Kate Middleton and Prince William Give Qatari Emir a Royal Welcome as Queen Camilla Recovers

Kate Middleton and Prince William welcomed the emir of Qatar to Britain on Tuesday for a two-day state visit.

Dressed in a burgundy coat dress by Alexander McQueen and matching hat by Sahar Millinery, the Princess of Wales looked delighted to be back on royal duties after completing cancer treatment as she warmly greeted Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani. The red carpet was rolled out for the visiting heads of state who arrived in Britain on Monday.

William and Princess Kate, who is attending her third official engagement of the year, traveled with their highnesses to Horse Guards Parade, where the visiting royals received a ceremonial welcome.

Prince William and Princess Kate were asked to be part of the state visit by the British government. William has plenty in common with the emir: They are both in their early 40s and were educated at elite British prep schools; the emir and William are both graduates of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, which the emir will visit Wednesday; and both have also served in the military, with the emir going on to serve in the Qatari military and William serving in the British Army and Royal Air Force.

Buckingham Palace announced yesterday that Queen Camilla, who is still recovering from a chest infection, which the palace confirmed on Tuesday was a form of pneumonia, would not be at the welcome ceremony. However, she will attend other key occasions during the busy state visit, including a lunch and banquet on Tuesday. According to an aide, there has been no change to any treatment or diagnosis; Camilla just needs to factor in some rest time during the busy two-day visit. Palace aides added that they did not anticipate any further changes to her other diary commitments this week, and she is expected to be at Buckingham Palace for the formal farewell on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, King Charles formally welcomed their highnesses at the Royal Pavillion on Horse Guards Parade with a royal salute and by playing the Qatari national anthem. In keeping with tradition, the emir was invited to inspect the Guard of Honour with Charles before William and Kate accompanied the emir and Sheikha Jawaher in a carriage procession along the mall to Buckingham Palace for lunch.

Queen Camilla, who is pacing herself on the advice of her medical team, attended the lunch and joined King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales to view a special exhibition in the picture gallery of items from the Royal Collection Trust and Turquoise Mountain Foundation relating to Qatar.

It was an important moment for Princess Kate, who is slowly returning to royal duties following her cancer diagnosis and treatment this year. Kate attended Trooping the Colour in June and the Cenotaph on Remembrance on Sunday. As she continues to recover, she will be absent from Tuesday’s banquet. Later this week, the princess will host the Together at Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey.

The highlight of the visit will be the banquet at Buckingham Palace, during which King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the event and join the emir and Sheikha Jawaher for official photographs. It will take place in the ballroom, where the table is traditionally arranged in a horseshoe, with the monarch and their guest of honor seated at the top table, which is decorated with over 100 candles in silver-gilt candelabra, along with displays of seasonal fruit and striking flowers arranged in silver-gilt centerpieces.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani’s two-day state visit will also include a trip to Westminster Abbey, a visit at the Palace of Westminster, and a meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The trip is an important one for Britain. Qatar is a key investor in the UK; the Qatari Investment Authority owns the luxury retailer Harrod’s and holds large stakes in British companies, such as Barclays Bank and the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s. It has also invested heavily in Royal Ascot and London real estate, including the Shard. But the visit has not been without controversy. While the Royals have laid on the pomp and pageantry, there has been criticism over Britain hosting a country with a poor human rights record.