Saudi royals mourn the death of Crown Prince

  • 12 years ago
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STORY: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah prepared to bury his former heir, Crown Prince Nayef, on Sunday before naming a new successor at a challenging time for the world's self-styled steward of Islam.

The crown prince's body arrived in Mecca, hoisted on the shoulders of a large crowd, a day after his death.

The new crown prince will become heir to a king who is aged 89 at a time when Saudi Arabia faces a variety of challenges at home and abroad.

The appointment of a new crown prince is not likely to change the kingdom's position on foreign or domestic policy but might influence the course of cautious social and economic reforms started under King Abdullah.

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