Prince William's tour to Saudi Arabia to further strengthen bilateral relations
Britain’s Prince William,
HRH The Prince of Wales, has completed his first official trip to Saudi Arabia,
touring major heritage destinations in Diriyah and AlUla. During the visit, it was
announced that 2029 will mark the Saudi-UK Year of Culture, a year-long
celebration of shared history and creative collaboration between the two
nations.
The three-day programme underscored Saudi
Arabia’s expanding cultural ambitions under Vision 2030. In AlUla, a 7,000-year-old archaeological region in
the Medina province, the prince explored the Old Town, the Incense Road, the
Oasis Cultural District and the Sharaan Nature
Reserve.
Accompanied by Culture Minister Bader
bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, who also serves as governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, Prince William met
Saudi Rangers to learn about conservation initiatives within the reserve. He
was briefed on habitat restoration efforts and joined an acacia tree-planting
activity as part of environmental regeneration programmes.
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Prince
William visits Diriyah heritage site during Saudi visit
At the striking “Dancing Rocks” formation, he
received updates on projects to protect and reintroduce native wildlife,
including the critically endangered Arabian leopard.
The visit coincided with the AlUla Arts
Festival, where the prince met young Saudis involved in joint UK–Saudi cultural
initiatives and joined artists in the AlJadidah
Arts District, highlighting the role of the arts in strengthening
cross-cultural ties. He also toured Prince of Wales House, a space dedicated to
UK–Saudi cooperation in culture and regeneration.
AlUla, home to Hegra
— Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site — continues to draw visitors
seeking a mix of heritage, art and dramatic desert landscapes. Visitor numbers
rose 9% in 2024, supported by new hospitality offerings from brands such as Banyan Tree, Habitas
and Chedi, the latter having transformed a
former railway station into a 35-room heritage hotel.
Earlier in the trip, Prince William visited
Riyadh’s sports and esports facilities before heading to At-Turaif in Diriyah,
the UNESCO-listed birthplace of the Saudi state. There, he was welcomed by
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also
chairs Diriyah Company.
Diriyah, a US$63.2 billion development
spanning 16 square kilometres on the outskirts of Riyadh, is being repositioned
as a heritage-led tourism destination. It already features Bab Samhan, A Luxury
Collection Hotel, alongside museums, galleries and dining venues at Bujairi
Terrace, and has attracted more than three million visitors since its initial opening.
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Once complete, Diriyah is set to include 40
luxury hotels, 300 branded residences, 1,000 retail outlets, 150 restaurants
and cafés, and 26 arts and culture institutions, cementing its status as a
global cultural hub.
Tourism
remains central to Vision 2030 as the kingdom works to diversify beyond oil.
Saudi Arabia welcomed more than 122 million domestic and international visitors
in 2025 — a 5% increase year on year — keeping it on course to reach its target
of 150 million tourists annually by 2030.
Source: connectingtravel.com
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