From Bernard Burrows, an eyewitness to King Saud’s first visit to Bahrain as monarch, made in response to an invitation from the late Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
This royal visit was preceded by six earlier visits during his years as Crown Prince. It was marked by an unprecedented official and popular reception in Bahrain, especially as it coincided with the reopening and modernization of Qasr al‑Qudaibiya to host His Majesty and the accompanying delegation of princes, ministers, and dignitaries.
The most significant outcome of the visit was His Majesty’s announcement of the idea of constructing a bridge linking al‑Khobar on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast with the islands of Bahrain, emphasizing the project’s importance and expressing his country’s readiness to shoulder a major share of its cost.
King Saud made this declaration during a banquet held in his honor by the notable Hassan al‑Mudayfi‘ at his farm in the Juffair district of Manama. May God have mercy on them all.”
