Royal Wedding Today

I was merrily wending my way back into the City from Mussfah today when the traffic clogged up by ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre). It soon became apparent that something involving the Royals was going on. There were many Police cars, military vehicles and 30th street on one side had been brought to a standstill by police. Here's a clip of what I saw as I passed by ADNEC.....










And here is the reason as described on the Gulf News website....


Rulers attend UAE wedding of shaikh's daughter



WAM Published: May 12, 2009, 16:29


Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, attended a wedding banquet on Tuesday.


It was hosted by Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, on the wedding of his son Shaikh Mohammad Bin Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan to the daughter of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan.




Now, to me, there doesn't sound like too many degrees of separation there! Multiple congenital defects looming for their offspring?? ("Bin" = "son of"), let's hope not - Inshallah




As I carried on down 30th Street, various high ranking and diplomatic cars were passing. Then I saw a nice white Jag with the good old Union Jack flying, with a diplomatic number plate of "1/1". Yes, inside was our very own British Ambassador to the UAE, Edward Oakden CMG (had to look up CMG, as I didn't know what that was - it's a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, something to do with M&S and ASDA I think? - sorry , UK joke) .



Here's the snaps I got as I drove down 30th , then along the Corniche - he then turned off towards the Embassy...