House fit for a Sultan: Oman state visit puts London residence in the spotlight
The heir to the British throne will meet the Sultan of Oman at his London home today, highlighting the long presence of Muscat's rulers in the British capital. The Prince of Wales and Sultan Haitham will travel to Windsor Castle to be met by King Charles III at the start of the Sultan's state visit to the UK. The last time a Sultan of Oman paid a state visit to the UK was in 1982, when Sultan Al…
King Charles III greeted Sultan Haitham of Oman upon his arrival in Windsor for a three-day state visit, marking the first such visit by an Omani leader in 44 years. Prince William escorted the Omani monarch, who received a ceremonial welcome featuring a royal salute from the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the playing of both national anthems.
The two heads of state proceeded together in the Irish State Coach through Windsor town, past a line of armed forces personnel lining the route. Queen Camilla rode alongside Sultan Haitham in the Scottish State Coach, while Oman's Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Shihab bin Tariq, joined them in the Australian State Coach.
Additional ministers rounded out the procession. Upon arrival at Windsor Castle, the king and sultan inspected the guard of honor. Sultan Haitham's visit included a tour of a special exhibition of Omani artifacts from the Royal Collection and a banquet at the castle. The following day, he would meet with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and the two had recently spoken about increasing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
Sultan Haitham also planned to visit London, where he would attend a banquet and see the transformation of the former Olympic site into an economic hub. Major General Richard Stanford, a retired British military officer with extensive ties to Oman, praised the centuries-old relationship between the two nations as "unique, special, and based on mutual respect," noting the importance of their ongoing diplomatic ties.
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