The Grand Mufti, Ali Gomaa, said on his Twitter account that he had made an unofficial visit to the mosque, one of the three holiest places in Islam.

BBC: Egypt's grand mufti visits Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque

Many of the miners took an unofficial day's holiday for the royal visit, which meant only 117 reported for work on the Monday night shift.

BBC: Cadeby Main mining disaster marked 100 years on