A veteran Kuwaiti diplomat has recalled his fondest reminiscences with the Queen over three many years of formal friendship.
Okhaled Abdulaziz Al-Duwaisan, 75, the longest-serving ambassador to Britain, mentioned he beloved the Queen for her power, information and sense of humour.
Talking with the PA information company from his house in Kuwait on Friday, Mr Al-Duwaisan mentioned he met the monarch on greater than 150 events, with the ultimate time being for her Platinum Jubilee this summer season.
Reflecting on this encounter, the recently-retired ambassador mentioned: “I can’t imagine that at this age, her thoughts, her physique, her sense of humour – she was great.
“On a private stage, she appreciated me. I really like her in fact.”
Mr Al-Duwaisan, who joined Kuwait’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs in 1970, recalled their first assembly in 1993 when he was simply months into the job as a London-based ambassador.
Because of royal protocol, his diplomats had to make sure they by no means turned their again to the Queen, which concerned them strolling backwards whereas sporting a standard males’s cloak, generally known as a Bisht.
Mr Al-Duwaisan mentioned: “I had about seven diplomats with me, and all of them have been sporting the gown – the large gown taller than them – as a result of that is our system.
“I used to be afraid that in the event that they return they'll fall, and it will be embarrassing.”
The veteran ambassador mentioned that after some dialogue, he discovered a method for the boys to manoeuvre safely across the Queen. “She appreciated it,” he mentioned.
I really feel unhappy now to recollect all this with Her Majesty the Queen, however I say to myself, that is life, she lived a great life, she lived a protracted life. Britain is not going to be the identical as when she was in energy.Veteran Kuwaiti ambassador Khaled Al-Duwaisan
Mr Al-Duwaisan was later invited for a dinner at Windsor Fort together with his spouse, the place he sat beside the Queen.
“I'll always remember that she has a system up to now, to ask the ambassador to remain in Windsor Fort, so I went with my spouse at 5 o’clock on the reception and personal dinner,” he mentioned.
“I used to be on her proper. So we discuss lots of issues, in fact they informed me to not discuss politics.
“We had a protracted dialog about her youngsters, going to Kuwait – and the Kuwaitis who're coming to England.
“I mentioned to her, that’s as a result of the relation between our two nations may be very shut – very, very shut.”
“She confirmed me an enormous sword given to King George V from the Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber, the daddy of the present emir,” he added.
“I really feel unhappy now to recollect all this with Her Majesty the Queen, however I say to myself, that is life, she lived a great life, she lived a protracted life.
“Britain is not going to be the identical as when she was in energy.”
In 1995, the Queen made Mr Al-Duwaisan an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
He turned Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in 2003, a task which has seen him advise greater than 750 newly-arrived heads of mission about diplomatic life in London.
Mr Al-Duwaisan mentioned the Queen’s demise has been felt deeply in Kuwait, with many official buildings bearing the British flag to mark her passing.
He mentioned the monarch supplied a way of stability and fostered an vital relationship between the UK and Kuwait throughout years of turmoil within the nation, together with via the Iraq invasion in 1990.
Britain despatched its largest single deployment of troops because the Second World Warfare to defend the nation, at round 35,000 servicemen and girls.
Western powers additionally feared Iraq would invade Saudi Arabia and seize the area’s oil provides.
Kuwait turned a British protectorate in 1899, and in 1961 it gained independence.
Mr Al-Duwaisan met King Charles III on a number of events, together with 3 times in Kuwait, and he believes “the longer term can be good” beneath his reign.