King Charles rolled out the royal red carpet for Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman on Tuesday, October 20, complete with gilded carriages, military pageantry, ceremonial uniforms and the sort of spectacle the British monarchy does so well. There was just one rather awkward detail: where were all the people?

Footage shared online showed ornate royal carriages travelling through Windsor past stretches of crowd barriers with remarkably few spectators. At certain moments, the clip seemed to capture little more than the rhythmic clip-clop of horses’ hooves.

All that royal grandeur, and barely anyone waving in the footage. Charles and the Sultan travelled together in the Irish State Coach, while Queen Camilla followed in the Scottish State Coach. Prince William and Kate Middleton rode in the Australian State Coach alongside senior Omani officials, sheltered from the October rain.

Nevertheless, the scenes offered an unusually stark contrast between the grandeur of the procession and the apparent public enthusiasm.

Gilded Carriages, Empty Barriers and Plenty of Questions

What makes the footage so striking is the sheer scale of the ceremony. There were magnificent horses, elaborate carriages, security arrangements and streets lined with barriers. But in the sections captured on camera, the crowds hardly matched the spectacle.

And that raises an uncomfortable question: how much public enthusiasm can the monarchy assume simply because it stages an elaborate ceremony?

The event took place on a Tuesday, when ordinary people were working, attending school or getting on with their lives. Perhaps that’s part of the problem.

The monarchy still operates as though the public should rearrange its schedule to watch enormously privileged people travel through town in historic carriages.

Meanwhile, most people have actual jobs to attend. There’s something rather extraordinary about calling yourself a working royal when your official duties include being transported through Windsor in a beautifully maintained state coach. Frankly, the horses appeared to be doing the hardest work.

Protesters Had a Different Message for King Charles

While the monarchy celebrated its diplomatic occasion, anti-monarchy campaigners had other priorities. Republic organised protests along the procession route, demanding that Charles explain what he knew about the allegations surrounding his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and when he knew it.

Protesters displayed signs declaring “No one is above the law” and called for greater accountability. Republic has also demanded an inquiry into what Charles and William knew about Andrew. These are demands for answers, not proof that either man knew of wrongdoing.

It’s quite a contrast. Inside the carriages, the royal family presented an image of continuity, tradition and constitutional importance. Outside, demonstrators were asking questions about accountability that no amount of ceremonial grandeur could make disappear.

Would the Royal Press React Differently if This Were Harry and Meghan?

I couldn’t help thinking about Prince Harry and Meghan Sussex’s recent visit to Nottingham. The couple greeted supporters during their October 15 engagements, despite no longer serving as working members of the royal family.

Now imagine footage of Harry and Meghan travelling past stretches of empty barriers during a public appearance. Would royal commentators be discussing disappointing crowds, declining popularity and the supposed irrelevance of the Sussexes? I suspect we’d hear about little else.

Yet when Charles, Camilla, William and Kate participate in a grand procession, the coverage overwhelmingly celebrates the ceremony itself.

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Surely the same scrutiny should apply to everyone. The Sultan’s visit had genuine diplomatic significance, but that doesn’t mean we must pretend every aspect of the royal spectacle demonstrated overwhelming public enthusiasm.

The footage told a less glamorous story. And perhaps that’s the monarchy’s challenge in 2026: magnificent carriages and centuries of tradition can still command attention, but they cannot manufacture affection.

The horses showed up. The protesters showed up. The cheering crowds? At least in the footage circulating online, they were noticeably harder to find.

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