Prince of Wales to visit Saudi Arabia in first official trip to country
William's visit comes as the countries "celebrate growing trade, energy and investment ties", Kensington Palace said. The trip between February 9-11 will be the Prince of Wales's first official visit to the country. Kensington Palace said it comes as the UK and Saudi Arabia near a century of diplomatic relations, in 2027. The UK Government has previously raised concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and in 2020 sanctioned 20 Saudi nationals involved in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. When the Prime Minister first met crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2024, Sir Keir Starmer was accused of putting efforts to kickstart economic growth above human rights concerns. The country has also faced criticism and accusations of "sportswashing" - investing in sporting events such as the World Cup, which it will host in 2034, to distract from alleged wrongdoing and present a favourable image.
