The King and Queen have welcomed Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Windsor for a three-day State Visit, with the Prince and Princess of Wales joining the ceremonial reception on Tuesday.
The visit, requested by the British Government, is focused on strengthening trade, diplomatic, military and cultural ties between the United Kingdom and Oman.
Prince William first greeted the Sultan at one of the monarch’s private UK residences before travelling with him to Windsor. In a departure from the usual arrangements, Catherine did not accompany William for that meeting because the Sultan’s wife is not attending the visit.
Charles, Camilla and the Princess of Wales took their positions beneath the covered Royal Dais on Datchet Road as the Sovereign’s Escort presented a royal salute and a military band played the national anthem.
The King wore a top hat and tails, while the Queen chose a red wool crepe dress and coat by Fiona Clare, a Philip Treacy hat and a ruby and diamond flower brooch.
Catherine wore a dark green coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen with a hat by Juliette Botterill. She smiled and curtseyed as she greeted Sultan Haitham in the royal line-up.
The Sultan was then invited to inspect a Guard of Honour of about 100 guardsmen and officers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Storm Green. Charles spoke to him in Arabic before joining the senior officer during the inspection.
Despite the rain, the royal party boarded the ornate carriages without umbrellas. The Sultan travelled with the King in the Irish State Coach for a horse-drawn procession through Windsor towards the castle.
The Queen followed in the Scottish State Coach, accompanied by Oman’s deputy prime minister for defence affairs, Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said.
William and Catherine travelled in the Australian State Coach with Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, and Sayyid Loay bin Ghalib Al Said, secretary general of the diwan of the royal court.
The procession passed along Thames Street, High Street and Park Street before entering Windsor Castle through the George IV Gateway. The route was lined by members of all three Armed Forces.
At the castle, the Sultan will receive a ceremonial welcome in the Quadrangle, where a Guard of Honour will give a royal salute and the regimental band will play the Omani and British national anthems.
Following a private lunch in the State Dining Room, the King and Queen are due to show the Sultan a Royal Collection exhibition featuring items connected with Oman in the Green Drawing Room.
The visit will culminate in a State Banquet at Windsor Castle, where Charles and Sultan Haitham are expected to deliver speeches. The King, Queen and other members of the Royal Family will attend.
The State Visit is the first by an Omani ruler to Britain for 44 years. The last was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 1982.
Sultan Haitham became Oman’s ruler in 2020 after the death of his cousin, Sultan Qaboos bin Said. He is married and has four children, although his wife is not accompanying him on this visit.
Oman is described as one of Britain’s oldest friends in Arabia, and the ruling Omani family has longstanding relations with the British Royal Family. One of the Sultan’s principal challenges is overseeing the country’s move away from reliance on oil revenues towards a more diversified economy.
