Prince Harry Accused of 'Hijacking' Historic Oman State Visit as Royal Commentator Warns of Wider Fallout

Prince Harry has been accused of hijacking the Sultan of Oman's historic state visit to the UK after his interview about reconciling with the Royal Family dominated coverage of the Windsor ceremony.

The Duke of Sussex told GQ that he wants his fractured relationship with King Charles and Prince William to 'work out', comments published as Sultan Haitham bin Tarik began the first Omani state visit to Britain in 44 years.

The timing has irritated royal commentators, who argue that a rare moment of British diplomacy was pushed aside by a familiar family story. Carole Malone, speaking on the Royals Unscripted podcast, said the duke's intervention could have consequences well beyond palace gossip.

'We invested more than £16million in Oman last year, they're very important to us,' she told Express royal editor Emily Ferguson. 'But also, they're important strategically to us, with the Strait of Hormuz. They're a very neutral force in the middle of all that, and they're on our side currently, so we roll out the red carpet for them.'

Malone did not mince her words. 'Does Harry give a stuff about that? No. This could affect our fuel supplies, everything,' she said, adding that she believed the remarks would leave the Prince of Wales 'incandescent'.

There is no evidence that William has reacted publicly, and IBTimes UK cannot independently verify claims about his private response. What can be established is the scale of the occasion Harry's interview coincided with.

Why the Oman State Visit Mattered

Sultan Haitham's three-day state visit was the first visit to the UK by a Sultan of Oman in 44 years, and the first since 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II welcomed the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the current Sultan's cousin, at Buckingham Palace.

The King and Queen hosted Sultan Haitham at Windsor Castle, where a state banquet was held in St George's Hall. The Prince and Princess of Wales also took part in the welcome.

Oman holds a strategic position near the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for global energy supplies, and British forces have trained alongside Omani forces for decades. The port town of Duqm hosts a major UK military presence.

Commentator Angela Malone said the visit reflected years of diplomatic and financial investment. 'So much thought and money' had gone into the occasion, she said, including the Windsor banquet and the Princess of Wales's outfit, which echoed the colours of Oman's flag.

'This is what the royals are all about,' she said. 'They bring in billions every year anyway, in tourism, but also in business as a result of visits exactly like this. And it gets hijacked by daft Harry, talking about "I want to reconcile".'

What Harry Actually Said

In an interview with GQ, recorded in New York in late September and published on Tuesday, the Duke of Sussex was asked whether he grieved his complicated relationship with his father and brother. 'Yes, of course,' he replied.

He went on: 'Some people don't want it to work out. I want it to work out.' He added: 'With everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile. That's the key point.'

The remarks were widely interpreted as referring to tensions within the Royal Family. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said otherwise.

'It was absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family,' the spokesperson said. 'The comment was made in a general context and was not directed at his family in any way.'

Harry also referred to the King's health. Asked whether having a sick parent was triggering after the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, he replied: 'Yes, but you know, he's getting better.'

The interview followed a series of official royal events this month, including the King's opening of the Welsh Parliament, his first time doing so as monarch. On the same day, Harry and Meghan carried out a joint engagement in Nottingham.

The Duke and Duchess told well-wishers it was 'great to be back' in the UK, greeting crowds in a style similar to a traditional royal walkabout. They are not working royals and do not take part in official engagements.

Harry and Meghan returned to Britain in August. This week's Oman state visit was the first incoming state visit since their return, and they were not included in the formal programme.

A spokesperson for the couple said the timing of the GQ interview's publication was decided by the publisher and that it should not be seen as an attempt to overshadow royal events.