Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman joins King Charles at Royal Ascot opening

Prince Faisal appeared in the lead royal carriage that opened the official procession. (Getty Images)
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Updated 18 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman joins King Charles at Royal Ascot opening

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud joined the UK’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot, one of the most prestigious equestrian racing events in the world.

Prince Faisal appeared alongside the British royals in the lead royal carriage that opened the official procession at the racecourse, just south of Windsor in the UK.  

Lady Sarah Keswick also joined the lead carriage alongside Prince Faisal, King Charles III and Queen Camilla. A close friend of the queen, she is a key member of the Queen’s Companions.




Following the royal procession, Prince Faisal joined the royal enclosure to watch the first day of races. (Getty Images)

Following the royal procession, Prince Faisal, a grandson of King Abdulaziz and son of King Salman, joined members of the British royal family, including Princess Beatrice and Zara Tindall, in the royal enclosure to watch the first day of races.

Royal Ascot remains a major fixture on the British social calendar, drawing global political and royal elites.

Arab royalty has played an increasingly visible role at the event in recent years. In 2024, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain — the crown prince and prime minister — attended the event as a guest of honor, representing Bahrain’s royal family.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, has become a prominent figure in the racing world through his Wathnan Racing team. 

The organization has achieved notable success at Royal Ascot, including a win in the 2023 Gold Cup. 




Queen Camilla, King Charles III and Prince Saud bin Khalid Abdullah attended day 2 of Royal Ascot 2023 at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. (Getty Images)

Prince Saud bin Khalid — son of the late Prince Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Saud, the legendary Saudi breeder behind Juddmonte Farms — was also seen attending the second day of the Royal Ascot in 2023, alongside King Charles III.


5 artists named on 2026 Ithra Art Prize shortlist

Updated 23 January 2026
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5 artists named on 2026 Ithra Art Prize shortlist

DUBAI: Five artists from across the Arab world were announced this week as winners of the seventh edition of the Ithra Art Prize, marking a shift in the format for the one of the region’s most established contemporary art awards.

Ala Younis is from Jordan. (Supplied_

For the first time, the shortlisted artists — Aseel Al-Yaqoub from Kuwait, Bady Dalloul from Syria, Heba Y. Amin from Egypt, Ala Younis from Jordan and Jawad Al-Malhi from Palestine — will all receive production grants. Their new works will be unveiled in a dedicated exhibition at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran in spring.

Aseel Al-Yaqoub is from Kuwait. (Supplied)

The change reflects a growing emphasis on supporting artistic production rather than selecting a single winner. 

Bady Dalloul is from Syria. (Supplied)

Farah Abushullaih, head of Ithra’s museum, said: “This year’s shortlist reflects the incredible diversity, creativity and critical thought shaping contemporary art in the Arab world. Expanding the shortlist to include five finalists aims to strengthen dialogue across cultures and generations, while reaffirming Ithra’s support for artists and their distinct artistic perspectives.”

Heba Y. Amin is from Egypt. (Supplied)

This year also sees the prize exhibition returning to Dhahran, after previous editions toured cities including Dubai, AlUla and Riyadh.

Jawad Al-Malhi is from Palestine. (Supplied)

Ithra said more than 500 submissions were received through an open call, with works undergoing a multi-stage review process before the final five were selected. 

The shortlisted projects span a wide range of mediums and research-driven practices, engaging with contemporary political, social and historical questions across the Arab world.