Britain's Prince William meets Saudi crown prince on official visit

LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - ⁠Britain's Prince William ⁠met ‍Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia starting ‍on Monday, an official trip on behalf of ​the government to deepen ties with the country.

The British royal's visit ​follows a 2025 trip to Saudi by Britain's finance minister, which London said had unlocked trade and investment agreements worth 6.4 ​billion pounds ($8.71 billion).

During his trip, William is also due to take part in engagements focused on Saudi ​Arabia's economic reforms, cultural initiatives and environmental programmes, his office Kensington Palace said ‌on Monday.

William previously met the crown prince in March 2018, when he and his father, ​then-Prince Charles, hosted bin Salman ⁠for a dinner at Clarence House in London, while the late Queen Elizabeth held a ‌separate lunch with the Saudi royal that day.

During his visit to Saudi Arabia, William, King Charles' eldest son, is ‌also expected to meet young Saudis, learn about the country's plans ‌for sustainability and urban development, and visit projects linked to women's sport, e-sports, conservation and cultural cooperation, the palace said.

The British prince ‍will also travel to AlUla, an ancient Arabian oasis city, where he will visit ⁠wildlife reserves, meet local communities and tour "Prince of Wales House" - a new UK cultural space promoting collaboration in arts and heritage.

($1 = 0.7350 pounds)

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Kate Holton and Deepa Babington)

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