Queen invites ruler of Bahrain's bloody regime to her Jubilee lunch at Windsor Castle because 'it's very rude to leave anyone off the list'

Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa 's regime is accused of killing and torturing civilians during last year's pro-democracy demonstrations



The King of Bahrain is also set to attend a champagne dinner hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace

Outcry expected from human rights campaigners and MPs

Pressure mounts for this month's Bahrain Formula 1 race to be cancelled after police using tear gas and live bullets shot a protester dead last week



The Queen has risked an international outcry by inviting the King of Bahrain to a Diamond Jubilee banquet despite widespread criticism of his bloody and repressive regime.

The English-educated Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is on the guest list for a lunch hosted by the Queen in May at Windsor Castle. He is also thought to be among those invited to a champagne dinner given by Prince Charles the same evening at Buckingham Palace.

The invitations will infuriate human rights campaigners and MPs angry at the Gulf state’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.

Royal guest: The Queen receives the King of Bahrain at Buckingham Palace in 2004

The country’s despotic rulers were accused of using brute force and torture to crush the protests last year, which saw more than 50 civilians killed and thousands arrested. The Bahrain royal family has direct control of the police, army and security services.

The king’s son, the Crown Prince of Bahrain, was last year invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton but pulled out at the last minute in a move that spared the couple from potential embarrassment. Human rights activists had threatened to disrupt Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s stay in London, insisting he was the chief architect of the crackdown.

In January, the Countess of Wessex came under pressure to return lavish jewels given to her by the Bahrain royal family during a pre-Christmas visit to the country.

Despot: The English-educated King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, leaves Number 10 Downing Street in December last year

One set of jewels came from the king and another from the prime minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the king’s uncle. The crown prince gave her a silver and pearl cup and her husband, the Earl of Wessex, received a silk rug.

Continuing unrest on the streets of Bahrain has also led to calls for this month’s Formula 1 race there to be cancelled, with critics including ex-world champion Damon Hill. One protester was shot dead last week when riot police used tear gas and live bullets against demonstrators.

Buckingham Palace aides said yesterday that the King of Bahrain had not yet confirmed that he will attend the Diamond Jubilee lunch, which will take place at Windsor on May 18 and which will be a historic and intimate gathering of crowned heads.

During the Golden Jubilee the Queen hosted a party for the sovereigns of Europe, but this is a much wider gathering of reigning monarchs from around the world.

Palace aides said the luncheon would tie in with the ‘Big Lunch’ theme of the Jubilee celebrations which encourages the British public to organise street meals around the country to celebrate.

Prince Charles has organised a dinner on the same evening at Buckingham Palace as a personal ‘thank you’ to his mother, who will celebrate her 60 years on the Throne with a weekend of celebrations in June.

While the Prince’s dinner is expected to be an elaborate affair, and is likely to be organised by his former valet Michael Fawcett, who now runs a catering business, the Queen’s lunch will be catered ‘in house’ and may be staged in the gardens of Windsor Castle.

Aides said it was the Queen’s idea to host the lunch and she was ‘delighted’ when Prince Charles offered to throw a dinner. It is understood that the reigning heads of Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands and Norway will all attend the lunch.

Crowned heads from further afield are expected to include the Emperor of Japan, the King of Tonga and rulers from the Middle Eastern kingdoms including President Khalifa bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates, the Sultan of Brunei, Sheikh Ahmad Hmoud Al-Sabah of Kuwait and the Emir of Qatar.

Crackdown: Bahraini riot police take cover from petrol bombs hurled by protesters during clashes in Sanabis village, near Manama, after they broke up a march in support of a jailed human rights activist on Wednesday Dissent: Graffiti in Barbar, Bahrain, depicts the King in a race car, calling for a boycott of this year's Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for April 22 Bloodied: Protesters carry an injured man during a clash with police in the suburbs of Manama last month. The King of Bahrain declared a state of emergency for three months to deal with unrest which swept the country

It is believed the elderly King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, has declined the invitation but is sending the crown prince in his place.

The Saudi Arabian royal family has also been criticised for human-rights abuses, as has another invitee, the King of Swaziland, Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch.

A Palace source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It was the Queen’s decision to host the lunch and her decision to invite every world sovereign. It would have been very rude to have left anyone off the list and the Queen would never want to offend anyone.’

The source added: ‘Charles can’t make the Queen’s luncheon as he and Camilla are on official engagements, but he will be hosting the evening celebrations and he is sparing no expense on the meal, which will all be organic, and the champagne, which will flow all night.’

Bahrain has been battling to restore its international reputation since last year’s violent clashes between security forces and anti-government demonstrators.

Trading gifts: Prince Charles is presented with an ornate sword by the King of Bahrain during a tour of the gulf in 2007. The two will meet again when the Prince hosts a champagne dinner at Buckingham Palace in May

In February 2011, 35 people were killed and hundreds wounded in Pearl Square in Bahrain’s capital Manama when security forces used rubber bullets, tear gas, batons and then live ammunition to disperse protesters.

Inspired by revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets demanding greater freedom and democratic reforms. Protesters wanted political prisoners released, more jobs and housing and the removal of the prime minister, who has been in office for 40 years. Tensions between the country’s Sunni elite and the less affluent Shia majority have intensified since Bahrain’s independence from the UK in 1971. Shia groups say they are marginalised, repressed and subjected to unfair laws.

According to reports, since February 2011 scores of demonstrators have been killed and hundreds tortured, while thousands have been dismissed or suspended from their jobs.

Cosy: David Cameron meets the King of Bahrain at 10 Downing Street in December last year. The Coalition is said to have authorised the sale of £2.2million worth of arms to the oppressive Bahraini regime last summer

At the height of the killings, David Cameron greeted the crown prince at No 10, and between July and September 2011 the Coalition reportedly authorised the sale of £2.2million of arms to the regime.

Bahrain’s rulers have promised to introduce reforms to increase democracy, but campaigners say they have yet to implement them.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the guest list last night. A spokesman said: ‘We can’t confirm who has been invited or who has accepted.’

A spokesman for Prince Charles said: ‘We can’t comment on the dinner or any of the guests who may or may not have been invited because we haven’t announced anything yet.’



