LONDON (AP) 鈥� The Princess of Wales helped kick off the emir of Qatar鈥檚 trip to Britain on Tuesday as the U.K. government enlists one of the most popular royals to ensure the success of a state visit by the leader of a key ally, even as the princess .
The event will be just one of a handful of appearances that Prince William鈥檚 wife, better known as Kate, has made since she was diagnosed with cancer in March, underscoring the importance of the gas-rich gulf state that invests billions in Britain and has played a
William and Kate greeted Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani in the morning. The couples then traveled to Horse Guards Parade in central London, where King Charles III formally welcomed the emir and Sheikha Jawaher to Britain at the start of a two-day visit that will include a trip to Westminster Abbey, a banquet at Buckingham Palace and a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Queen Camilla, who pulled out of Tuesday's chilly outdoor events on medical advice, told guests at a palace lunch that she had suffered from a lingering chest infection that was a form of pneumonia, Britain's Press Association reported. She added that she no longer has pneumonia, but was suffering from post-viral fatigue.
Though smaller than the U.S. state of sa国际传媒icut, Qatar has the world鈥檚 third-largest reserves of natural gas and is a key investor in the U.K. The Qatari Investment Authority owns the luxury retailer Harrod鈥檚 and holds large stakes in British companies such as Barclays Bank and the supermarket chain Sainsbury鈥檚. It has also invested heavily in London real estate, including the Shard, western Europe鈥檚 tallest building.
But the display of pomp being rolled out for the emir sits uneasily with who say women and LGBTQ+ people face discrimination in Qatar, and migrant workers still haven鈥檛 been compensated for 鈥渆gregious abuses鈥� that occurred during preparations for the 2022 soccer World Cup.
鈥淗osting the royal visit without addressing these issues is tantamount to royal-washing Qatar鈥檚 troubling rights record,鈥� said Yasmine Ahmed, U.K. director of Human Rights Watch.
The state visit comes at the end of a difficult year for Britain鈥檚 royal family.
it was announced in February that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. Just a few weeks later, Kate made public her own cancer diagnosis and said that she, too, would be stepping away from public duties to focus on her treatment and recovery.
While Charles at the end of April, Kate needed more time and her return has been slower.
The princess has made only a few public appearances this year, mostly at moments of national significance. They included the king鈥檚 annual birthday parade in June and the men鈥檚 final at Wimbledon in July. Most recently, she took part in in November to honor the nation鈥檚 war dead.
that she had completed chemotherapy treatment.
One reason the government and royal family may have asked Kate and William to play a major role in the Qatari state visit is because they have a lot in common with the emir.
All three are 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, with the emir going on to serve in the Qatari military and William serving in both the British Army and Royal Air Force.
Kate and William will join the Qatari royals and the king and queen for 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 banquet at Buckingham Palace.
On Wednesday, the emir will visit Sandhurst, meeting with some of his former classmates and current Qatari cadets. He will also meet with RAF personnel who are providing advanced training for Qatari air force pilots.
The emir will then travel to the prime minister鈥檚 residence at 10 Downing Street for his meeting with Starmer.
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Danica Kirka, The Associated Press
