Weather rains on royal parade

Lashing rain and freezing temperatures greeted the Emir of Qatar as he was formally welcomed to Britain by the Queen.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is used to experiencing temperatures well above 100 degrees in his Middle East homeland but at Windsor Castle, where the monarch met the foreign ruler, wintry conditions left well-wishers shivering.

The Emir, 58, joined by one of his three wives Sheikha Mozah, 51, has travelled to the UK for a three-day state visit to promote closer links between Britain and Qatar. The two heads of state met in Windsor where their formal handshake was marked by a gun salute that echoed around the town centre.

A few minutes later the Queen and the Emir arrived at nearby Windsor Castle in the ornate Australian state coach followed by the Duke of Edinburgh and Sheikha in the Scottish state coach.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards provided the guard of honour.