The Prince of Wales' visit to the Middle East has been extended to include a brief trip to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Prince Charles' overseas tour, which began on Monday, has already taken him to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and he will now travel to the additional Gulf states.
Bahrain's government, which is dominated by members of its royal family, has been accused of human rights abuses since pro-democracy protesters were violently suppressed during the Arab Spring of 2011.
The authorities promised reforms to meet the recommendations of an independent inquiry into the disturbances three years ago and their causes.
But critics claim little has changed and trouble has flared up consistently since those first demonstrations.
In the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, Charles will call on Sheikh Mohammed, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the nation's armed forces.
