Reports: Former chief of Saudi Royal Court under house arrest

A Saudi news website, Al-Khalij Al-Jadeed, reported on Friday that the former chief of the Saudi Royal Court, Khalid Al-Tuwaijri, has not left the country and is still being held under house arrest since the death of the late King Abdullah.

The website reported that Al-Tuwaijri is barred from travelling pending investigations into financial and political corruption.

Al-Khalij Al-Jadeed reported other Saudi media sources saying that the UAE authorities had asked the Bahraini King to mediate with Saudi Arabia to allow Al-Tuwaijri to travel to the Emirates.

Bahrain, it was reported, refused the mediation saying that Al-Tuwaijri is wanted for interrogation over political and financial scandals. It also expressed displeasure over the request, regarding it an interference into the internal affairs of Saudi Arabia.

Observers believe that it is likely there was a settlement with Al-Tuwaijri after his influence has been massively curtailed. He had annoyed several senior princes including King Salman while he was crown prince and Prince Mish’al, the eldest brother of the King, who used to refer to Al-Tuwaijri as ‘King Khalid’ because of his influence in the Royal Court.

During the rule of the late King, a number of princes had called for a curbing of Al-Tuwaijri’s role; he was seen as planning for Prince Mit’eb to succeed his late father King Abdullah. This plan, which involved the participation of external parties, was however foiled by the current King, his nephew and his son.