Bitter and sweet moments in King Hamad’s latest London visit

An official visit to London by King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa featured talks at Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II and at No 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister Theresa May on 26 October. It embodied “the depth of the outstanding relations between the two friendly kingdoms”, according to Bahrain News Agency’s 31 October report of the Bahraini cabinet’s conclusions. British media focused on protests against the king and Hamad’s close relationship with the House of Windsor; he was a guest of honour at Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday celebrations last May.