Princess of Wales is about to undertake her biggest engagements since returning to duties
By Billy Stockwell, CNN
London (CNN) — Next week, Catherine, Princess of Wales is set to make her biggest return to royal duties since revealing that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment earlier this year.
Kate, 42, will join her husband and heir to the throne, Prince William, in welcoming the Emir of Qatar to the United Kingdom on Tuesday – the first day of the emir’s two-day state visit to the nation, according to Buckingham Palace.
It’s a welcome signal if we remember that the Princess of Wales was forced to skip a state visit by the Emperor and Empress of Japan in June as she was undergoing chemotherapy.
Her central role in the upcoming visit will be seen by many as a significant marker of her strong recovery, following her announcement in September of a phased return to duties.
During the state visit, William and Kate are expected to greet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, accompanied by his wife Sheikha Jawaher, on Tuesday morning, before traveling to Horse Guards Parade in St. James’s Park for a ceremonial welcome and rendition of the Qatari national anthem.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will then join the four royals in a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace, which will be decorated with dozens of flags of the nation being hosted. Processions like these are typically escorted by mounted soldiers from the Household Cavalry.
The extravagant procession will be followed by lunch at Buckingham Palace and a cultural exhibition.
The exhibition, arranged by the Royal Collection Trust and Turquoise Mountain Foundation – an organization founded by King Charles in 2006, when he was Prince of Wales, to protect cultural heritage at risk around the world – will display items relating to Qatar.
In the afternoon, the emir and Sheikha Jawaher will be given a tour of Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster, where they will meet members of Britain’s House of Lords and members of parliament.
It’s also worth remembering that Kate is taking each day as it comes and while she is expected to be present, her appearances may be reduced on the day.
One event we know Kate will not be attending is the state banquet on Tuesday evening, where King Charles and the emir will give speeches. Usually, around 150 VIPs with cultural and diplomatic ties to the country being honored are invited to the soiree.
Kate’s planned absence from the white-tie affair shouldn’t be cause for alarm, though.
She also missed the annual Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace last week, which was held to celebrate foreign diplomats in London.
Despite her absence from the get-together, a royal source described Kate’s upcoming engagements as “good news.”
She will round off the week by hosting her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey on Friday evening, which will focus on “how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives.”
The princess has invited children who survived the stabbing attack in Southport earlier this year, and their families, to the concert, Kensington Palace confirmed to CNN on Thursday.
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