Prince William, Britain’s heir to the throne, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for an official visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between London and Riyadh.

The Prince was received by Mohammed bin Salman, who later accompanied him on a tour of Diriyah, a UNESCO-listed site that symbolises the birthplace of the Saudi state. Diriyah is historically associated with Mohammad bin Saud, after whom Saudi Arabia is named, and Mohammad bin Abd Alwahhab, whose teachings laid the foundations of Wahhabism, the ideological doctrine underpinning the modern Saudi state.

The visit, however, has been met with criticism in the United Kingdom, particularly from human rights organisations, which argue that high-profile royal engagement risks overlooking Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.

As a concrete example, Amnesty International UK publicly criticised the visit, warning that it sends “the wrong signal” at a time when concerns persist over political repression, freedom of expression, and accountability for past abuses in the Kingdom. The organisation urged senior British figures to use any engagement with Saudi leaders to raise human rights issues directly, rather than prioritising strategic and commercial interests.