The Princess of Wales made a rare public appearance as the emir of Qatar and his wife began a two-day state visit to the UK.Â
The royal visitors were officially welcomed in Whitehall by King Charles before the emir inspected a guard of honour by the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards on Horse Guards Parade.
The Prince and Princess of Wales had followed tradition and joined Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher, on their journey from their private residence to Whitehall.
The royal women travelled in one chauffeur-driven limousine while the men travelled in another as they made their way to the parade ground where the waiting King greeted his guests warmly on a dais.
The princess looked relaxed as she stepped from a chauffeur-driven car with the prince, one of only a handful of official events Kate has carried out this year.
It’s one of the princess’s few official appearances during a year in which she has undergone treatment for cancer.
Kate has been gradually returning to royal duties after saying in September her chemotherapy treatment had finished, but she won’t go to the state banquet hosted by the King, where William will be a guest.
Queen tells guests she had pneumonia
But the Queen missed the open-air greeting and a carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace, after pulling out on Monday.
Camilla, 77, told guests at the state visit that her chest infection was a form of pneumonia.
Camilla is suffering from post-viral fatigue and is missing the outdoor elements of the Qatari visit after being urged by her doctors to take more time to recover.
It is understood Camilla’s condition was viral, not bacterial, and she no longer has pneumonia.
The Queen missed the outdoor ceremonial welcome on a chilly Horse Guards Parade on Tuesday.
Instead, she arrived at Buckingham Palace shortly beforehand, giving a smile as she stepped from her car at the Grand Entrance.
Camilla, 77, waited for the Emir of Qatar and his wife inside, in the warm surroundings of the Grand Hall.
It is understood the Queen was not taken to hospital with pneumonia, but is now facing bouts of extreme tiredness.
Her medical team has advised her to take each day as it comes.
She will join the King, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the emir for a group photo before the banquet later. But she will take a short break before dinner while guests are met in a receiving line.
Sheikh Tamim, 44, who was educated in Britain, has a busy schedule of engagements aimed at strengthening the ties between the UK and the Middle East nation, including meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
