ROS WYNNE JONES: ‘Prince William arrives in Saudi however cannot escape Epstein scandal’
As Prince William touches down in Saudi Arabia, it’s timely to note that the World Economic Forum’s still has the country bumping along the bottom of its ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ report
The Prince of Wales is welcomed by the Governor of Madinah, Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as he arrives at AlUla Airport, on day two of his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(Image: PA)
The Prince of Wales may be hoping to leave the Epstein scandal behind while he is in Saudi Arabia – yesterday dodging a question about his dodgy uncle shouted by a reporter. But his was not the only Royal family to be targeted by the wealthy paedophile. Epstein courted power wherever he could – and released files containing mentions of monarchies across Europe and the Middle East.
This week a New York Times’ report – ‘A Look Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s Lair’ – revealed a framed photograph of William’s host, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, on display in the New York mansion of the convicted child sex offender.
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Among the trove of emails, this one from December 2016, from Epstein to billionaire Tom Pritzker – “Can you believe MBS sent me a TENT carpets and all”. As if dodging questions about Uncle Andrew were not enough, William is walking a tightrope on his three-day mission to Saudi Arabia. Diplomacy has rarely seemed such an insubstantial word.
As the Prince touched down at the King Khalid International Airport on Monday [FEB 9], he did so without his wife Kate Middleton. Press envoys let it be known that Princess Kate had stayed home in the UK to be with the couple’s three children ‘who are at school this week’ – as presumably they are 33-36 weeks during the rest of the year.
But perhaps advisers were sensibly mindful of the furore that surrounded the first ever Riyadh Comedy Festival last October when comics including Jimmy Carr and Jack Whitehall were accused of ‘entertainment-washing’ the country’s repressive record – particularly on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights – in return for eye-watering fees.
Critics noted that its dates coincided with the seventh anniversary of the horrific murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the investigative journalist killed while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, and his body dismembered. Saudi officials said the journalist was killed in a “rogue operation”.
Or perhaps courtiers were thinking of former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson who faced widespread criticism in 2023 when he made a lucrative move to play for Saudi Arabia’s Al Ettifaq in a country where same sex-relationships are illegal. He left for Ajax six months later after apologising for hurting anyone in the LGBTQ+ community.
Yesterday, the Prince of Wales yesterday met young female footballers in Riyadh – no doubt a PR moment intended to highlight how rights for women have steadily improved under the modernising reforms of MBS.
Women have been allowed to attend sports events in stadiums in the country since 2018, and PE was introduced for girls in 2017. Other recent changes include allowing women to apply for jobs and start their own businesses without a guardian’s consent – and since 2018 women have been allowed to drive.
Yet despite these growing freedoms, the World Economic Forum’s still has Saudi Arabia bumping along the bottom of its ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ report – 132nd out of 148 countries in 2025. The UK jumped from 14th to 4th in the same report.
The concept of guardianship, or ‘wilaya’ – where women have a male guardian – has undergone reform too. But guardians can still control a woman’s right to get married, get divorced or leave institutions including prison or a domestic-abuse refuge. Nor can a husband nor wife abstain from sex without their spouse’s consent.
Husbands are no longer allowed to verbally divorce their wives, but can still unilaterally divorce. While a woman who wants to end her marriage must petition a court “on limited grounds”. Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ rights are non-existent. After a decision to host the 2034 World Cup within Saudi Arabia received strong criticism from the LGBTQ+ community, the Saudi Tourism Authority updated its FAQ page stating that “everyone is welcome”.
But homosexuality remains illegal – and those found guilty face penalties of imprisonment, fines, whipping, torture, and even execution. MBS has shown himself to be a master of global spectacle. From comedy galas to football tournaments, to a spotlight on young women playing football under the world’s TV cameras, all are designed to show a modern Middle Eastern country going about its business, while human rights organisations shout from the sidelines.
After ‘artswashing’, ‘sportswashing’ and ‘tourism-washing’, this week is an exercise in Royal-washing, albeit a game Britain’s diplomats are willingly playing.
The real question is this. Did courtiers deny the Saudis a golden image of Princess Katherine – a global icon – chatting and playing with young women footballers and symbolising a new woman-friendly state in the Gulf? Or did Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte really need help with their homework?
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