HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani meeting with ruling family members and people “who have binding authority in the country” at Al Wajbah Palace yesterday. HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attended the meeting.

The Emiri Diwan yesterday announced that HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will receive Qatari citizens at the Emiri Diwan today and tomorrow to pledge allegiance to HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad as the new Emir of Qatar.

HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa and HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad will receive Qatari citizens at the Emiri Diwan from 9am to 11:30am and from 3:30pm to 6pm today.

Tomorrow, they will receive citizens from 8am to 11:30am.

The Emiri Diwan also said that HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa will address the nation at 8am today.

It also announced that today would be an official holiday in Qatar.

Yesterday evening, HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa “met at Al Wajbah Palace with a number of ruling family members and people who have binding authority in the country”, the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) said. HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad attended the meeting.

The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) declared that today would be an official holiday for all banks, investment companies, finance and insurance companies, Qatar Exchange and Qatar Financial Centre (QFC). “These institutions will resume work as usual  tomorrow (June 26),” QCB said.