Saudi authorities arrest man who travelled to Mecca to perform pilgrimage for Queen

A Yemeni man was arrested by Saudi authorities after he claimed to have travelled to Mecca to perform an umrah, or pilgrimage, on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

The man was arrested after he posted a video of him on social media dedicating the pilgrimage to the Queen, which was shot inside the premises of Mecca's Grand Mosque, considered to be the holiest place in Islam where non-Muslims are prohibited.

The Queen died at Balmoral, Scotland, on 8 September aged 96 after serving for 70 years as Britain’s head of the state, the longest-reigning monarch in the country’s history.

The video shows the Yemeni national holding a banner which read: “Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, we ask god to accept her in heaven and among the righteous.”

The footage was widely shared on social media, prompting outrage from conservative Muslims, who demanded his arrest.

He was later arrested for "violating the regulations and instructions" for the pilgrimage, the Saudi police said late on Monday. The man was then referred to the public prosecutor to face charges.

Saudi Arabia bars pilgrims to Mecca from carrying banners or chanting slogans and performing umrah on behalf of deceased non-Muslims.

The interior ministry of Saudi Arabia in a statement said that security forces “arrested a resident of Yemeni nationality who appeared in a video clip carrying a banner inside the Grand Mosque, violating the regulations and instructions for umrah.”

“He was arrested, legal measures were taken against him and he was referred to the public prosecution.”

Meanwhile, the Queen’s coffin reached Westminster Hall on Wednesday after King Charles III and the royal family marched behind as it was transported from Buckingham Palace in a procession.

Thousands of people queued through the night to get into the Palace of Westminster to see the Queen lying in state.

Her lying-in-state period will continue till her state funeral on Monday.