By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The British Government has invited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to London, a visit expected to take place in October or November, the Financial Times reported on Friday citing people briefed on the trip.
A British official confirmed to the newspaper the government had offered an invitation to the crown prince but added the precise logistics had not yet been agreed.
A spokesperson for the British government did not immediately respond for a Reuters request for comment.
This is the first time the Crown Prince will be invited to the UK since the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist in 2018.
Khashoggi, a columnist for Middle East Eye and The Washington Post, and a general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 by agents of the Saudi government, allegedly at the behest of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Khashoggi was critical of the ruling House of Saud and the Crown Prince’s record in particular.
The then UK Prime Minister, Theresa May had vowed that those responsible for the killing of Kashoggi will be denied entry into the UK.