Prince William Visits Al Ula: First Saudi Arabia Trip Highlights

Prince William pays an official visit to Saudi Arabia. The exotic Al Ula is not missing from his visit list.

Quoted from Connecting People, On Saturday (14/2/2026), Prince William carried out the diplomatic agenda for three days, from 9-11 February 2026. During the visit, one of the agreed agendas was the Saudi-British Year of Culture in 2029.

The royal visit also brought an introduction to Saudi’s growing global culture, such as the heritage, sports and creative centers that are at the heart of Vision 2030.

The three-day visit included a stop at Al Ula, a 7,000-year-old archaeological area in the Saudi Medina region. There, Prince William visited the Old Town, Spice Street, Oasis Cultural District and Sharaan Nature Reserve.

Accompanied by the Saudi Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for Al Ula, Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, he met with a group of Saudi Rangers who provided an overview of the conservation efforts of the nature reserve.

Prince William also heard directly about the nature reserve land restoration program from the RCU Habitat and Restoration team and took part in acacia tree planting activities.

The journey continued, the royal group visited the Dancing Rocks formation, which is an environmental project to reintroduce an almost extinct species native to Arabia, namely the Arabian Leopard.

Coinciding with the Al Ula Arts Festival, Prince William also met with a group of Saudi youth participating in a joint cultural program between the two countries and joined artists in the Al Jadidah Arts District to celebrate the role of art in connecting nations.

Also on the agenda is a visit to Prince of Wales House, a cultural space showcasing British-Saudi collaboration in culture, creativity and regeneration. This place highlights Al-Ula’s role as a platform for cultural exchange.

Now, Al Ula has become a magnet for world tourists. The area is also home to Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra.

Visitor numbers to Al Ula increase 9% by 2024, supported by increased hospitality capacity from brands including Banyan Tree, Habitas and Chedi. Especially for Chedi, there are attractive offers that attract tourists. This hotel has converted a former train station into a heritage hotel with 35 luxury rooms.

Prince William was welcomed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Diriyah Company.

Prince William’s first visit to Saudi Arabia (Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace)

Before going to Al-Ula, he first visited At Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is considered the birthplace of the Saudi state and the historic heart of Diriyah, the City of the Earth.

“This visit represents the strong ties that Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom cherish,” said Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company.

Diriyah, a USD 63.2 billion megaproject covering 16 square kilometers on the outskirts of Riyadh, is being transformed into a top tourist destination built around its culture and history.

Once fully completed, Diriyah will have 40 luxury hotels, 300 branded residences, 1,000 retail outlets, 150 restaurants and cafes, and 26 arts and cultural centers, strengthening its position as a global hub for heritage-based tourism.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to explain our future vision for Diriyah and share the three centuries of history embedded in the palace walls and alleys of At-Turaif,” he said.

(bnl/fem)