Dressed in sharply contrasting attire — one in a tailored navy suit, the other in a flowing traditional robe of his desert kingdom — Britain’s Prince William and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman walked side by side through the mud-brick At-Turaif District, a UNESCO World Heritage site and cradle of the first Saudi state.

The three-day visit, undertaken at the request of the British government, is aimed at reinforcing ties with a pivotal Middle Eastern ally and influential regional power. But it also places the Prince of Wales in a delicate diplomatic position as he continues to assume a more prominent international role during a turbulent period for the royal family, which has faced renewed scrutiny over the former Prince Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Craig Prescott, a constitutional law expert at Royal Holloway, University of London, said the trip underscores William’s growing stature as heir to the throne. “This is part of his elevation,” Prescott noted, signaling that William’s public role now stands second only to that of his father, King Charles III.

Before traveling, the prince would have been briefed on Saudi Arabia’s complex political landscape. The kingdom has faced sustained international criticism over its human rights record, including restrictions on women’s rights and harsh penalties for protest and political dissent — factors that add further sensitivity to the high-profile visit.