Saudi Arabia appoints a Princess as Ambassador for the first time in history

New Delhi : Saudi Arabia on Saturday appointed a princess as its new ambassador to the United States; this is for the first time when the kingdom has named a woman to such a post.

The appointment of Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan by royal decree came amid strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States over the killing of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul in October.

She will be replacing Prince Khalid bin Salman, a son of King Salman and a younger brother of the crown prince, who took the post in 2017. Prince Khalid has been named deputy defense minister under the crown prince.

The appointment of Princess Reema to Washington appeared aimed at turning a new page after the killing of Mr. Khashoggi, who lived in Virginia and was a columnist for The Washington Post, while also emphasizing the kingdom’s social reforms in the capital of its most important ally.

About Princess Reema

She is a daughter of Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a towering figure in Saudi diplomacy who served as the kingdom’s ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005. He was so close with the Bush family that he was often referred to as “Bandar Bush.”

Princess Reema spent many years in Washington while her father was ambassador and graduated with a degree in museum studies from George Washington University. She has recently served in the kingdom’s sports commission.