Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have received members of the family of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the royal palace in Riyadh, the SPA news agency reports.

The king and the crown prince offered their condolences to Khashoggi's brother Sahl bin Ahmed Khashoggi and his son Salah Jamal Khashoggi, according to the report.

Sahl and Salah expressed their thanks to the king and the crown prince, it said.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and vocal critic of Prince Mohammed, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Saudi Arabia initially denied having any knowledge of his disappearance but later said he was killed during a brawl inside the consulate.