King Charles Welcomes Oman Sultan for Windsor State Visit

Britain's royal family welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said of Oman to Windsor Castle on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, for a state visit marking the first visit by an Omani monarch to the United Kingdom in 44 years. King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, took part in the ceremonial reception, which included a carriage procession and a military honor guard.

The visit brings together the British and Omani leadership amid continuing conflict in the Middle East. According to reports by The Times, The Telegraph, ITV and HELLO!, the program includes a state banquet at Windsor Castle and diplomatic talks between the sultan and Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday.

Prince William greeted Haitham at the Omani ruler's residence in London on behalf of the King before accompanying him to Windsor. The sultan, a former businessman educated at Oxford, was then received by Charles and Camilla alongside Catherine at a ceremonial platform in the town center.

A royal salute was fired at Home Park and the Tower of London as part of the reception. The royal party subsequently traveled through Windsor in horse-drawn carriages before arriving at the castle, where the sultan inspected the Guard of Honour in the quadrangle.

According to HELLO!, Charles traveled with the sultan in the Irish State Coach, while Camilla rode in the Scottish State Coach with Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Oman's deputy prime minister for defense affairs. William and Catherine traveled in the Australian State Coach with Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, and Sayyid Loay bin Ghalib Al Said, secretary general of the Diwan of the Royal Court.

The ceremonial reception continued despite heavy rain in Windsor. The British and Omani national anthems were played, and members of the Grenadier Guards and Scots Guards formed the honor guard as the carriages entered the castle grounds.

After lunch in the State Dining Room, the royal family was scheduled to show the sultan a special exhibition of Oman-related objects from the Royal Collection. Charles and Haitham were also due to deliver speeches during the evening banquet in St George's Hall, with Burnham attending his first state banquet as prime minister.

Burnham is scheduled to meet the sultan at Downing Street on Wednesday to discuss regional developments, including efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The two leaders met in July and discussed the waterway, with Burnham expressing appreciation for Oman's mediation efforts in the region, according to ITV and The Times.

The diplomatic engagement comes as conflict continues in the Middle East. Oman has played a mediating role in regional affairs, and the Strait of Hormuz has featured in previous discussions between the two leaders following restrictions on maritime traffic.

Charles and Camilla have longstanding ties with Haitham. They visited Oman on a state visit in 2016, while Charles, then Prince of Wales, also traveled to the country on official business. The King last met Haitham at Windsor Castle in July 2025 for tea and a private meeting, according to The Telegraph.

Haitham also visited the Palace in September 2022 to offer condolences following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. He succeeded his cousin, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said, whose state visit to Britain in 1982 was the last by an Omani monarch before the current visit.

The 1982 visit included a security scare when bomb disposal officers destroyed a Renault 16 parked near Clarence House shortly before Elizabeth II was due to pass with Qaboos. Authorities later determined that the suspected bomb threat was a false alarm, according to The Telegraph.

Windsor Castle is hosting state visits while Buckingham Palace undergoes renovations. The latest visit also brings renewed attention to the cost of security for major royal events, with Thames Valley Police confirming enhanced security arrangements and airspace restrictions for the sultan's arrival, according to The Telegraph and HELLO!.