Britain's Prince William to meet Saudi crown prince on official visit

Britain's Prince William will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia starting on Monday, an official trip on behalf of the government to deepen ties with the country.

The royal's visit follows a 2025 trip to Saudi by Britain's finance minister, which London said had unlocked trade and investment agreements worth 6.4 billion pounds ($8.71 billion).

During his trip, William will hold an audience with the crown prince and take part in engagements focused on Saudi Arabia's economic reforms, cultural initiatives and environmental programmes, his office Kensington Palace said on Monday.

This would not be William's first meeting with the crown prince. In March 2018, he and his father, then-Prince Charles, hosted bin Salman for a dinner at Clarence House in London, on the same day the late Queen Elizabeth held a separate lunch with the Saudi royal.

During his visit to Saudi, William, King Charles' eldest son, is also expected to meet young Saudis, learn about the country's plans for sustainability and urban development, and visit projects linked to women's sport, e-sports, conservation and cultural cooperation, the palace said.

The British prince will also travel to AlUla, an ancient Arabian oasis city, where he will visit wildlife reserves, meet local communities and tour "Prince of Wales House" - a new UK cultural space promoting collaboration in arts and heritage.

($1 = 0.7350 pounds)