Sultan of Oman Arrives for State Visit Amid Pomp and Strategic Talks
Royal pageantry at Windsor sets stage for critical discussions on trade, military ties, and regional diplomacy.
Callum Smith
The Sultan of Oman began a three-day state visit to England today.
The Princess of Wales wore a green Alexander McQueen coat and a Juliette Botterill fascinator. The royal party traveled by horse-drawn carriages to Windsor Castle.
A State Banquet will be held there this evening, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham in attendance. Burnham will hold political discussions at Downing Street on Wednesday, having spoken to the Sultan in July about efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.
Oman, positioned on the western shore of the Strait of Hormuz, acts as a diplomatic bridge between the West and Iran. The state visit focuses on trade, diplomacy, military, and cultural ties.
Oman has worked to remain neutral in the conflict, even brokering a peace deal as Iran targeted the country with drones and missiles.
The British Navy base at Duqm supports U.K. military operations in the Persian Gulf region. Royal Air Force officers and non-commissioned officers serve in the Omani air force.
Sultan Haitham bin Tarik acceded to the throne in 2020, having received his education in Oxford. Oman gained independence from Britain in 1951; the last state visit occurred in 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II hosted Sultan Qaboos bin Said.