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29 March 2024

President Khalifa confers Order of Zayed on Queen

President His Highness Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan with Queen Elizabeth II after the visiting British monarch was conferred with the Order of Zayed. (WAM)

Published
By WAM

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday welcomed at Al Mushrif Palace Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who is currently visiting the UAE.

The President and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum were at hand to shake hands with Her Majesty upon arrival at the Palace.

Her Majesty was accorded red-carpet welcome and then she and her host Sheikh Khalifa proceeded to the dais of honour where the British royal anthem was played as the Artillery fired 21 rounds in salute of the Queen who then inspected a Guard of Honour.

Escorted by Sheikh Khalifa, Her Majesty shook hand with top UAE officials including Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President'sRepresentative, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al Ghurair, Speaker of Federal National Council, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative in the Eastern Region, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, H.H. Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler's Representative Lt.General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Dhiyab bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority (ADEWA), Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, Sheikh Omar bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Board of Trustees of Sheikh Nahyan said the Zayed bin Sultan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Etihad Airways, Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Finance Department, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, Dr. Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), and a number of other Sheikhs, senior civilian and military officials.

Sheikh Khalifa and Queen Elizabeth exchanged orders.

Sheikh Khalifa conferred on Her Majesty the Order of Zayed, the United Arab Emirates' highest civil decoration. He also bestowed the Order of Federation to both Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In return, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth presented Sheikh Khalifa with the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, GCB. The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as one of its elements.

The Queen also honoured Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, with Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, GCMG.

The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on April 28, 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III. 

Her Majesty conferred these orders in recognition of the deep historic relations of friendship between the UAE and UK.