(Wall Street Journal) Ellen Knickmeyer and Ahmed Al Omran - In a binding decree announced Thursday, Saudi Arabia's royal family locked in the next two successors of King Abdullah, who is in his early 90s. The decree establishes Crown Prince Salman, 79, as the next king and creates the new position of deputy crown prince, second to the throne, for Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, 69, the youngest surviving son of King Abdulaziz al Saud, the late founder of modern Saudi Arabia. Prince Muqrin is a former Saudi air force pilot educated in Britain. Much speculation centered on the possibility of the king's most prominent son, National Guard head Prince Miteb, advancing. The decree may mean a long wait before Miteb and other grandsons of King Abdulaziz - including powerful Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef - rule Saudi Arabia.
2014-04-01 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive