir and Sheikha Jawaher will visit Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
Later in the day, the king and queen will host a state reception at Buckingham Palace.
On Wednesday, the emir will visit Sandhurst, meeting some of his former classmates and current Qatari cadets. He will also meet RAF personnel who are providing advanced training to Qatari pilots.
The Emir will then go to the Prime Minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street for his meeting with Starmer.
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