His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik visits the United Kingdom this week at the specific invitation of King Charles, extending again the mutually cherished relationship between the two countries.
On the occasion of this State Visit, the first accorded to a ruling Sultan since 1982, when the late Queen Elizabeth II hosted the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said in March 1982, although His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik did enjoy Prince Charles’ and Queen Camilla’s hospitality in the form of a high tea and an informal meeting at Windsor Castle, as recently as July 4 last year, during His Majesty's brief private visit to the United Kingdom.
Their Majesties, King Charles and Queen Camilla, will host this State Visit at Windsor Castle, from October 19. According to a spokesman, matters of mutual interest will be discussed, with the objective of affirming the warm relationship between the two nations, which was a feature of the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was a frequent visitor to the Sultanate of Oman, with Prince Phillip, the late Duke of Edinburgh. This strong relationship has been perpetuated by King Charles, who himself has visited Oman on four occasions, appreciative of the genuine affection held for Oman and Islam, saying in 2010 that the Islamic faith was ‘custodian to the greatest heritage treasuries of knowledge, wisdom and spirituality,’ and that these were “a priceless gift to the rest of the world.” Wise words of true friendship.
The King’s son, Prince William, and Princess Catherine, then as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have also visited Oman in 2019, where the wonderful impression the Omani people had made upon them was clear, the Duchess commenting on “the joy of the colourfully attired, joyous schoolchildren, the diverse and beautiful landscapes of Musandam and Wadi Al Arbaeen, and the nation’s authentic Arabic heritage.”
Five years later, in 2024, he was to launch, alongside HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, the ‘Jewel of Arabia Expedition,’ referring to his 2019 trip as his inspiration for an expedition that followed in the footsteps of British explorer Bertram Thomas’s trek, in 1929, from Ras Al Hadd, now a protected turtle sanctuary, down the Eastern coast to Salalah, in the south, putting the spotlight on Oman’s youth.
Both monarchies have, in the past, paid strong tribute to their historic ties and shared mutual interest in not only the oil and gas sector but also in the environment, a passionate personal interest of Prince Charles, whose farms are managed with an emphasis on ecosystems, sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices, and new technologies. The Royal Family has also supported Oman's continued efforts at regional mediation, its commitment to quality education, and how this is working to not only educate, but empower young Omanis, and to help them develop leadership skills and resilience.
The monarchies' support for decades of transformative education, the key driver in the Sultanate of Oman’s renaissance, for commercial opportunities, for scientific and cultural opportunities, will surely be discussed, while defence, not strictly within the realm of the UK monarchy, must be a concern in light of the continued efforts at destabilisation within the Middle East, specifically the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, the disruption to trade, the fragile ecosystems, and unacceptable loss of life.
Only in a mutually appreciative relationship between two Royal families could visible awareness of each other’s communities, societies, and national interests be shared with the genuine knowledge and understanding of the challenges of a changing and evolving world result from, and in, genuine trust and respect. Shakespeare wrote, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” However, these two crowns, and thrones, may be oceans apart, yet clearly share immense respect.
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