Saudi Arabia on Saturday appointed Princess Reema bint Bandar al-Saud to the post of ambassador to the United States. Former envoy Bandar bin Sultan al-Saud’s daughter is the first woman Riyadh has ever appointed as an ambassador, Al Jazeera reported.
The princess will take over from Prince Khalid bin Salman al-Saud amid deteriorating ties with the United States after the death of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October last year. Khalid, the son of King Salman, had claimed after Khashoggi’s disappearance that he simply left the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. However, investigators later discovered that Khashoggi had been murdered.
Prince Khalid will now become the deputy defence minister of Saudi Arabia.
“I will work with God’s permission to serve my country, its leaders and all its children and I will spare no effort to that end,” Princess Reema tweeted on Saturday following her appointment.
Princess Reema worked as an advisor to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman prior to her appointment, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. She has also worked as a planning and development undersecretary at the General Sport Authority.
Princess Reema holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Vernon College at George Washington University in the United States, the agency said.
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