UAE State Visit

The President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has accepted an invitation from The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from 30th April to 1st May, 2013.

The Queen will host His Highness at Windsor Castle.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh paid a State Visit to United Arab Emirates at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2010.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh paid a State Visit to the United Arab Emirates visiting The Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1979.

The Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan paid a State Visit to the United Kingdom in 1989.

Royal Photos

 Picture: Carl Court/PA

The state arrival and welcoming of the Emir or Amir of Kuwait at Windsor Castle yesterday.

The Prince Philip, wearing a heavy, black, double-breasted, Chesterfield overcoat, top hat and carrying a Swaine Adeney umbrella ~ with its distinctive silver band  ~ escorted the Emir of Kuwait to inspect the guard of honour lined up in two rows in front of the royal party.

I wrote about my umbrella collection here.

Picture: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 

The Sovereign's escort provided by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in their breastplates and plumed helmets.

Kuwaiti State Visit

His Highness Sheikh Sabah IV bin Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, will pay a state visit to the United Kingdom tomorrow:

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Morning - The Amir of the State of Kuwait is accompanied to Windsor by The Prince of Wales on behalf of The Queen. 

Afternoon – The Amir will be met by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal Dais in Datchet Road, Windsor, and take a State Carriage Procession to Windsor Castle where The Amir and The Duke of Edinburgh will inspect the Guard of Honour; luncheon and exchange of official gifts and viewing of an exhibition of Kuwaiti items from the Royal Collection. 

Evening - Visit to Sandhurst; call at Windsor Castle by the Leader of the Opposition; call at Windsor Castle by the Convenor of the Liberal Democrat Peers; State Banquet hosted by The Queen.

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Morning - Visit to Clarence House; Visit to Lancaster House. 

Afternoon - Meeting and Lunch at No. 10 Downing Street. 

Evening - Presentation of an Address of Welcome and Banquet at Guildhall.

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Morning – The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh bid farewell to The Amir of the State of Kuwait at Windsor Castle; Visit to Westminster Abbey; Address at the Palace of Westminster.

State Banquet

The Viscount Brookeborough (Lord in Waiting) was present at Heathrow Airport, London, yesterday evening upon the Arrival of The President of the Republic of Indonesia and Mrs. Yudhoyono and welcomed His Excellency and Mrs. Yudhoyono on behalf of The Queen.

The President of the Republic of Indonesia and Mrs. Yudhoyono, on 31st October, 2012, commenced a State Visit in London to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave a State Banquet in honour of The President of the Republic of Indonesia and Mrs. Yudhoyono at which The Prince of Wales, The Duke of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent were present.

The following, among others, had the honour of being invited:

Specially attached to The President of the Republic of Indonesia and Mrs. Yudhoyono:
The Lady Elton (Lady in Waiting), the Viscount Brookeborough (Lord in Waiting) and the Viscountess Brookeborough, Mr. Mark Canning (Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia) and Mrs. Canning, Lieutenant-Commander Andrew Canale RN (Equerry in Waiting).

Diplomatic Corps:

His Excellency the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait and Mrs. Al-Duwaisan, His Excellency the Ambassador of China and Mrs. Hu Pinghua, His Excellency the Ambassador of Japan and Mrs. Hiroko Hayashi, His Excellency the Ambassador of Vietnam and Mrs. Nguyen Minh Hanh, and His Excellency the High Commissioner for Singapore and Mrs. Patricia Jasudasen.
 

The Cabinet and Government:

The Prime Minister and Mrs. Cameron, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (the Rt. Hon. William Hague MP), the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Hon. Mrs. Osborne, the Leader of the House of Lords and the Lady Strathclyde, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and the Lady McNally, the Secretary of State for International Development (the Rt. Hon. Justine Greening MP), the Minister of State for Universities and Science (the Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP) and the Hon. Sarah Butterfield, and the Minister of State for Trade and Investment and the Lady Green of Hurstpierpoint.

Special Invitations:

The Lord Speaker (the Baroness D'Souza), the Lord and Lady Powell of Bayswater, the Lord and Lady Williams of Baglan, the Rt. Hon. Edward Milliband MP, the Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress, General Sir David and Lady Richards, Admiral Sir Mark and Lady Stanhope, Sir John and Lady Sawers, Sir Kim and Lady Darroch, Sir David and Lady Brown, Sir Christopher and Lady Gent, Professor Sir Patrick and Lady Bateson, Sir Graham and Lady Wynne, Sir David and Lady Brewer, Sir Henry Keswick, Sir Simon and Lady Robertson, Sir John and Lady Peace, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Hogan-Howe, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Humfrey, Mr. and Mrs. Simon Fraser, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Dorrian, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dudley, Mr. Tom Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Ian Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Burge, Dr. Annabel Gallop, Mr. Richard Graham MP and Mrs. Graham, Mr. Robert Hardman, Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Hurst, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Moreno, Mr. Richard Olver, Mrs. Ghea Panggabean and Mr. Baskara Sukarya, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Polman, Ms. Ann Puntis, Ms. Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, and Professor and Mrs. Eric Thomas.

Indonesian Visit

His Excellency the President of the Republic of Indonesia and Mrs Yudhoyono will pay a state visit to the United Kingdom from the 31st October until the 2nd November, 2012.

Wednesday, 31 October 2012
 
Morning

The President of the Republic of Indonesia and Mrs. Yudhoyono are met at their hotel by The Duke of York on behalf of The Queen.

Afternoon

Ceremonial Welcome attended by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh on Horse Guards followed by State Drive to Buckingham Palace
Luncheon and exchange of presents
Visit to Westminster Abbey
Meeting with The Prince of Wales at Clarence House

Evening

Call at Buckingham Palace by the Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Call at Buckingham Palace by the Leader of the Opposition
State Banquet at Buckingham Palace


Thursday, 1 November 2012
 
Morning

The President attends United Nations High Level Panel on Post Millennium Development Goals at Marlborough House
Mrs. Yudhoyono visits the Royal Botanic Gardens

Afternoon

Visit to the Palace of Westminster by the President and Mrs. Yudhoyono.
Visit to No. 10 Downing Street by the President.
Mrs. Yudhoyono visits the Royal Collection
Visit to the Royal College of Defence Studies by the President and Mrs. Yudhoyono.

Evening

The President attends a United Nations High Level Panel on Post Millennium Development Goals Press Conference and Reception at No. 10 Downing Street
Reception and Banquet at Guildhall


Friday, 2 November 2012
 
Morning

Formal Farewells at Buckingham Palace
Address to Wilton Park at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, attended by the President and Mrs. Yudhoyono

Afternoon

The President visits the Indonesia Business Forum at St. James’s Palace
Mrs. Yudhoyono visits the Tower of London

Irish State Visit

Buckingham Palace has today made a brief announcement that Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by his Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, will pay a State Visit to the Irish Republic during 2011.

The visit is expected to take place within the next three months.

Her Majesty's grandfather, King George V, was the last Sovereign to visit in 1911 before Eire seceded from the United Kingdom.

For security reasons the Visit is likely to be confined to Dublin.

The Queen is expected to make a major speech in Dublin Castle on Anglo-Irish relations during the proposed three-day tour.

The Irish President, Mary McAleese, is said to be keen to welcome Her Majesty before her term ends in October, 2011. The Queen has met her several times.

HM and HRH are expected to arrive in Ireland on the 15th May and stay in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.

The timing of the visit has been complicated by the wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on the 29th April.

Papal Visit

At the invitation of Her Majesty The Queen, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will pay a Papal Visit to the United Kingdom from the 16th-19th September 2010.

His Holiness will arrive in Edinburgh on Thursday, 16th of September and will be received by HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

His Holiness will also visit Glasgow, London and Coventry during the four-day Papal Visit.