King Charles praises Prince William at Windsor banquet for Sultan of Oman
King Charles III turned his toast to the Sultan of Oman into a proud tribute to his son, the Prince of Wales.
The King spoke at a state banquet in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle on 20 October 2026. The dinner for 160 guests opened a three-day state visit, the formal full-honours visit offered to a foreign head of state, by the Sultan of Oman. Hello!
The Prince of Wales, Prince William, attended alongside Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Crown Prince of Oman. The two sat together for dinner. The King told his guest he was "especially delighted to see our sons… become joint patrons of the Jewel of Arabia Expedition".
A joint patron lends his name and support to a project. In this case the project was a 30-day mission in 2024, backed by Prince William and Crown Prince Theyazin, to record and showcase Oman's natural heritage and biodiversity.
The King added: "There can be few happier symbols of success than a living relationship being passed from one generation to the next."
The rest of the speech stayed on Britain's long friendship with Oman. The King described Oman as one of Britain's oldest allies. He said he had visited the country four times. He delivered parts of his address in Arabic.
He also praised Oman's work around the Strait of Hormuz. He called the waterway one of the world's most important shipping routes, according to the BBC. He saluted Oman's "noble efforts" to keep it open, as reported by The Times.
What makes this stand out is the casting. State banquets are usually about the monarch and his guest. Here Charles put the next generation centre stage, with William and Crown Prince Theyazin seated together as joint patrons with a shared project already behind them.
For royal-watchers, this means a rare public moment of fatherly pride from the King. He does not often speak so directly about Prince William at official dinners. To do it in front of 160 guests, and a fellow head of state, gave the words extra weight.
