The Head of State in Saudi Arabia is the King of Saudi Arabia.
Currently, the head of state is:
- King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
- Born in 1935.
- Became King on 23 January 2015 after the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah.
- As King, he holds the titles of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (Mecca and Medina), Prime Minister, and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
His son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), is the head of government in practice (as Prime Minister since 2022) and runs most day-to-day affairs.
⚖️ So:
- Head of State: King Salman
- Head of Government (de facto): Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Arabia has many princes because the royal family, the House of Saud, is very large—thousands of members. But when most people say “Prince of Saudi Arabia,” they usually mean one of the most prominent royals:
Key Saudi Princes
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS)
- Born in 1985.
- Current Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense.
- He is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia and heir apparent to King Salman.
- Known for his Vision 2030 reform plan, aiming to diversify the economy beyond oil.
- Has introduced social reforms like allowing women to drive, while also facing international criticism for human rights issues (notably the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi).
- King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (father of MBS)
- Not a prince anymore, but the reigning King of Saudi Arabia since 2015.
- Other Notable Princes
- Prince Khalid bin Salman – younger brother of MBS, currently Minister of Defense.
- Prince Alwaleed bin Talal – billionaire investor, known for global business ventures.
