"This sends a very strong signal that the British royal family's number one priority is other royals, even if they are dictators, despots and thugs."

Hey!@! There's a long and glorious tradition for doing that, don't you know? It goes back thousands of years. And it doesn't just apply to Royals, by the way...any head of state or very rich person will do just as well.

How DARE you suggest that the Queen does not have the right to invite dictators, despots, and thugs to tea if she wants to???? The only question is this: Are they OUR dictators, despots, and thugs? That is, do they support, in a general sense, the economic and political policies that the USA and the UK and Israel would deem expedient? If so, then it would be folly to refuse them a friendly welcome over some mere petty ethical concerns.

;-D