The King and Queen will welcome The Amir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, accompanied by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, for a State Visit to the UK from 3rd – 4th December.
Buckingham Palace has released details of this upcoming State Visit. Here’s an in-depth guide for key events during the Qatar State Visit.
A new photograph of The King and Queen has been released. (Royal Family)
What can we expect from the Qatar State Visit?
Tuesday 3rd December
Beginning the visit, The Prince and Princess of Wales will greet The Amir of the State of Qatar and Sheikha Jawaher, at their hotel, on Tuesday morning. The group will then travel to Horse Guards Parade, where Their Highnesses will receive a Ceremonial Welcome from King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Presentations will be made, with the Guard of Honour then giving a Royal Salute and the Qatari National Anthem will be played. The Amir, accompanied by The King, will then inspect the Guard of Honour, formed of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, with the Band of the Regiment.
Afterwards, Their Highnesses will join The King and Queen & The Prince and Princess of Wales, in a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace. At the Palace, the group will be met by a second Guard of Honour formed of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards with the Band of the Irish Guards, who will play the Qatari and British National Anthems.
There will be a a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace as shown during the Japan State Visit. (Royal Family)
As per tradition with State Visits, there will be a private lunch. This will be followed be a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery with items from the Royal Collection Trust and Turquoise Mountain Foundation relating to Qatar.
In the afternoon, The Amir and Her Highness will visit Westminster Abbey, where Their Highnesses will take a tour of the Abbey, accompanied by the Dean of Westminster and the Chapter. Next, The Amir will travel to Palace of Westminster will address gathered Parliamentarians and other invited guests before joining a reception with Members of the House of Lords and Members of Parliament.
State Visits see a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating the country visiting the UK. (Royal Family)
At Kensington Palace, The Amir will then be received by The Prince of Wales.
In the evening, The King, accompanied by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family, will give a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace for Their Highnesses. Speeches will be made by The King and The Amir at the beginning of the banquet.
Kensington Palace has confirmed that The Princess of Wales will not attend the State Banquet. It comes as she is continuing her steady return to royal duties having undergone chemotherapy. The Qatar State Visit will mark one of the few major royal events that Catherine has attended this year.
A state banquet will take place at Buckingham Palace. (UK in Japan)
Wednesday 4th December
On Wednesday morning, The Amir will visit the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. His Highness will meet contemporaries from the Amir’s time at Sandhurst and Qatari cadets. The Academy has a number of royal alumni including The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Sussex.
The Amir and Sheikha Jawaher will then travel to Buckingham Palace to formally bid farewell to The King and Queen.
On the Wednesday evening, The Amir, joined by The Duke of Gloucester, will attend a dinner at Mansion House given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation.
The King meeting The Amir at a reception at Buckingham Palace for the Heads of State and other visiting dignitaries who attended the Coronation. (Photo by Ian Jones/Foreign Office – Flickr)
King Charles has visited Qatar on eight occasions, as Prince of Wales, between 1986 and 2015. His Majesty was accompanied by The Queen, as Duchess of Cornwall, on the visits in 2007 and 2013.
The Amir has visited the United Kingdom on eight occasions between 2014 and 2023. In 2023, His Highness was accompanied by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher, as Consort of The Amir, to the Coronation of The King and Queen.
Recently, King Charles met The Amir of the State of Qatar in December 2023 at the COP28 summit in Dubai.
