How it almost all kicked off in Qatar for Charles

HUMAN rights fisticuffs with Qatar are nothing new — just ask King Charles.

Newly unearthed Foreign Office documents reveal that, during a tour of the Gulf, he ran into the same hardline attitudes as gay football fans are currently experiencing during the World Cup.

At one point, senior Qataris refused an invitation to a royal reception over concerns about the presence of women, alcohol and even High-grove-sourced canapes.

The clashes arose as the then Prince of Wales was touring the Middle East on the Royal Yacht in 1997, promoting British trade and also greater East-West understanding.

In his classified despatch to his Foreign Office masters in London, the British ambassador to Qatar, Patrick Wogan, wrote that His Royal Highness’s friendly overtures were not reciprocated. ‘Several Qataris and expatriate Arabs have commented favourably on HRH’s efforts to encourage greater tolerance of Islam,’ he wrote.

‘I regret that they appear to view this as a one-way process: Qatari attendance at the reception on board Britannia was depleted because we were unable to give assurances that alcohol would not be served; the acting head of the Qatari Navy demanded a separate menu, to ensure that his meal was not contaminated by non-halal meat; and Qatari protocol were ruthless in ensuring that no women participated in the ceremonies during the visit.’

Let’s hope the current Prince of Wales gets an easier ride if England reach the World Cup Final — and he is compelled to head out there as president of the FA.