A small blip occurred at the very opulent state banquet in Buckingham Palace, as it was for Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher. The 74-year-old Princess Anne seemingly had a premature sip of her glass before clinking glasses with the Emir to create a small awkward moment at the top table.
The banquet, a dazzling culmination of the Emir’s two-day state visit, had the senior royals seated along with the Qatari dignitaries. Sheikh Tamim sat between King Charles and Princess Anne, and the momentary misstep occurred during the customary toast after a speech by King Charles.
Anne was seen looking around the room and raising her glass, apparently in a general toast, but the Emir raised his glass to clink with hers, signifying thanks. They soon reciprocated the gesture, and then Anne raised her glass to other guests on her right.
Watch:
Princess Anne 😂
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— ChristinZ (@ChristinsQueens) December 3, 2024
The banquet hall was a stunning vision of elegance, with seasonal red flowers reflecting the Qatari flag. Floral arrangements from Windsor Home Park and the Orchard Garden were placed in the silver-gilt centerpieces from the Grand Service collection. These flowers were then distributed to hospices, care homes, and shelters through the charity Floral Angels founded by Queen Camilla.
The menu, which consisted of a tartlet of Cornish lobster and quail eggs, Windsor pheasant wrapped in Savoy cabbage, and an iced bombe dessert with Samoan vanilla ice cream and Balmoral plum sorbet, was handpicked. For the toast, there was also an alcohol-free “Royal Mirage” mocktail made with smoked pomegranate, ginger, and black lime; wine was also available for those who consumed alcohol.
King Charles also underlined the 160-year-long “unique, shared history” between Britain and Qatar in his speech. He went on to reflect on the contributions of Qatar, saying:
“Qatar’s role in navigating the challenges of recent years has been invaluable – from supporting evacuations from Afghanistan to helping to keep the world moving in some of the darkest days of the pandemic.”.
The King also commended Qatar’s “tireless mediation efforts” in global peacebuilding and underlined the significance of old friendships during turbulent times.
The banquet was graced by many top personalities, including David and Victoria Beckham. Beckham, former England footballer, had come as an ambassador of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He was sitting next to Naseer Al-Khelaifi, PSG President, where Beckham retired from his football career.
Victoria Beckham, closer to the top table, was one of the many rising stars from pop stardom to the corridors of power. Among the political guests was Kemi Badenoch, the new Conservative leader, attending her first state banquet.
Queen Camilla, in red velvet evening gown by Fiona Clare, paid tribute to the memory of late Queen Elizabeth II by adorning the diamond kokoshnik tiara and a range of heirloom jewellery. Her jewelry included ruby and diamond bracelet, a pair of diamond earrings belonging to her private collection and family orders from both late Queen and King Charles.
This was a feast to match the greatness of British hospitality and which celebrates the eternal bond of the UK with Qatar through diplomatic maneuvers and elegance.
