The cold November air at Horse Guards Parade will have been a reminder to the Emir of Qatar of his younger days completing military training in Britain, but it was also a reminder of why Queen’s Camilla’s doctors suggested she should give this official welcome ceremony a miss.
So, as the Princess of Wales stepped out of the car at the start of the proceedings, it did feel a little like a case of one royal in, one royal out.
Kate was completing another engagement on her phased return to royal duties following her cancer treatment.
But it came on the day that Queen Camilla had to withdraw from some elements of the day’s events on medical advice, as she’s struggled to shake off the effects of a chest infection – which has impacted a number of her planned events this month.
She missed the Remembrance Weekend events and the Royal Variety performance and, whilst she has completed some jobs, anything involving standing in the cold has been struck from her diary.
Buckingham Palace insists there is no cause for alarm, but the Queen’s illness has now been going on for the best part of a month.
Princess Catherine, meanwhile, was at the welcoming ceremony alongside her husband, Prince William.
They both escorted the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, from their official London residence to Horse Guards Parade.
After the national anthem of Qatar was played and the Emir and the King inspected the Guard of Honour, the State Visit got under way.
The traditional procession of carriages from Horse Guards Parade along The Mall to Buckingham Palace involved King Charles with the Emir and his wife in the lead carriage.
The Prince and Princess of Wales followed behind ahead of a private lunch hosted by King Charles, which Queen Camilla did join.
The Queen told guests at the state visit that her chest infection was a form of pneumonia.
It means the images from the Buckingham Palace Picture Gallery after lunch, where the guests are shown items from the Royal Collection relating to Qatar, will be the only ones in which all four senior members of the British Royal Family will be seen at the same time today.
Kate’s involvement in the day ends at the Picture Gallery as she is not attending this evening’s State Banquet.
Prince William, however, will hold a private audience with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at Kensington Palace and will be at tonight’s banquet without his wife.
Queen Camilla will be present for the official photographs and the dinner itself, but she will not take part in the traditional receiving line.
It reflects a year in which the most senior Royals have been forced to amend their diaries due the health issues.
State visits, both those in the UK (inward) and those overseas (outward) are decided by the Foreign Office based on the priorities of the government of the day.
Whilst the King will not have had much of a say in who comes to the UK on official visits like this, there are many who object to a visit by the ruling monarch of Qatar.
Protests have been staged over the state’s treatment of gay and lesbian people and migrant workers.
Polly Truscott from Amnesty International said: “It’s important that Qatar’s poor human rights record isn’t overlooked during the pomp and ceremony of this visit.”
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