Dubai: The late Queen Elizabeth had a close friendship with the UAE. They arrived on the soil of the Emirate in the first decade of the formation of the United Arab Emirates. The first visit to the UAE was in 1979, before the country became the dominant economic power on the world map that it is today. When they landed on the Royal Yacht Britannia, they were given a rousing reception under the leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the father of the nation and the first president of the UAE. He visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai and visited various places with the then rulers.
Queen Elizabeth Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed who arrived in the UAE in 2010 with Nahyan in
The Queen also attended the opening of the Hilton Hotel and Le Méridien in Abu Dhabi with Prince Philip. She also volunteered to meet with expatriates of British origin that day. He took the time to visit and admire the new hideout of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. The visit marked a major improvement in the relations between the two countries. Following this, in 1981, Sheikh Zayed left for an official visit to Britain. Through meetings with the Queen and other important leaders, the friendship grew to a greater extent.
Later, after many years, they visited the UAE again in 2010, which has seen great growth. The UAE, which has witnessed tremendous progress over three decades, welcomed the Queen with open arms. The reception was organized under the leadership of then UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, current UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. They visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and other places in Abu Dhabi and witnessed the development progress. Following this, in 2013, a visit to Britain was also held under the leadership of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed.