Princess Anne appears to forget to toast the Emir of Qatar at dazzling Buckingham Palace state banquet

This is the awkward moment when Princess Anne seemed to forget to toast the Emir of Qatar at the lavish state banquet yesterday afternoon.

The Princess Royal, 74, attended the lavish reception at Buckingham Palace for Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher, who are in the country for a state visit two days.

Senior members of The Firm were seated at the top table with the King, Queen and Prince of Wales, as well as Qatari dignitaries.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sat between Princess Anne and her brother King Charles, who was sitting next to Queen Camilla.

After a speech, those seated at the top table rose to toast, but Anne suffered an awkward moment when she appeared to go take a sip of her early drink, before toasting Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

As Charles and the Emir of Qatar honored each other, Anne was filmed looking around the room before raising a glass to her face, perhaps to indicate a general toast to the room.

But then Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani raised his glass to indicate that he wanted to show his gratitude by clinking his glass.

The couple greeted each other with a drink before the Qatari royal sat down as Anne proceeded to hold her glass towards those sitting to her right.

Charles and Camilla didn’t seem to cheer up either before returning to their seats.

Toasting glasses is a polite gesture that is considered a wish of happiness and good wishes and is often done at special events after a speech.

The Duke and Duchesses of Edinburgh and Gloucester were also present at yesterday afternoon’s event.

The banquet was the dazzling culmination of a day of pomp and pageantry, honoring the emir and his wife Sheikha Jawaher, who landed at London’s Stansted Airport on Monday.

The palace ballroom was decorated with an abundance of seasonal flowers and foliage in red, reflecting the flag of Qatar, arranged in silver-gilt centerpieces taken from the Grand Service at Windsor Home Park and the Orchard Garden in the conservatories of Windsor.

Flowers are donated the next day to hospices, nursing homes and refuges through Floral Angels, a charity of which Queen Camilla is patron.

Addressing the gathering, King Charles paid tribute to the “unique and shared history” of Britain and Qatar, which dates back more than 160 years.

He said: ‘The UK is proud to be Qatar’s oldest friend in the Western world. We have a special bond based on mutual respect that has stood the test of time.

“Indeed, Qatar’s role in addressing the challenges of recent years has been invaluable – from supporting evacuations from Afghanistan to helping keep the world moving in some of the darkest days of the pandemic.

“His humanity, vision and leadership matter more than I can say.”

And he added: The visit of ‘Their Highnesses’ occurs at another time of great global change.

‘We are experiencing significant turbulence, the climate emergency and the heat of a scientific and technological revolution. Just as our fathers served and worked so hard to meet the challenges of their time, so must we.

‘And in times of uncertainty and upheaval, old friendships take on even greater importance.

‘If I may, I would especially like to express the United Kingdom’s deepest gratitude for its tireless mediation efforts over the past year in pursuit of peace, in the face of unbearable anguish and suffering.

“In these desperate circumstances, Qatar’s continued work, perseverance and diplomatic efforts are simply incomparable.”

The banquet menu was halal for many of the guests present and while alcohol was served for those who wanted it, a ‘mocktail’ was also devised for the occasion.

The three-course menu included a Cornish lobster tartlet and quail eggs to start; Windsor Pheasant Supreme wrapped in Savoy cabbage, roasted celeriac puree, potatoes gratin with soft and creamy Suffolk cheese, truffle sauce and winter vegetables; with a Frozen Bombe with Organic Samoa Vanilla Ice Cream and Balmoral Plum Sorbet for dessert.

To celebrate the occasion, a palace “presence page”, who is studying a master’s degree in wine but also works part-time as a mixologist, came up with a special non-alcoholic drink for the occasion, called “Royal Mirage”. of smoked pomegranate and ginger with a black lime garnish.

Before the banquet, King Charles and Queen Camilla joined the Emir of Qatar and his wife for a group photo on the steps of Buckingham Palace ahead of a lavish state banquet in honor of the visiting royals.

Camilla, 77, paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as she paired her red velvet Fiona Clare evening dress with, unusually, the diamond kokoshnik tiara belonging to the late monarch.

She wore diamond earrings from her private collection, while her necklace also belonged to Queen Elizabeth.

She also wore a ruby ​​and diamond bracelet and the family orders of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles.

David Beckham and his wife Victoria Beckham also attended. It is understood former England star David was invited for his role as an ambassador for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

He was sitting next to Naseer Al-Khelaifi, a Qatari businessman and president of the French soccer club PSG, where Beckham, now 49, ended his distinguished career, ensuring that the two men had much to talk about.

Perhaps mischievously to his right was new Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, also attending her first state banquet.

Beckham, it should be noted, also played on the right wing.

Former Spice Girl Victoria, who sealed her stratospheric rise from pop stardom to the seat of power, was sitting even closer to the “top table” than her husband on the right side of the horseshoe-shaped dining table.