Kate Middleton and Prince William Make a Grand Appearance at Windsor Castle for State Visit
Kate Middleton and Prince William Make a Grand Appearance at Windsor Castle for State Visit
Simon PerryTue, October 20, 2026 at 11:42 AM UTC
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The Sultan of Oman received a grand royal welcome at Windsor Castle as he began his state visit to the U.K.
Kate Middleton and Prince William joined King Charles and Queen Camilla for the traditional ceremony
The festivities included a horse-drawn carriage procession through Windsor, royal gun salutes and a military Guard of Honour at the castle
Kate Middleton and Prince William stepped out together for a grand royal welcome as the Sultan of Oman began his state visit to the U.K.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 44, joined King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 79, in Windsor on Tuesday, Oct. 20, to formally welcome Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, 71.
Prince William kicked off the day’s events by greeting the Sultan at his residence on behalf of his father before accompanying him to Windsor. Princess Kate then joined her husband and the King and Queen at the Royal Dais on Datchet Road for the official welcome.
Kate wore a deep green coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the designer behind her iconic 2011 wedding dress, whose creations she has frequently returned to over the years. She completed the look with a hat by Juliette Botterill.
Kate Middleton waits to formally greet Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in Windsor on October 20, 2026.Credit: Andrew Matthews / POOL / AFP via Getty
Her choice of green, one of the colors of Oman’s national flag, is a subtle nod to the visiting country. The Princess of Wales has frequently embraced the tradition of diplomatic dressing, incorporating colors and other details into her wardrobe as a tribute to international guests.
The occasion was marked by royal gun salutes fired at Windsor’s Home Park and the Tower of London, about 40 miles away. Kate and William then joined the King, Queen and Sultan for a horse-drawn carriage procession through Windsor to the historic Windsor Castle.
Kate Middleton dips into a curtsy to welcome the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik, in Windsor on Oct. 20, 2026Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock
As King Charles accompanied their guest of honor in the Irish State Coach and Camilla sat with the deputy prime minister for defense in the Scottish State Coach, Kate and William took their place in the Australian State Coach, with two members of the Sultan’s royal entourage Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said and Sayyid Loay bin Ghalib Al Said.
As the procession arrived in the castle’s Quadrangle, the regimental band played the national anthems of Oman and the U.K. before the Sultan and King Charles inspected the Guard of Honour. They then rejoined Kate, William and Camilla to watch a military march past.
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Kate Middleton and Prince William in Windsor on Oct. 20, 2026Credit: Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty
After the ceremonial welcome, the Sultan will be hosted for lunch by the King and other members of the royal family before they move into Windsor Castle’s Green Drawing Room, where the Sultan is to be shown some of the historic items in the royal collection that are related to Oman.
King Charles, Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton in Windsor on Oct. 20, 2026Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock
That evening, a glittering white-tie dinner will be held in the 1,000-year-old castle’s magnificent St. George’s Hall.
The royals will bid farewell to the Sultan on Wednesday morning, Oct. 21, before he heads to London for a meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. That evening, the Sultan will attend a banquet at London’s historic Guildhall, accompanied by King Charles’ second cousin, the Duke of Gloucester.
The Household Cavalry’s Life Guards ride through Windsor on Oct. 20, 2026, the first day of a three-day State Visit to the U.K. by the Sultan of Oman.Credit: Andrew Matthews / POOL / AFP via Getty
Meanwhile, King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William will travel to Wales for a poignant visit to Aberfan, marking the 60th anniversary of the devastating 1966 mining disaster that claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults. The tragedy unfolded when a coal waste tip collapsed onto a school and nearby homes.
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The Sultan of Oman’s visit marks the second state visit hosted by the British royal family this year, following the visit of Nigeria’s president and first lady in March.
The royal calendar remains busy in the weeks ahead. King Charles and Queen Camilla are preparing to travel to the Caribbean for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda from Nov. 1 to 4. Ahead of the gathering, the King will make solo visits to the Bahamas from Oct. 27 to 29 and Guyana from Oct. 29 to 30.
Prince William also has a major international engagement on the horizon, with the Prince of Wales set to host his Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Mumbai, India, in mid-November.
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