King Charles and Queen Camilla Lead Sultan of Oman’s First UK State Visit in 44 Years
Despite a rain-soaked procession, the Sultan joined the King in the Irish State Coach, traveling through the town to Windsor Castle, flanked by armed forces.
King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, the Sultan of Oman, at Windsor Castle today. Key working members of the royal family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, also joined them for a day of regal engagements. The Sultan is on a three-day state visit to the UK; this momentous occasion marks a significant first after nearly 44 years. The last state visit by a Sultan of Oman was in 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II hosted the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, cousin of Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, at Buckingham Palace.
The Sultan of Oman was welcomed with pomp and pageantry at the Royal Dais on Datchet Road. Kate Middleton also joined Prince William for the official ceremony. William had earlier met the Sultan at his residence before escorting him to Windsor on behalf of his father, King Charles. The event featured royal gun salutes by the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery at Windsor's Home Park and the Tower of London. Followed by the Omani and British national anthems, which were also played. Kate and William then participated in a horse-drawn carriage procession with the King, Queen, and Sultan to Windsor Castle.
Despite a rain-soaked procession, the Sultan joined the King in the Irish State Coach, traveling through the town to Windsor Castle, flanked by armed forces. Queen Camilla was accompanied by Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Shihab bin Tariq, in the Scottish State Coach. The Prince and Princess of Wales were joined in the Australian State Coach by Deputy Prime Minister Theyazin bin Haitham and Secretary General Loay bin Ghalib, along with other ministers. Upon arriving at the castle, the Sultan and King Charles inspected the guard of honour without using umbrellas, People reported.
The ceremonial welcome will be followed by a state lunch with the King and the royal family before viewing historic items related to Oman in Windsor Castle’s Green Drawing Room. The main event will be held in the evening at the 1,000-year-old St. George’s Hall. Then a state banquet will also take place in honor of the visiting Sultan. The royals will bid farewell to the Sultan tomorrow morning before he heads to London for a meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. There, in the evening, he will also attend a banquet at London’s historic Guildhall, accompanied by King Charles’ second cousin, the Duke of Gloucester, before concluding the historic state visit.
