David Beckham and wife Victoria make surprise appearance at Buckingham Palace for State Banquet

David and Victoria Beckham were among the 170 distinguished guests who attended the State Banquet in the Buckingham Palace ballroom.

David, who served as an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup in 2022, became a representative for The King's Foundation in June, where he shared beekeeping advice with the monarch during a tea at Highgrove.

David was seated between Paris St Germain president Nasser el Khelaifi and Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, while Victoria sat across from him, positioned between Lord Levy and Lord Darzi.

Though both David and Victoria have attended events at Buckingham Palace before, this marks their first invitation to one of the prestigious banquets held for foreign heads of state.

The King and Queen, along with the Emir and Sheikha, were joined at the top table by the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, who took Kate's usual seat, as well as Sir Keir Starmer and his Qatari counterpart, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

Among the guests were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Cressida Hogg, chairwoman of BAE Systems, and her husband Henry Legge, who is a stepbrother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

The dinner began with a delicate tartlet of Cornish lobster topped with quail eggs and organic salad leaves, followed by Supreme of Windsor pheasant wrapped in Savoy cabbage, accompanied by roasted celeriac purée, gratinated potatoes with soft creamy cheese from Suffolk, truffle sauce, and an array of winter vegetables.

For dessert, an iced bombe was served, containing Organic Samoan vanilla ice cream and Balmoral plum sorbet.

A specially crafted non-alcoholic cocktail, the Royal Mirage, was created for the guests by the Palace’s in-house mixologist, a page of the presence.

This drink, made from smoked pomegranate and ginger with a black lime garnish, was served alongside a selection of fine wines.