SAUDI ARABIA: The royal family, VIPs and guests are on hand for the arrival of the body of Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz, following his death in New York

Record ID: 188814

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: The royal family, VIPs and guests are on hand for the arrival of the body of Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz, following his death in New York
  • Date: 25th October 2011
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (OCTOBER 24, 2011) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) THE SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY,VIPs AND GUESTS WAITING THE ARRIVAL OF CROWN PRINCE SULTAN'S COFFIN AT RIYADH AIR BASE ROYAL GUARD OFFICER AND SOLDIERS VARIOUS OF SAUDI VIPs WAITING VARIOUS OF BROTHERS OF PRINCE SULTAN AND FORMER LEBANESE PRIME MINSTER SAAD AL HARIRI STANDING AWAITING THE COFFIN CLOSE OF HARIRI STANDING VARIOUS OF SECURITY OFFICERS TAKING POSITIONS SAUDI AIRLINES PLANE CARRYING CROWN PRINCE'S BODY LANDING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND SECURITY WHILE PLANE APPROACHES CLOSE OF ROYAL GUARD OFFICER. AIRCRAFT APPROACHING. SECURITY OPENING THE WAY FOR SAUDI KING'S CAR TO APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT. CLOSE OF SAUDI KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ WEARING A MASK LOOKING AT HIS BROTHER CROWN PRINCE SULTAN`S COFFIN COFFIN OF PRINCE SULTAN ON THE GROUND CLOSE OF KING ABDULLAH'S FACE COFFIN OF CROWN PRINCE SULTAN ON THE GROUND SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER PRINCE SAUD AL FAISAL WALKING AWAY AFTER BODY'S ARRIVAL PRINCE ABDULELAH BIN ABDULAZIZ ENTERING HIS CAR PRINCE MISHA'AL BIN ABDULAZIZ WALKING AND MAN KISSING HIM IN CONDOLENCE WIDE OF CROWD TAKING COFFIN TO AMBULANCE. AMBULANCE CARRYING PRINCE'S COFFIN. MEN INSIDE AMBULANCE RECEIVING COFFIN. PRINCE SULTAN'S SONS, CRYING . AMBULANCE GUARDED WITH SECURITY FORCES TAKING AWAY THE CROWN PRINCE'S COFFIN
  • Embargoed: 9th November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Royalty,Obituaries,Royalty
  • Reuters ID: LVAC2C85ASOPWQ4BNXPT5FB3HRUH
  • Story Text: Saudi Arabia is preparing for the funeral of Crown Prince Sultan as attention inside the kingdom and abroad turns to his successor and the likely appointment of a new defence minister.
    His brother, King Abdullah led a contingent of mourners, with other VIPs including the former Lebanese prime minister Saad al Hariri and the Sultan's children, as the Crown Prince's body was flown into an air base at the capital Riyadh on Monday evening (October 24), following his death in New York.
    The kingdom's media continues to mourn Sultan, who was heir to King Abdullah for six years and had served as defence and aviation minister since 1962, after his death in New York on Saturday. An influx of world leaders is expected for Tuesday's funeral.
    Veteran Interior Minister Prince Nayef, seen as more conservative than either Abdullah or Sultan, is widely tipped to be named in the coming days as the next in line to rule the world's top oil exporter.
    Another key decision that might be made in coming days is the appointment of a new defence minister. Saudi Arabia has used multi-billion dollar arms purchases to cement its relations with key Western allies, making the defence minister a crucial figure in formulating both foreign and security policy.
    Abdullah will probably choose to summon an Allegiance Council of the ruling al-Saud family, a body he created in 2006 but which will not technically assume its duties until after his death, to approve his choice of crown prince.
    Prince Nayef has already assumed the day-to-day running of the kingdom during absences of both Abdullah and Sultan and has long been seen as next in line for the succession.
    Despite his reputation as hawkish on foreign policy and opposed to some domestic political reforms, analysts say he might show a more liberal side as king.
    Royal succession does not move directly from monarch to offspring, but has passed down a line of brothers born to the kingdom's founder King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud who died in 1953.
    Whatever appointments he makes, King Abdullah will have to maintain a delicate balance of power in a royal family that has thousands of members, dozens of branches and dominates Saudi Arabia's government, armed forces and business.
    The changes could prompt the monarch to undertake the first major government reshuffle of his reign, although some analysts say he might prefer to wait to avoid any perception that changes were being made under pressure.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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