Prince William Arrives in Jordan to Kick Off Historic Tour of the Middle East

Prince William has touched down for his historic visit to the Middle East.

On Sunday, the royal dad, 36, was welcomed in Jordan by Crown Prince Hussein, 23, who will be his host throughout the two-day stay in the country. The royal families in the U.K. and Jordan have strong links. (And the two princes attended the same military academy!)

William “is very pleased that this visit will allow him to begin a relationship with the Crown Prince Hussein that will be important in the decades to come,” William’s spokesman, Jason Knauf, said in a statement.

Kate Middleton, 36, is at home, where she remains on maternity leave from full-time royal duties since the birth in April of Prince Louis.

William’s first stop in Jordan was to Fablab, an initiative of the Crown Prince Foundation that seeks to help young entrepreneurs with the technology to realize their ambitions.

On Sunday evening, William was set to be the guest of honor at a birthday party for his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, at the home of the British ambassador. He then headed for a dinner with the Crown Prince and will stay overnight at Beit al Urden, the private residence of King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan.

After dinner, the men made time to watch England play in the World Cup, Kensington Palace shared on Twitter.

During the next five days, the prince will continue his visit to Jordan, and move on to Israel and the disputed territories. William’s tour marks the first time a member of the British royal family has visited Israel on behalf of the U.K. government.

Knauf said in a statement before the visit, “The complex challenges in the region are of course well known. The non-political nature of His Royal Highness’s role — in common with all Royal visits overseas — allows a spotlight to be brought to bear on the people of the region: their cultures, their young people, their aspirations, and their experiences.”

This article originally appeared on people.com