Breaking News: Prince William reveals future royal trip he’s ‘trying to make happen….Read More

Prince William was speaking as he launched an expedition inspired by a famous British explorer

Prince William has expressed his wish to revisit the Middle East while launching a project motivated by a renowned British pioneer. At the Royal Geographical Society, the Prince of Wales reminisced about his 2019 trip to Oman as he convened with Omani prince Theyazin bin Haitham.

The pair, who are joint patrons of the Jewel of Arabia Expedition, mingled with members of the team set to emulate the route pioneered by eminent explorer Bertram Thomas. This arduous expedition will feature a six-person crew navigating one of the planet’s least hospitable terrains for a month on foot, camelback, and in four-wheel drives along the Omani coast.

Its aim is twofold: to celebrate Oman’s cultural lineage and to shed light on its environmental challenges. The journey mirrors that of Bertram Thomas in 1928, whose detailed records, photos, and maps offer an enduring chronicle of his travels.

Following a presentation at the Society’s Education Room, William recalled: “I’ve just had the opportunity to look through some of the images from the RGS collection and they bring back warm memories of my visit to Oman in 2019. This expedition will not only highlight Oman’s rich biodiversity and natural heritage, but also symbolises the enduring friendship between our two countries.”

“This was again demonstrated by the recent visit to the UK by His Majesty the Sultan of Oman. The expedition will walk in the footsteps of British explorer Bertram Thomas, taking in the wonderful coastline of Oman. They will be able to see the beauty of Oman, but also the damage done by climate change,” reports the Mirror.

He wished the team “the very best for the expedition”, adding: “I wish I was able to join you but I will be following it very closely.”

William added that he was ‘delighted’ that one of the previous winners from the Earthshot Prize had come from Oman. The firm 44.01, named after the molecular weight of carbon dioxide, won the prize in 2022 for its work to permanently remove CO2 by mineralising it in peridotite, a rock found in abundance in Oman.

The Rub Al Khali, the largest sand desert in the world, is one of the hottest, driest and most inhospitable places on earth. Encompassing Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen is known as the ‘Empty Quarter’.

Mark Evans, 63, expedition leader who moved from the UK to Oman 22 years ago and has taken part in various expeditions with the Outward Bound Trust, said “the stars of the show will undoubtedly be the camels” who are currently in “camel boot camp” in Oman to prepare for them for the month-long desert trek.

The team, led by Evans, will embark on their journey at 5am each day, aiming to cover 25 to 30 kilometres and opting to sleep in the desert sans tents. Speaking about his team’s ethos, he explained: “We will walk ourselves fit, we’re not trying to be the fastest, that’s meaningless for me, it’s all about slow travel, telling stories, and using technology to put the spotlight on a country that is actually so naturally reserved, it never puts itself front of house. I just hope that they will use it to challenge their own stereotypes of the Middle East.”

He also highlighted the significance of the patrons’ involvement: “The involvement of the two patrons really does put a super bright spotlight on the messaging of innovation and young people engaging with biodiversity and sustainability.”

Joining Evans on this unique expedition are Nigel Harling, an experienced British police officer; Ana-Maria Pavalache, a mountain leader and photographer; Dhirka Al Mawali and Ibrahim Al Hasni, instructors from Outward Bound Oman; and Amour Al Wahibi, whom Evans praised as “the only one who knows how to find first gear on a camel”. Throughout their trek, they will engage with Omani schoolchildren.

On the third day, the journey will include a special moment when a ‘Boma’ off-road wheelchair, provided by Scottish company Equal Adventure, will allow a disabled youngster to share in the experience. Although Prince William won’t be joining the expedition in Oman this January, he expressed his interest in future engagement with the country during a conversation at the Royal Geographic Society, saying he would “try and make something happen” regarding another visit.

The prince disclosed: “We’re in the planning process.”

Prince William expressed curiosity regarding the team’s strategies for desert navigation and how Omani youth are addressing environmental issues. Before their brief speeches, William and His Royal Highness Theyazin examined historical photographs taken by British explorer Bertram Thomas during his travels across the Empty Quarter.

Hailing from Pill near Bristol, pioneering explorer Thomas compiled comprehensive field notes, later transcribed after his journeys. Completing his expedition resulted in congratulatory telegrams from both King George V and the then ruler of Oman, Sultan Taimur.

Thomas worked for the Sultan of Oman and utilised winter leave to extensively explore the nation. Arabia of the 1920s captivated global interest, particularly post-publication of T.E. Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Following his exploits, Thomas delivered lectures globally and penned the book Arabia Felix, introduced by none other than ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ himself, T. E. Lawrence. Thomas reportedly faced major challenges like hostile tribes, scarce water sources, and reliance on his Omani guide, Sheikh Saleh, during their desert traversals.

This time around, they face a fresh challenge: ‘soft’ camels, considered less robust than their predecessors, and an ambition to utilise modern technology to share their journey in real time. Podcasts, Omani radio interviews, and an online tracker will all be employed so that, thanks to technology, people can follow their journey as it happens.