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Protesters claim the Queen has 'scored a massive own goal' after controversial rulers were invited to dine at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace.

She hosted guests including the King of Bahrain, whose regime is accused of human rights abuses, for a lunch in Windsor on Friday ahead of a banquet in London held on her behalf by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

King Hamad Al-Khalifa was not attending the dinner.

About 50 people staged a demonstration outside the gates of Buckingham Palace just before other foreign sovereigns were due to arrive for the evening event.

They included members of anti-monarchy group Republic as well as representatives from groups opposing the Bahrain and Swaziland regimes.

Swaziland's King Mswati III is accused of having a lavish lifestyle while his people starve.

The African ruler is staying at an exclusive London hotel, where protests were also held earlier this week.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, one of the protest organisers, said: 'From the Queen's point of view, the jubilee celebrations have been going quite well so far.

'But now she's scored a massive own goal.

We feel it's tremendously important to show that there are British people who do not agree with these royal dictators being invited to Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace.

'The Queen has misjudged the public mood.

Most British people would not agree with our head of state wining and dining dictators who stand accused of very serious human rights abuse.'

He described the strong police presence as 'overkill', adding:

'This is an entirely peaceful protest.'

Republic, along with human rights groups, has accused Bahrain's government, dominated by members of its royal family, of orchestrating the violent suppression of pro-democracy protesters last year.

via bigpondnews.com