King Charles III thanks Oman for efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open during sultan's state visit to Britain

The key facts

King Charles III, at a banquet at Windsor Castle, praised Oman for its

King Charles III highlights Oman's role in the region

Speaking at a state banquet at Windsor Castle at the end of the first day of Sultan Haitham of Oman's visit, King Charles III, speaking partly in Arabic, said he recognised

Generational ties and joint projects

Charles III noted with particular pleasure that his son Prince William, the Prince of Wales, and the sultan's son, Crown Prince Theyazin bin Haitham, had worked together as joint patrons of the Jewel of Arabia expedition across Oman, which last year retraced the coastal route of British explorer Bertram Thomas's 1928 journey.

Protocol and the first day of the visit

The banquet for 160 guests was the culmination of the first day of the three-day state visit — the first visit by an Omani head of state to the United Kingdom in 44 years. The day began with a horse-drawn carriage procession to Windsor Castle. Sultan Haitham presented the King with the Order of Al Said, which he later wore at the banquet.

Business programme and upcoming agreements

Meanwhile, at London's Guildhall, business leaders discussed opportunities following the UK–GCC trade agreement signed earlier this year. Muscat Stock Exchange chief Haitham Al Salmi told The National that a

Context of relations with the British government

Wednesday will mark Sultan Haitham's third visit to the prime minister's residence at Downing Street in three years. He was the first foreign leader to meet former prime minister Keir Starmer after the 2024 election, and met him days before Starmer left office. With Burnham, who replaced Starmer in July, the sultan already has common ground: an Omani growth-hub project in Al Batinah inspired by a similar project of Burnham's from his time as mayor of Manchester; they discussed it in July in their first phone call.