David and Victoria Beckham were among guests at a Buckingham Palace banquet to celebrate the state visit of Qatar on Tuesday night, joining the King and other dignitaries to provide the highest level of welcome the country can offer. The Beckhams, whose attendance was kept secret until the event began, joined the King, Queen and Prince of Wales for the event, which was held for the Emir of Qatar, his wife, and their delegation. They were among guests who heard the King welcome Qatari guests in Arabic, saying “Assalamu-Alaykum” (Peace be upon you) and quoting from the Koran. Calling the ties between the two countries “profound, personal and historic”, he referred to Qatar’s role in mediating between Israel and Hamas to express the UK’s “deepest gratitude for your tireless mediation efforts over the past year in pursuit of peace, against the most unbearable heartache and suffering”. Beckham, the former England footballer, had attended several royal events in previous years, including his investiture with an OBE in 2017 and the Queen’s Young Leader event in 2018. But this was his first invitation to a state banquet, and comes in a year in which he held a meeting with the King about their shared passion of beekeeping, having been made an ambassador for The King’s Foundation, and helped Prince William raise funds for the London Air Ambulance. In 2022, Beckham was heavily criticised for becoming an ambassador for football’s World Cup in Qatar, with questions over the country’s ban on same-sex relationships and alleged treatment of migrant workers. The Emir of Qatar used his own speech to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, and say: “Let us pray for the continued health of His Majesty, and to the strength of our alliance and friendship.” ‘This evening is a homecoming’ In the King’s speech, he told the Emir: “In many ways, this evening may be seen as a homecoming”, given the Emir studied at Sherborne, Harrow and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He added: “This evening, I am delighted to mark the renewal of our enduring friendship: Hayyakum – marratan ukhra – fee al-memlika al-mutahida – baladkom ath-thani (Welcome back to the United Kingdom, your second home). “Just as our parents served and worked hard to confront the challenges of their ages, so too must we. “And at such times of uncertainty and upheaval, old friendships assume ever greater importance.” Appearing to refer to the Middle East, the King said: “In these most desperate of circumstances, Qatar’s continued toil, perseverance and diplomatic efforts are, quite simply, beyond compare. “These are the duties we all share. “As the Koran says, ‘Whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity.’ And as the Bible says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.’ “We stand with you in our commitment to a world where peace and justice prevail over division.” The King also praised the country, which has vast oil and gas reserves, for “joint initiatives” which he said would put Qatar and the UK “at the forefront of clean energy technology development” and a “much less polluted future”.
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