Queen Beatrix arrives in Oman

Queen Beatrix has arrived in Oman after her original visit was canceled because of unrest in the country.

The Dutch queen's trip - which was planned for Monday (06.03.11) to yesterday (08.03.11) - to the Gulf nation was ditched after uprisings in the Arab world spread to Oman almost two weeks ago with two protesters killed in the port of Sohar, one of the places the queen was scheduled to stop.

While Beatrix decided to go reschedule her two-day visit, arriving yesterday (08.03.11) the Prime Minister Mark Rutte revealed her stay is now an unofficial one after she accepted an invitation to attend a dinner with Sultan Qaboos bin Said rather than go ahead with a state visit.

The monarch is being accompanied by Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife, Princess Maxima, senior officials and Stefan van Wersch, Dutch Ambassador to the Sultanate.

The delegation were received at the Royal Airport by officials including Dr. Omar bin Abdulmunim al Zawawi, Special Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for External Liaison and the Dutch ambassador to the Sultanate before travelling to the royal palace Bait al Barak, just outside Masqat, for a private dinner.