Princess Anne Narrowly Avoided Breaking Royal Protocol at the State Banquet For Qatar

The Royal Family welcomed the Amir of Qatar and and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, to the U.K. on Tuesday, Dec. 3. After attending a welcome ceremony, King Charles hosted a state banquet in honor of Qatar at Buckingham Palace, and was joined by his wife, Queen Camilla, and sister Princess Anne. And, somewhat surprisingly, the Princess Royal very nearly broke royal protocol at a significant moment during the state dinner.

At the banquet, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was sat next to Princess Anne on one side, with King Charles on the other. When it was time to toast the royal guests, King Charles and the Amir of Qatar clinked their glasses, but Princess Anne absent-mindedly almost took a sip from her glass, People reported, citing video footage of the moment courtesy of Sky News via X. Luckily, Anne seemed to realize her mistake before drinking anything, and when the Amir of Qatar turned to her, she was able to clink glasses with him.

The white tie banquet at Buckingham Palace was a star-studded affair. While Princess Kate was absent, as she's making a slow return to duties following cancer treatment, two unexpected celebrities put in an appearance.

Posh Spice herself, Victoria Beckham, and her accomplished husband, David Beckham, were invited to the glitzy evening dinner. David's role as an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup in 2022 garnered him an invite to the Royal Family's celebration.

For the important occasion, David wore a black tuxedo with a waistcoat and bow tie. Meanwhile, his fashion designer wife wore a long-sleeved black dress from her own label, which was made from a shiny stretch jersey fabric and retails for $1,490.

Despite missing the state banquet at Buckingham Palace, Kate Middleton joined King Charles and Prince William to welcome the Amir of Qatar upon his arrival at the Palace. The Prince and Princess of Wales engaged in some subtle PDA at the morning event, with William gently placing his hand on Kate's shoulder, according to reports.

Princess Kate's next public appearance will be at her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey on the evening of Dec. 5. It's expected that Kate and William's three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—will join their parents at the festive event.