Windsor Castle will host a traditional state visit on Tuesday as the King prepares to welcome the Sultan of Oman to the UK.
Charles, the Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales will host Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said at a grand banquet within the historic fortress.
Working members of the royal family will be out in force for the evening gathering held in St George’s Hall.
The occasion marks the first incoming state visit since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK, though Harry and Meghan do not take part in official royal engagements as non-working royals.
The event will also be Andy Burnham’s first state banquet as Prime Minister, meaning he is expected to dress in white tie and tails and sit beside key guests close to the King.
Earlier in the day, heir to the throne William will greet the Oxford-educated former businessman Haitham bin Tarik Al Said at the Omani ruler’s residence on the King’s behalf before travelling with him to Windsor.
Charles and Camilla will wait for the Sultan on a special dais in the town centre, after which the monarch, Camilla, William, Kate and the VIP guest will take part in a horse-drawn carriage procession through Windsor to the castle, ahead of the ceremonial welcome and inspection of the Guard of Honour in the quadrangle.
On Wednesday, the Sultan will hold talks with Mr Burnham in Downing Street, against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The pair met in July, when they discussed attempts to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, with Mr Burnham expressing gratitude for Oman’s mediation efforts in the region.
The Sultan last visited the King in the summer of 2025 for tea and a private meeting at Windsor Castle.
The last state visit by a Sultan of Oman was 44 years ago in 1982 when Queen Elizabeth II hosted the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said – Haitham bin Tarik Al Said’s cousin – at Buckingham Palace.
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