King Charles praises Oman peace efforts during Windsor state visit banquet

King Charles praised peace efforts in the Strait of Hormuz during a state banquet at Windsor Castle for the Sultan of Oman, BBC News and the Washington Post reported. The Omani leader was welcomed to Windsor for a state visit as his country plays a pivotal role in the region. King Charles delivered his speech in Arabic and English to an audience of 160 guests. [1][5][6]

The banquet was attended by Queen Camilla, Prince William, Catherine, and Princess Anne, according to BBC News. It was also the first state banquet for Prime Minister Andy Burnham. He was seated next to Omani academic and novelist Jokha Alharthi at a table decorated with fruits and candelabra. [1]

The visit comes amid ongoing safety concerns in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel connecting two seas. Fox News reported that sea mines have re-emerged as a threat, with Iran claiming on October 17 that two oil tankers caught fire after striking explosives. The International Maritime Organization warned that the waterway remains too unsafe for transit as Iran maintains an unauthorized shipping corridor. [2][3][7]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, around 6,000 seafarers have been trapped near the Strait of Hormuz following repeated attacks on commercial vessels. Oman previously assisted in evacuating injured crew members from an attacked Panamanian-flagged oil tanker off its coast. [9][10]