Queen Invites Ruler of Bahrain's Bloody Regime to Her Jubilee Lunch at Windsor Castle Because 'It's Very Rude to Leave Anyone Off the List'

MAIL ONLINE: Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's regime is accused of killing and torturing civilians during last year's pro-democracy demonstrations / The King of Bahrain is also set to attend a champagne dinner hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace / Outcry expected from human rights campaigners and MPs / Pressure mounts for this month's Bahrain Formula 1 race to be cancelled after police using tear gas and live bullets shot a protester dead last week

The Queen has risked an international outcry by inviting the King of Bahrain to a Diamond Jubilee banquet despite widespread criticism of his bloody and repressive regime.

The English-educated Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is on the guest list for a lunch hosted by the Queen in May at Windsor Castle. He is also thought to be among those invited to a champagne dinner given by Prince Charles the same evening at Buckingham Palace.

The invitations will infuriate human rights campaigners and MPs angry at the Gulf state’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.

The country’s despotic rulers were accused of using brute force and torture to crush the protests last year, which saw more than 50 civilians killed and thousands arrested. The Bahrain royal family has direct control of the police, army and security services. Read on and comment » | Katie Nicholl and Jonathan Petre | Saturday, April -7, 2012