Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has appointed his half-brother and country's former intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz as the deputy crown prince, paving the way for him to become a future monarch.
“Prince Muqrin will receive oath of allegiance as crown prince in case the position becomes vacant, and as king in case the positions of king and crown prince become vacant,” a royal decree issued by King Abdullah said yesterday. Prince Muqrin, 68, the second deputy premier, is the youngest son of the Kingdom's founder King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.
The appointment makes him the next in line to ascend the Saudi throne after 89-year-old King Abdullah and 78-year-old Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, the Arab News reported.
King Abdullah ascended the throne on August 1, 2005, upon the death of his half-brother King Fahd.
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