Prince William has begun a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, dining with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and touring projects aimed at transforming the kingdom's society. The trip underscores the UK's strengthening ties with one of its closest Middle East allies.
Meeting with crown prince
The Prince of Wales met with the Saudi ruler Monday evening for what a royal source described as a "warm, far-ranging conversation which touched on many elements of UK-Saudi bilateral relationship." William gifted the crown prince an England shirt signed and worn by captain Harry Kane at the England vs Senegal friendly on June 10, 2025.
Sports Boulevard visit
On his first full day, William toured the Sports Boulevard project in Riyadh, an ambitious development spanning more than 70 miles. The green thoroughfare connects cycling paths, horse trails, parks and cultural landmarks as part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative to transform the kingdom into a diversified economy.
During the visit, William spoke with local resident Reem Alrowaili, 43, about the societal changes sweeping through Saudi Arabia. She expressed optimism about her daughter's future. "[...] I am 43 years old, I lived the old days where we were not allowed to do anything, and now I'm really happy for my daughter because she will experience the good life, the better life," she said.
Alrowaili's seven-year-old daughter Eliana gifted the prince three grape-flavoured lollipops for his children.
The Sports Boulevard project earned a nomination for William's Earthshot Prize.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
