Sultan Haitham departs for a private and unofficial visit to the United Kingdom

29 June 2025
Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Sultan of Oman, departed Muscat this morning for a private and unofficial trip to the United Kingdom.

The visit was announced through a brief royal statement, using the traditional phrase: “Surrounded by God’s care.” In Omani royal language, this phrase is typically reserved for non-official, personal travels outside the scope of formal diplomatic missions.

Sources close to the Royal Court confirmed that the visit will last a few days, with no political meetings or official announcements scheduled. However, royal observers suggest that such trips are part of the Sultan’s personal routine for rest, medical check-ups, and informal consultations on the international level.

The Sultan’s visit comes at a time when Oman is at the center of key regional and international developments, from mediating the Iran-Israel crisis to expanding economic ties with Europe and Asia. As such, even private royal movements are closely watched and widely interpreted.