Britain’s Prince William met Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, kicking off a visit aimed at deepening economic cooperation but overshadowed by his disgraced uncle Andrew’s links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, poses for a photo with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, on the first day of his visit to Saudi Arabia at the UNESCO World Heritage Site at-Turaif, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 9, 2026. (via REUTERS)The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) released photos of a private visit by Crown Prince Mohammed to the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site in Diriyah, the first capital of the Saudi kingdom, ahead of a meeting between the two royal families.
It is William’s first official visit to Saudi Arabia, and ahead of his arrival in Riyadh, Kensington Palace broke years of silence on Andrew’s relationship with the late US convicted sex offender, saying William and his wife Catherine were “deeply concerned by the ongoing revelations”.
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The brief statement, which did not directly mention former Prince Andrew, came as the monarchy faces renewed pressure over the tainted royal relationship with Epstein.
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In the latest damaging allegations of Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice, it emerged that Andrew may have passed potentially confidential reports to Epstein while working as the UK’s trade envoy, a role he held between 2001 and 2011.
Outrage over his uncle threatened to overshadow William’s three-day visit to the Gulf nation, a trip some consider controversial due to sharp criticism of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
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The visit, which ends on Wednesday, aims to celebrate growing trade, energy and investment ties before the two countries celebrate a centenary of diplomatic ties.
According to Kensington Palace, William, a keen environmentalist, is set to visit the historic town of Al-Ulaw, where he will learn about conservation efforts.
A warm relationship has long existed between the Saudi and British royal families, and Saudi Arabia is seen as one of Britain’s most important strategic partners in the Gulf region.
The late Queen Elizabeth II hosted members of the Saudi royal family on four state visits, on par with other key allies such as France and Germany.
‘diplomatic arena’Simon Mabon, chair of international relations at Lancaster University, said the two royal families had had a “close relationship” for many years.
William’s involvement, which comes at the request of the UK government at a time when it is “on the back foot” economically, could be seen as “an attempt to capitalize on a bit of royal fraternity”, he said.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the government was keen to deploy William’s diplomatic skills, such as when he met US President Donald Trump in Paris in 2024.
“He is very smooth in the diplomatic arena, which is very important,” he told AFP.
But Fitzwilliams noted that “there was always the danger that royal actions, so long planned, would be superseded by current news”.
The last senior royal to pay an official visit to Riyadh was William’s father, the current King Charles III, when he was Prince of Wales in February 2014.
The UK has previously raised concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
In 2020, it sanctioned 20 Saudi nationals involved in the killing and dismemberment of US-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who died in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
In 2021, former US President Joe Biden released an intelligence report that suggested Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had authorized the raid against Khashoggi – an allegation denied by Saudi authorities.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met the Prince in Riyadh in December 2024.
Trade in goods and services between the two countries was $23.5 billion as of June 30, 2025.
