From all around the world, national leaders will be travelling to London to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, which is taking place on Monday, and the state reception the evening before. The expansive guest list demonstrates the intense impression the late monarch made throughout her 70-year period on the British throne. The Middle East is well represented, with leaders such as Jordan's King Abdullah having left for the country on Friday. Many more are set to be present.
The presence of the GCC's leaders, whose respective royal families have built not just strong national ties with the UK but also personal ones through the monarchy, will be particularly heartfelt. On the day of the Queen's death, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said: "Her incredible lifetime of service and duty to the United Kingdom is unparalleled in our modern world."
Conversations during this time have not just been about remembrance, but also the future. On Saturday, President Sheikh Mohamed spoke to King Charles III by telephone to congratulate him on his accession to the throne, wishing him well as he takes up the mantle that his mother bore so well for so long. Earlier that same day, Sheikh Mohamed spoke with UK Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Many more of these discussions about the future will happen after the funeral, but before the event it is natural that most have focused on remembrance.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud offered his condolences to King Charles III by phone. On Friday, The National spoke to recently retired veteran Kuwaiti diplomat Khaled Al Duwaisan, who met the Queen on more than 150 occasions. About the final time, at her platinum jubilee in June, Mr Al Duwaisan said: “I can’t believe that at this age, her mind, her body, her sense of humour – she was wonderful.“ He also discussed how her passing was felt deeply in Kuwait and the help that her relationship with the country offered during Iraq's invasion of the country in 1990. And on Wednesday, Mansoor Abulhoul, the UAE's ambassador to the UK, wrote in an op-ed for The National that: "For Emiratis, she represented the very best of British identity and character ... The UK is an important friend and ally, and the Queen served as monarch for the entire history of our country. So today we feel profound sadness, as well as gratitude."
Comment from The National
It is not just leaders and officials who are having these conversations. Nouria Naji, director of the Yemen Education and Relief Organisation that works to improve access to education for poorer children in the country, described "a great honour and great pride" at being made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for transforming the lives of women and children in Yemen. In the UAE, residents have been flocking to Dubai's Queen Elizabeth 2 Hotel to leave flowers and pay their respects. Next to the memorial, Suma Gogana spoke of the moment as a "huge loss for everyone".
Tomorrow will be the culminating point of what has been a fittingly ceremonial and historic period to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth, who will go down as one of the great modern leaders. In his interview, Mr Al Duwaisan summed up the momentousness of the episode, saying “Britain will not be the same as when she was in power”.
That is true, but in the days and weeks ahead, more about the exciting future of a new UK will become clear. Its friends in the Gulf and around the world will be watching closely.
Palestine and Israel - live updates
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
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THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 523hp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh469,000
GROUP RESULTS
Group A
Results
Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs
Group B
Results
Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 2 (Willems 25', Shelvey 88')
Manchester City 2 (Sterling 22', De Bruyne 82')
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
