The royal family is being deployed by the UK government to roll out the red carpet for the autocratic leaders of Gulf states, amid hopes of a trade deal with the oil-rich countries.
This week will see King Charles welcome the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher, to Buckingham Palace – the first state visit under the new Labour government. The visit comes amid a flurry of activity involving the royal family or government ministers with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s six nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Keir Starmer and the foreign secretary, David Lammy, are hoping to use the soft power of the British monarchy to help seal a free trade deal with the GCC. They hope the Gulf countries will boost their sovereign wealth fund investment in Britain and can also mediate in the Middle East conflict.
Britain has a £57bn annual trade with the GCC nations and is in the final stages of negotiating a free-trade agreement predicted to raise that figure by 16%. Starmer’s government is also seeking similar free-trade deals with Switzerland, South Korea, and now India, which is likely to receive a state visit by the king and queen next year. But the GCC is understood to be the immediate priority.
In the Gulf, the historic ties between the all-powerful monarchies and the House of Windsor can be very useful, according to experts in the region. Many of the Gulf’s leaders are British-educated, share interests such as horse racing, and have a long history of investing in Britain.
Starmer and Lammy have also established a close working relationship with King Charles. “It is always the case that as head of state, the king plays an important role,” Lammy said last month in response to questions about whether the monarch’s relationship with Donald Trump might help the government’s dealings with the incoming US administration.
The sheikh was educated at Sherborne, Harrow and Sandhurst, and ultimately controls Paris Saint-Germain football club. The billionaire will receive a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade, a palace state banquet and a reception by MPs when he addresses parliament this week. His visit on 3 and 4 December follows a trip by King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa of Bahrain to Windsor Castle last month, during which Charles, encouraged by government ministers in attendance, made him an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order to mark his silver jubilee.
Last week it was Oman’s turn, when Prince William joined the country’s Crown Prince, Theyazin bin Haitham, at the Royal Geographical Society in London to launch the “Jewel of Arabia”, an expedition showcasing the desert sultanate’s natural beauty to schoolchildren in both countries. William was invited to be co-patron of the expedition, to the delight of Britain’s Foreign Office, and he expressed his desire to return to Oman, which he visited in 2019. “We’ll make something happen. Time flies,” he said.
Later this month Starmer will travel to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were also recently described as unofficial ambassadors after Beatrice appeared at two conferences in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi in the past few weeks, and Eugenie attended events in Qatar.
Human rights organisations have urged the government to use any diplomatic meetings this week to press for reforms in the Gulf countries, which have faced criticism over their treatment of foreign workers, women, LGBTQ+ people and anyone who opposes the regimes.
Polly Truscott, foreign policy adviser at Amnesty International UK, said: “It’s important that Qatar’s poor human rights record isn’t overlooked during the pomp and ceremony of this visit.”
She added: “During this visit, ministers and officials should be pressing the emir on the urgent need for Qatar to put in place long-overdue human rights reforms, not least a viable compensation scheme for migrant workers and their families who’ve suffered enormously as a result of Qatar’s abuse-ridden labour laws.”
The government believes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and regional players including Jordan can help find a lasting resolution to the Middle East conflict.
Some of the groundwork on trade and mediation was laid by Rishi Sunak’s Tory government, but Labour is seeking to firm up what has been a shaky relationship in recent years.
Dr Neil Quilliam, a Middle East specialist at the Chatham House thinktank, said: “The Johnson to Sunak years stretched the patience of Britain’s Gulf partners – all of whom had looked for new opportunities in post-Brexit Britain, but were, in most cases, frustrated by consecutive Conservative leaders’ focus on domestic matters and party politics. A number of high-level inward visits were cancelled at the last minute.
“The quick turnover of ministers made it difficult to establish strong trusted relations with Gulf ministers. During such times, it is commonplace to send royals to reassure Gulf partners that there is continuity in relations and that Britain shares meaningful relations based on historical ties.”
But the decision to hand out honours, particularly to the King of Bahrain, has upset human rights campaigners.
Jeed Basyouni, a spokesperson for Reprieve, which defends people facing human rights abuses, said: “No one is suggesting the royal family shouldn’t promote Britain’s interests abroad. But they should be clear about the costs of celebrating some of the world’s worst human rights abusers and tacitly condoning their actions – both to the victims of these abuses and the UK’s international reputation.”
Buckingham Palace referred questions to the Foreign Office, which said the Gulf mattered to the UK’s economy, security and geopolitical interests.
