Prince William begins Saudi Arabia visit amid Epstein-linked controversy

London: Britain’s Prince William began his first official visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday, with the trip intended to deepen economic cooperation and celebrate a century of diplomatic relations. However, the visit is already overshadowed by controversies surrounding his disgraced uncle, Prince Andrew, and his links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Ahead of William’s arrival in Riyadh, Kensington Palace issued a brief statement expressing that the Prince and his wife Catherine were “deeply concerned by the continuing revelations.” The statement did not explicitly mention Andrew, who has faced allegations that he may have shared confidential reports with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.

The three-day visit includes a private tour of the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site and an audience with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as a visit to the historic city of AlUla to observe conservation efforts. The trip is designed to highlight growing trade, energy, and investment ties, with bilateral trade in goods and services reaching £17.2 billion ($23.5 billion) in the year to June 2025.

Experts note that William’s diplomatic skills are being relied upon to advance UK interests at a time when the government faces economic pressures. Simon Mabon, chair in international relations at Lancaster University, said the visit could be seen as leveraging longstanding royal ties between the two nations. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams added that while William is “very polished” in diplomatic engagements, royal visits often risk being eclipsed by unfolding news events.

The UK-Saudi relationship has historically been strong, with Queen Elizabeth II hosting Saudi royals on four state visits. Nonetheless, the relationship has faced criticism due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, including the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and subsequent UK sanctions against 20 Saudi nationals in 2020.

The last senior British royal to officially visit Riyadh was King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, in February 2014. This visit comes two years after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in December 2024.

William’s trip is intended to advance both diplomatic and environmental agendas, though analysts acknowledge the shadow of Andrew’s links to Epstein could dominate media coverage during the visit.