The King has paid tribute to the “profound, personal and historic” ties between our “two great nations” as he hosts the Emir of Qatar at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
The British monarch is joined by the Queen who has not been taking part in the outdoor elements of the two-day state visit as she recovers from pneumonia.
David and Victoria Beckham are among those present at the banquet in the ballroom of Buckingham Palace.
The King began the banquet with a speech where he told the Emir it gives him the “great possible pleasure” to welcome him to Buckingham Palace.
He continued: “In many ways, this evening might be seen as a homecoming, Your Highness is no stranger to these shores, having spent so much of your younger years at three of our most renowned institutions: Sherborne, Harrow and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Your many visits since then have served as a testament to the close personal ties that bind our nations and our families.”
