King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the Sultan of Oman at Windsor Castle in October, marking the first state visit to Britain by an Omani ruler since 1982.
Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has accepted an invitation for October 20–22, Buckingham Palace announced on September 3.
The 44-year gap concerns state visits, rather than a break in contact between the royal families.
The meetings behind the milestone
The Palace announcement records that Charles received Sultan Haitham for tea and a private meeting at Windsor on July 4, 2025.
Charles also visited Oman four times as Prince of Wales. His most recent trip was to Muscat in January 2020 to offer condolences after Sultan Qaboos’s death. Camilla accompanied him on a visit in November 2016.
The previous Omani state visit took place in March 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II hosted Sultan Qaboos. October’s engagement therefore revives that level of ceremony within an existing relationship.
What makes a state visit different?
The Royal Household’s guide to state visits explains that invitations are made on government advice. The programme serves Britain’s relationships with other countries as well as the monarch’s ceremonial role.
Incoming visits commonly include a formal welcome, military ceremony and a state banquet. Meetings with the prime minister, ministers and other political figures also form part of the usual programme, while business and cultural engagements can accompany them.
These are general features, however. They should not be read as a confirmed timetable for Sultan Haitham’s stay.
The Palace announcement does not include a detailed itinerary or guest list. Those remain the next details to watch for.