King Welcomes Sultan of Oman Amidst Regional Tensions
State visit marks first by Omani monarch since 1982; discussions with Prime Minister Burnham expected to focus on Middle East conflict.
Callum Smith
The King bid farewell to the Sultan of Oman at Windsor Castle.
Their discussions in Downing Street will focus on the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Oman maintains a policy of constructive neutrality, often acting as a mediator in the region. The Strait of Hormuz, a maritime corridor shared by Oman and Iran, remains a point of interest.
Iran has repeatedly declared the Strait closed during the war. It states the Strait will not reopen until the US agrees to deals proposed by Tehran.
A state banquet was held at Buckingham Palace. Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Kate, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham attended.
Eight working royals were present. Guests at the banquet received a drink inspired by the Omani ritual of Kahwa, adapted with British ingredients.
The menu included Scottish langoustines, Cornish crab, Windsor pheasant, and baked Alaska. King Charles displayed two of his own watercolour landscapes during the event.
Chief executives from Shell, BP, and Airbus were among the guests. King Charles and the Prince of Wales are joint patrons of the Jewel of Arabia Expedition with His Highness Sayyid Theyazin.
Separately, the King, Camilla, and the Prince of Wales will travel to Aberfan for the 60th anniversary of the disaster. Meanwhile, Prince Harry released an interview with GQ magazine.
He stated he "wants it to work out" with his family. However, he claimed that others "don’t want to".