Proud David Beckham lent a reassuring hand to his wife Victoria as they joined royals at the King’s glittering state banquet in Qatar on Tuesday night.
The former footballer, 49, attended the event with his fashion designer wife, 50, who looked a little nervous at one point as she walked before David held her hand to reassure her.
King Charles and Queen Camilla host a lavish reception for the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher, who are in the country for a two-day state visit .
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 football club PSG, where Beckham finished his distinguished career, ensuring that the two men had plenty to talk about.
At the event, Victoria looked stunning in a figure-hugging black dress, no doubt from her own fashion brand.
Proud David Beckham lent a reassuring hand to his wife Victoria as they joined royals at the King’s glittering state banquet in Qatar on Tuesday night.
The former footballer, 49, attended the event with his fashion designer wife, 50, who looked a little nervous at one point as she walked before David held her hand to reassure her.
King Charles and Queen Camilla host a lavish reception for the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher, who are in the country for a two-day state visit.
She wore her brunette locks slicked back and carried a small gold bag to complement the look.
Meanwhile, David cut a dapper figure in a black jacket and trousers, a crisp white shirt and a bow tie.
Perhaps mischievously to his right at the banquet 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.
He had Lord Levy on his left (appropriately not just a colleague but a former chief executive of a large group of independent music companies) and Lord Darzi, knighted for his services to medicine and surgery, on his right.
The seating plan is organized by the Department of the Head of the Household at Buckingham Palace in conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which is funding the state visit.
And it will surely only add fuel to the fire of speculation that Beckham will be knighted in the near future.
The banquet was the dazzling culmination of a day of pomp and pageantry, honoring the Emir and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher, who landed at Stansted Airport in London yesterday.
At the event, Victoria looked stunning in a figure-hugging black dress, no doubt from her own fashion brand.
It is understood that former England star David was invited for his role as an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Meanwhile, David cut a dapper figure in a black jacket and trousers, a crisp white shirt and a bow tie.
The palace ballroom was decorated with an abundance of seasonal flowers and foliage in red, reflecting the flag of Qatar, arranged in silver-gold centerpieces taken from the Grand Service at Windsor Home Park and the Orchard Garden in the greenhouses 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.
Other royals present included Prince Anne, who was seated at the top table with the King, Queen and Prince of Wales, as well as Qatari dignitaries.
The Dukes of Edinburgh and Gloucester were also present.
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.
Former Spice Girl Victoria, who sealed her stratospheric rise from pop stardom to power, was sitting even closer to the “top table” than her husband.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Princess Royal
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 bomb with organic Samoan vanilla ice cream and Balmoral plum sorbet for dessert.
In honor of 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,” made from pomegranate. smoked and ginger with 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.