King Charles made a five-word joke about the weather as he welcomed the Sultan of Oman to Windsor today, during the first UK state visit by an Omani monarch since 1982.
The 76-year-old monarch was seen walking with an umbrella in his hand, with lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling pointing out the joke to the Daily Express. She said the King offered the umbrella to Sultan Haitham bin Tarik before joking about the weather being something people in Britain are used to.
Rainy Weather Exchange
Ms Hickling said the Sultan told the King: "No, it's not exactly pouring, is it," followed by an eye roll. The King then replied, "Very well," before adding the five-word joke: "we like to stay dry".
The Sultan responded: "It's what you are used to," to which the King agreed, "It is indeed".
Ceremonial Programme
King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Windsor, with the official state visit concluding on Thursday.
The ceremonial itinerary featured a formal welcome on Datchet Road in Windsor, followed by a carriage procession to Windsor Castle. Accompanied by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the royals observed a Guard of Honour salute, inspected troops, listened to national anthems, and viewed a full military parade. A state banquet was hosted in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle this evening.
Security Measures
Airspace restrictions and extensive security measures have been put in place for the official visit, which saw royals, politicians and celebrity guests gather for the state banquet.
Thames Valley Police warned that anyone breaching temporary airspace restrictions could be arrested. Officers deployed in Windsor include search teams, Mounted Section, Roads Policing and armed units, alongside neighbourhood officers and Project Servator teams. The force said it would use Windsor's CCTV network and Hostile Vehicle Mitigation barriers during the visit.
Several road closures and parking restrictions were introduced, with police warning of temporary disruption to roads in and around Windsor. Thames Valley Police's Ch Supt Adrian Hall said airspace restrictions are part of the "robust security operation" in place, adding: "As a force, we have a vast amount of experience in policing Royal events in Windsor and significant planning and preparation has gone into this event."
As the royals got the state visit underway, Prince Harry featured in a new interview with GQ, where he spoke of his wish to reconcile with his brother.
