Prince William to make first official visit to Saudi Arabia in February 2026

Prince William will visit Saudi Arabia next month for the first time, focusing on trade and investment ties. Photo / Getty Images

Prince William will make his first official visit to Saudi Arabia next month.

The 43-year-old royal will carry out a three-day visit to the Middle East at the request of the UK government as the two nations celebrate “growing trade, energy and investment ties”.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said: “At the request of His Majesty’s government, the Prince of Wales will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between Monday 9th and Wednesday 11th February.

“His Royal Highness’ visit comes as the UK and Saudi Arabia celebrate growing trade, energy and investment ties, and as the two nations approach a century of diplomatic relations.

“This will be His Royal Highness’ first official visit to Saudi Arabia. Further details will be advised in due course.”

Although William has never been to Saudi Arabia before, he has previously visited neighbouring nations the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

The trip will mark the prince’s first official overseas visit of 2026 and his first trip to the Middle East since his 2023 visit to Kuwait to pay his condolences after the death of the nation’s former ruler Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah.

William’s visit will come just over a year after UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in December 2024 as part of a “mission” to grow Britain’s economy.

Meanwhile, William is first in line to the throne and revealed that he is “excited” to bring about “change” when he becomes king.

The Prince of Wales – who has children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, with his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales – told Eugene Levy on Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler last year: “Obviously, I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do, a world and a job that actually does impact people’s lives for the better. That is caveated with, I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past, that (Prince) Harry and I had to grow up with – and I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation.

“I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good. And I embrace that and I enjoy that change – I don’t fear it. That’s the bit that excites me, is the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think that need to happen.”