The Beckhams at the State Dinner

[stripeyshutters]

Ouch that's got to touch a nerve for the Sussexes ! I did notice that VB was respectfully dressed as was only right for the occasion.

She’s a very successful businesswoman. I’m sure she held up her side of the conversation.

I saw the news clip & didn’t notice. But if anyone knows how to play to a camera it’s VB so I think it’s unlikely

The Beckhams used to shop in my local M&S. one time I was there they were stood smiling for over an hour while kids took photos and signed autographs.
I also remember, when they lived in Sawbridgeworth, they donated the money to buy an upgraded wheelchair for a local schoolgirl.....they were pictured with her in the local paper along with a fawning article. I thought it was a shame that they went for the publicity tbh.

DB was invited because of his links to Qatar.

Agree he is still DESPERATE for his knighthood. Calling the honours committee ungrateful cunts won't be forgotten quickly though.

I recommend Tom Bower's book on the Beckhams for anyone interested.

I take it no one in your family watched any of the World Cup matches then?

It's about money. Not morality.

During this state visit the UK gov and Qatar are marking their clean energy partnership, which involves £1b investment in the UK by Qatar.

They will do anything for publicity, including throwing their (perfectly pleasant but untalented) children into the limelight.

Rubbish.

It's about the strategic importance of Qatar in the Middle East (i.e Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iran). Qatar is one of the few Middle Eastern countries capable of holding dialogues with all of those groups.

Tbf, Qatar has its fingers in a lot of bloody (literally) pies around the Middle East and hosting them was (IMO) unethical. But it was politically in line with what the Government is about - and you can bet your bank balance that No.10 was involved in this. The Palace will have agreed, of course, but in light of the situation in the Middle East...this likely came from No.10

you can bet your bank balance that No.10 was involved in this

Well yes - that's how state visits work. They're entirely up to the government. The RF goes along with it. They don't get to say no.

Well said.

The latest being the 13 year old daughter.
It's all about the merchandising.

They're desperate to brand her as a beauty influencer. She's 13. It's gross. It's like they just can't accept that they have enough money or stuff and are always driving for more more more.

The royal family are hosting them because our government will have asked them to. The RF are a big part of the soft power politics of the country. The government will want to woo Qatar for financial/trade reasons and what better way than to get the King and his family to host them at a palace and get all the bling out and ramp up the pomp.

I know I’d rather have a state banquet held at the Palace with the King than afternoon tea with Keir Starmer at Number 10 🤣

My thoughts exactly. I was horrified at the latest pictures of her. Let her be a child.

Is the purpose of this thread to bash the Beckhams or Harry and Meghan? It could be both, I suppose.

Obviously, the Royal Family and Qatar are above reproach.

I've heard Victoria is very funny and good company and much more sophisticated than in her spice girl days so I doubt she was uncomfortable at all.

Their turning up will have meant far, far more to the girl with the new wheelchair and indeed to the local paper - which probably got the most amazing, precious, bump in sales and thus to its revenues - than to the Beckhams fgs.

'A shame?' Am not inherently a fan but come on. You cannot claim this was anything but them doing an amazing thing for their local community at the time.

Why would the Sussexes care? And why would the Beckhams being there change anything? I would've thought a state dinner for Qatar would be another reason they're glad to have left.

And why would you expect Victoria to be anything other than appropriately dressed?

I wonder if Victoria sticks to her steamed fish and veg or does she push the boat out and have beef wellington and sticky toffee pudding at such events.

Because the duly elected government invited them question needs to be directed at David Lammy

Just wondering, if Anna Wintour was invited to a state banquet do you think she’d take her sunglasses off?

Maybe the purpose is to discuss

Not everything needs to be seen through a prism of hate, Try it!

I want to know whose idea it was to put David next to the Leader of the Opposition

I’m not sure that the Sussexes would have been put off going to a state banquet because it was in honour of the morally dubious state of Qatar. They have recently been guests of the morally dubious Nigerian military and morally dubious VP of Colombia. Meghan proudly wore a pair of earrings with a morally dubious connection as well when expressly advised not to 🤷‍♀️

A state visit is set up by the government many months ahead, I suspect this one was offered by the previous government. The speech is written by the government with the king only allowed to have nominal input to make it sound at least plausible that it's from him. It's very much a diplomacy tool. Typically they even get to stay at the palace but not sure that has restarted since the renovations.

It all seems to be of a different age yet most countries do these banquets, apparently France is particularly good at putting them on and their press is rather unhappy about them too!

Good God are you really that bored 🙄