His Royal Highness Prince Dr Mansour bin Mutaib bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Minister of State and Cabinet Member of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has arrived in the Maldives to attend the celebrations marking the 61st Independence Day of the Republic of Maldives on 26 July.
Prince Mansour is attending as the Guest of Honour on behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
He was received at Velana International Airport by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Iruthisham Adam and Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations Mohamed Naseer.
Upon his arrival, Prince Mansour was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
The Maldives celebrates Independence Day each year on 26 July to commemorate the end of the British protectorate in 1965, when the country regained full sovereignty through an agreement signed with the United Kingdom. Although the Maldives had remained internally self-governing under its sultans, Britain had overseen its defence and foreign affairs under the protectorate established in 1887. Independence restored the nation’s full control over its domestic and international affairs, marking a defining milestone in Maldivian history.
