The Princess of Wales will join the King and Queen when they host a private lunch for the Emir of Qatar at the start of his state visit.
There had been speculation about the role Kate would play beyond joining senior royals in welcoming the Gulf state ruler and his wife to the UK on Tuesday.
But the princess, who is gradually returning to royal duties after completing her cancer treatment, and husband William will dine with Charles’ guests Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher at Buckingham Palace.
After lunch, visiting heads of state traditionally view a small exhibition of items associated with their country’s relationship with the UK and Kate will be among the royal party joining the Emir and his wife in the palace’s picture gallery for the event.
However, Kate will not attend the state banquet hosted by the King in the palace’s ballroom that evening, although William will be a guest.
Kate announced in September the completion of her chemotherapy treatment in a deeply personal video with her family and said her focus was “doing what I can to stay cancer free”.
The princess had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer since late February, with the King beginning his cancer care earlier that month following his cancer diagnosis after treatment for an enlarged prostate.
She has made a few official appearances, joining senior members of the royal family for the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph and travelling with the Prince of Wales to Merseyside to meet the bereaved families of the Southport stabbings.
Kate and William will begin Tuesday by greeting Sheikh Tamim and Sheikha Jawaher at their private residence, then travelling with them to nearby Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall where the King, Queen and senior members of the Government will be waiting and a ceremonial welcome will be staged.
Afterwards, the royal party and their guests will take part in a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace ahead of lunch.
Kate has a busy week and will be hosting her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on Friday, when she is expected to be joined by her children and husband for the event.
During Tuesday afternoon, the Emir will travel to the Palace of Westminster and address gathered parliamentarians and other invited guests in the Royal Robing Room, before joining a reception with MPs and peers.
William will also host the Emir at his official London home Kensington Palace.
Sheikh Tamim, 44, was educated in Britain, attending public schools Sherborne and Harrow, before graduating from Sandhurst military academy.
He set up Qatar Sports Investments in 2005, which owns the French football team Paris Saint-Germain.
On Wednesday, the final day of the two-day visit, the Emir will visit Sandhurst before travelling to Buckingham Palace to bid farewell formally to the King and Queen.
Sheikh Tamim will also travel to Downing Street for bilateral talks with Sir Keir Starmer.
Qatar, one of the richest Gulf states, is a key mediator in the Israel-Hamas war, and there are reports the Government is hoping to seal a free-trade deal with the Gulf Co-operation Council.
But the country has faced criticism over its human rights record, in particular its criminalisation of same-sex relationships.
In 2022, Charles, as Prince of Wales, faced criticism after being presented with cash – reportedly totalling three million euros and some of it in a suitcase – from a former Qatari prime minister between 2011 and 2015.
The Sunday Times said the then-heir to the throne personally accepted the donations for his charity the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, who was prime minister of Qatar between 2007 and 2013.
A royal source said in 2022 the prince operated on advice and such incidents have not happened in the past half decade and would not happen again.
