KING CHARLES WELCOMES SULTAN OF OMAN TO WINDSOR

Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said began a state visit to the UK with a welcome from King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, in Windsor. The King greeted the Sultan outside Windsor and Eton Riverside station as rain fell. He removed his top hat and shook the Sultan’s hand, while Catherine curtseyed beneath a covered dais. The visitors then travelled by horse-drawn carriage through Windsor to the castle for a ceremonial welcome in its quadrangle.

The Sultan joined the King in the Irish State Coach, where they sat side by side. Camilla travelled in the Scottish State Coach with Oman’s deputy prime minister for defence affairs, Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said. William and Catherine followed in the Australian State Coach with deputy prime minister for economic affairs Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said and royal court official Sayyid Loay bin Ghalib Al Said. Earlier, William had greeted the Sultan at one of his UK residences on the King’s behalf. Catherine arrived at the dais with the King and Queen; the Sultan’s wife is not accompanying him on the visit.

This is the first state visit to the UK by a Sultan of Oman in 44 years. In 1982, Queen Elizabeth II hosted Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Haitham’s cousin, at Buckingham Palace. Oman lies beside the Strait of Hormuz and serves as a mediator in the Middle East. Camilla wore a red outfit by Fiona Clare and a Philip Treacy hat for the Windsor welcome. Catherine wore a dark green Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen coat and a Juliette Botterill hat.