Prince William’s official programme in Saudi Arabia was forced to be rearranged after the Prince of Wales ran 40 minutes late following an extended lunch with a senior Saudi royal.
The delay came on the final day of the prince’s three-day visit to the Middle East, his first official trip to the Kingdom.
According to the Telegraph, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, the Saudi minister for culture and a close ally of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, spent additional time with William during a private lunch, prompting aides to adjust the afternoon schedule in AlUla’s Old Town.
By the time the Prince of Wales arrived in the historic district, security and staff had already moved ahead to reorganise proceedings.
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Earlier in the day, the future king had visited the Sharaan Nature Reserve in AlUla province, a 1,540 square kilometre area of desert and mountainous landscape at the centre of Saudi Arabia’s conservation plans.
Travelling in a convoy of vehicles across dunes, William was shown the region’s so-called “Dancing Rocks”, natural sandstone formations shaped by wind erosion.
Describing the landscape, he said it was “stunning scenery”.
The visit focused heavily on environmental protection and the reintroduction of native wildlife, including plans to bring back the endangered Arabian leopard.
Prince William (left) runs 40 minutes late in Saudi Arabia after extended lunch with Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud (right)
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At one point, the prince was asked to plant a tree, declining gloves and remarking: “I like to get my hands dirty.”
Following the morning engagements, the extended lunch with Prince Badr resulted in a reshuffling of the afternoon’s events in AlUla’s Old Town.
The two princes later toured the narrow streets of the settlement, stopping at a small library and visiting local cultural sites.
William also visited an art gallery where local artists supported by the British Council were showcasing their work.
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Prince William concluded his Saudi Arabia trip today
|GETTY
Crowds gathered as the prince walked through the area, with tourists and residents using mobile phones to capture the moment.
The final engagement of the trip took place at a garden within the Oasis, an agricultural area producing significant quantities of dates annually.
William was shown a range of produce grown in the region, including oranges, grapefruit, lemons, kumquats, basil, mint, barley, wheat, oats, figs and olives.
Presented with a large sweet lemon, he remarked: “I’ve never seen that before.”
The Prince of Wales walks with the Governor of Madinah, Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud before he boards a plane at AlUla Airport on day three of his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
|PA
The three-day visit included approximately three hours of private talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, focusing on diplomatic, environmental and cultural cooperation between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. The visit concluded with the Prince of Wales departing on an RAF jet.
As he left the Kingdom, Governments from both countries announced plans for 2029 to be designated the Saudi-UK Year of Culture.
In a further sign of the strengthening relationship, a building in AlUla has been named Prince of Wales House in his honour.
An aide to the Prince told The Telegraph: “The trip showed the power of monarchy. The Saudis are looking for long-term, deep relationships and William can deliver on that.”