Prince William Arrives in Saudi Arabia for Solo Royal Tour After Releasing First Statement on Epstein

The Prince of Wales is undertaking his first foreign tour of 2026 and will spend three days in the country

Prince William has arrived for his first overseas tour of 2026, just hours after he and his wife, Kate Middleton, broke their silence over Jeffrey Epstein.

The Prince of Wales, 43, traveled solo to Saudi Arabia, touching down at the King Khalid International Airport on Feb. 9 for his first visit to the country. It is the heir to the British throne’s first foreign visit of the year, and he will stay for three days.

It came as a spokesperson for William, 43, and Princess Kate, 44, said in Riyadh, “I can confirm the Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

Prince William was asked to travel to the strategic and economically-crucial ally of Saudi Arabia by the U.K. government to both celebrate growing trade, energy and investment ties, and build on the close to 100 years of diplomatic relations.

Prince William arrives in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 9, 2026.Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace

Princess Kate has stayed at home in the U.K. to be with the couple’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who are at school this week.

The Prince of Wales is aiming to help foster links and relationships with young Saudis and talking to them about the country’s plans and commitment to sustainability, his office at Kensington Palace says.

His first outing will be to At-Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the town of Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh. It has been transformed into a global cultural destination, and William is to be shown around by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He will see the Salwa Palace, which was the seat of rule and administration during the First Saudi State, and his day is set to end with an audience with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prince William previously met the crown prince in March 2018 during a visit to the U.K. Months later, his regime was criticized for its involvement in the death of journalist Jamal Khasoggi.

Later in the tour, Prince William is also scheduled to see some young women playing soccer and attend an E-Sports event.

He is also scheduled to be taken to the historic city of AlUla, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is known for its dramatic rock formations, sand dunes and archeological ruins that date back 7,000 years. There is an arts festival underway during his trip, but it’s unknown whether he will take part in any of the cultural events around that.

The Prince of Wales, who heads up the environmental Earthshot Prize and is a committed conservationist, is also set to learn about the crucial conservation efforts underway to protect the city’s natural wildlife and landscape.

Prince William in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 9, 2026.Isabel Infantes – Pool/Getty

William’s trip follows a visit to the United Arab Emirates in the economically-important region by his uncle Prince Edward a week earlier.

The trip is unlikely to be the last foreign visit by Prince William this year. In early summer, William may also cross the Atlantic to watch one of the England appearances in the FIFA World Cup and potentially attend some of the commemorations around the time of the 250^th anniversary of independence around the same time.

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Later in the year, he will also likely head abroad again for the Earthshot Prize awards, which are expected to be held in India.