Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

May visits Saudi Arabia without headscarf

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has joined former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and first lady Michelle Obama in shunning a headscarf in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi's Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih poses with British PM Theresa May

British PM Theresa May (R) has forgone wearing a headscarf during her visit to Saudi Arabia. (AAP)

British Prime Minister Theresa May has forgone wearing a headscarf during her visit to Saudi Arabia.

May stepped off a plane in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Tuesday morning without the headscarf the kingdom favours for women.

Under the kingdom's dress code, Saudi women are required to wear a headscarf and loose, black robes in public, but covering one's head is not required for foreigners.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and first lady Michelle Obama also declined to wear headscarves during visits to the country.

May is getting a mixed reaction on social media to the move. Some users see it as a display of feminism, while others call it disrespectful.


1 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world