Princess: Stepping Out of the Shadows
to its people.Yet, before we revel in joy, our optimism must be tempered, for one major obstacle stands between Saudi women and true freedom, and it relates to the guardianship law in our land, which threatens to dilute any promises made to women. For those unfamiliar with this archaic practice, they should know that every female born in Saudi Arabia is shackled by a law that bequeaths men the automatic right of absolute control over the women in their family. This burdensome law remains intact even as our future king proclaims his plans to allow Saudi women the joy of full personal freedom.
But let me look to all that is positive, and begin to explain how and why I am hopeful that we are on the threshold of change.
The first question that will come to most minds is this: What or who has brought about this sudden and startling reversal regarding the status of women in the desert kingdom?
All who study civilization know that social change is seldom simple, and this is doubly true for Saudi Arabia. Why? Because it is the land best known around the world for harsh, rigid rules that are hostile to half the nation’s citizens – its women.
Through my intimate knowledge of Saudi Arabia and its royal family, readers will learn that two forces are behind this much-desired and needed reform.
The first is time – the history of civilization tells us that time alters all things.
The second is a lone man. Unrivalled in our modern life when it comes to boldness and courage, he is set on a path to transform an entire nation. This is the man who is spawning the ideas of freedom so long lodged in the hearts of many Saudi women and some Saudi men. This is the man who will be king.
Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Sa’ud is the son of the present king, Salman, and the grandson of the first king, Abdul Aziz. He was always an exhausting force to those around him. Even from the time he was a toddler, little Muhammad never stopped moving forward. This is according to his own mother, who is one of my royal cousins. The young Muhammad was an unusual boy; he had such an optimistic nature that he constantly exhibited a broad smile. His dashing personality could not hide his fondness for fairness. Despite his cheerful attitude, he was applauded for his quick and deep intellect. Educated as a lawyer, this serious-minded student was second in his class.
None in our immediate royal family were surprised by his accomplishments, for the unique boy grew into an exceptional man, yet I will admit that some were astonished when he was elevated over other royal cousins, older and with more experience in government. While many royals predicted that Prince Muhammad bin Salman would one day be king, few royals expected Muhammad to be the next king.
In Saudi Arabia, every king upon his death is succeeded by the current Crown Prince. When the new king assumes power, he appoints the next Crown Prince, who will succeed him upon his death. Thus every king has the power to appoint his successor. Historically, the transitions have generally been smooth, although there have been tensions.
The current Crown Prince is only the second of the original king’s grandsons to hold the position of Crown Prince. Previous to Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, Prince Mohammed bin Naif was the chosen successor, but on 21 June 2017 King Salman chose to depose Naif as the Crown Prince and replace his deceased brother’s son with his own.
There is an Allegiance Council (created in 2006 by King Abdullah) that was supposedly given the authority to facilitate the Saudi royal transfer of power, but thus far the Council has not opposed appointments made by the king.
Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Sa’ud’s path now is set, and king he will be. And for that I say, Alhamdulillah or Praise God!
Truthfully, I believe that my cousin Muhammad will follow the legacy of our greatly acclaimed grandfather, Abdul Aziz, the founder and first king of Saudi Arabia.
For those of you not familiar with the creator of Saudi Arabia, he was a bold and cunning man who accomplished the impossible when he bound together the warring tribes of Arabia, numbering at least twenty-five, into a nation. His astounding triumphs will be briefly narrated in the pages to follow.
I am disappointed to tell you that a few disgruntled characters in the royal family have expressed displeasure at Crown Prince Muhammad’s remarkable rise to power, for there is jealousy lurking in the hearts and minds of many people of this world. Yet many members of the royal family support him. Most importantly, the Saudi youth love him, poring over his decisions and applauding his vision of a new world on the horizon, one where women are not kept in purdah and the youth can expect jobs to follow education. With 58.5 per cent of the Saudi population under thirty, an age where most humans experience an awakening of dissatisfaction and censure of their leaders, it is unusual and significant that the youth of any land wholly support their king or president. Yet this is the remarkable state of affairs in Saudi Arabia.
No one can deny that a widening stream of events is now occurring in the kingdom, bringing many citizens closer to the goals they aspire to: to live as free men and women in a country where they can pursue their dreams without fear of societal condemnation.
Even as I celebrate, I must continue to expose the stories of women who are still suffering from the cruelty and brutality of the men who are their guardians. Not every man in Saudi Arabia has the insight and vision of the king-to-be; they do not understand the importance of welcoming half the nation’s citizens into a partnership or how vital it is for women to stand side by side with our men in support of our Crown Prince as