How Many Princess Are There In Saudi Arabia?

[julial]

I saw the list of JRF. aweful lot of them. What about Saudi Arabia?

[julial]

Last time I heard that there were about 2000...

[lizfromVA]

I can't remember where, but I heard one time that there were in excess of 27,000 princes. Seems like a high number, but I can honestly say I've never seen the same one twice! As for princesses, they're all locked up away from the outside world, so there's no way to know.

[hrhcp]

20 years ago ... it was put at about 4,000 princes.

it was also known that there was a special hospital in Riyad to deal with the misfits of inter-marriages.

and with princesses..... your guess is as good as mine.

[Bubbette]

There are several articles about the birth defects that have resulted from marrying close relatives in S. Arabia. Some families have also volunteered for genetic research programs, which has been helpful.

[hrhcp]

Seems to me, I read something about birth defects in Jordan too.

[julial]

BBC-
"But talk of the collapse of the House of Saud seems premature. It is after all a huge structure, with an estimated 7,000 princes."

[Lalla Meriem]

I thought the 4000 figure was fairly recent. But, with one man having 30+ sons alone not counting daughters it could well have become 27000 in a remarkably short time.

[hrhcp]

I just read in two (reliable? western) news sources over this weekend, that there are believed to be approximately 7,000 princes.

Naturally, with the inclusion of princesses and likely out-of-wedlock children, the total number might? be 3 to 4-times more, so 21,000 to 28,000.
So ... 27,000 appears to be an accurate figure too.

[Ulika]

i did't know they have title princess

[lizfromVA]

Has anyone ever heard of any of the princesses or seen pictures of them? I know it's a long shot to ask this since most of the women are not allowed to be seen in public. Is there a queen, and does anyone know her name?

[MihoshiMarie]

I have heard of one princess from Saudi Arabia...and I have a picture of her too (I will have to post it later tonight, cos I am at work). It is from a special in Glamour magazine's July 2003 issue.

Her name is Michille al-Faisal. She looks an awful like pre-nose job Jennifer Grey. She is 23 years old and is a business student at California State University at Northridge.

Here is a quote from the magazine scan:

"In Saudi Arabia, women are required to cover themselves from head to toe, so getting dressed in Los Angeles is very different from getting dressed in Riyadh. I have so much fun with clothes here, but I try to stay appropriately covered - no miniskirts! I love unique pieces, the sort of stuff that makes people say, 'Wow, where'd you find that?' so I shop at mall boutiques, like Planet Funk in Los Angeles. They can be just as affordable as the big chain stores. I basically live in blue jeans, but as a general rule, I try to buy a few great basics. Then I mix and match them with a great standout piece, whether it's a designer top or something fun and trendy. That way, you can wear the basics over and over and no one will notice!"

It was a simple, fashion-oriented story with other little-known princesses from around the world.

Here is the picture of Princess Michille.

Edit

I have also heard about Princess Buniah al-Saud (I can't believe I forgot about her). I have a small pic of her in one of my old HELLO! issues, but I have no access to a scanner at the moment.

[bubbles]

Hi!

i found this article not too long ago about a Saudi Princess. Its from Local6.com

"Saudi Princess Jailed On Charges Of Beating Servant
Woman Does Not Have Diplomatic Immunity

"ORLANDO, Fla. -- After a night in jail, a Saudi princess charged with beating her servant and pushing her down a flight of stairs was scheduled to go before a Florida judge Tuesday afternoon.

Princess Buniah al-Saud, a niece of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, was arrested late Monday and booked into the Orange County Jail without bond on charges of beating Memet Ismiyati, her Indonesian maid.

The judge she is to appear in front of at 1:30 p.m. could set bail, or order her held for further hearings.

Al-Saud, 41, could get up to 15 years in prison if the case goes to trial and she is convicted as charged, with felony aggravated battery.

Neighbors called 911 Friday after Ismiyati, 36, ran crying from the apartment she shared with the princess. She told deputies al-Saud beat her, hit her head against a wall and pushed her down a flight of stairs, leaving her unable to walk. "When we talked to her (Ismiyati) through an Indonesian interpreter and saw the extent of her injuries, we upgraded the charges to a felony," Orange County Undersheriff Malone Stewart said.

Isimiyati told deputies that she "couldn't take it anymore."

Isimiyati was treated at a hospital and released.

When deputies went to the princess' apartment Friday, she denied striking or pushing the maid, according to sheriff's deputies' reports.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington said the princess had diplomatic immunity. But the Immigration and Naturalization Service said al-Saud failed to follow proper procedures by not notifying them of her itinerary in America, thereby leaving her without immunity.

To claim diplomatic immunity, a person must be accredited with his or her embassy or consulate and must be in the host country fulfilling a diplomatic function, a State Department spokesman said Tuesday.

The princess has been living in Orlando while studying English at the University of Central Florida.

In 1995, another Saudi princess was accused of beating her servants while visiting Orlando. Princess Maha Al-Sudairi, wife of the heir to the Saudi throne, reportedly beat a servant suspected of stealing $200,000 in cash and jewelry in front of deputies providing off-duty security for the princess. The deputies were later disciplined for not stopping the beating, not writing a report about the beating and not investigating a tip that another servant had been beaten. "

www.local6.com

[Bubbette]

I remember those incidents. Can you imagine--claiming diplomatic immunity? Especially when she would have more freedom in a US jail than in SA, don't you think?

[MihoshiMarie]

I found pics of Princess Buniah on Corbis:

At the Orange County Jail in Florida

Close up

With officer

[Humera]

Must be awfully expensive to support all the thousands of princes and their luxurious lifestyle. I cant help thinking all that money could be put to better use. Besides, I dont think it could last forever if the princes continue to have dozens of children.

[Lalla Meriem]

I think Princess Michille is very attractive. I'm sure half men in the RF crapped brick when they saw her legs, shoulders and arms displayed in the magazine.

[lizfromVA]

I doubt that Glamour magazine is available in SA. If they do have it there, would it even be available to women or just to men? I would guess that the men would think it was sinful, but there seems to be a huge double standard relating to morality within the kingdom. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

[La la]

Originally posted by ~*~Humera~*~@Jun 23rd, 2004 - 3:55 am
Must be awfully expensive to support all the thousands of princes and their luxurious lifestyle. I cant help thinking all that money could be put to better use. Besides, I dont think it could last forever if the princes continue to have dozens of children.

True.

"Many Saudi citizens -- especially in the Shiite east -- enjoy neither running water nor electricity. In contrast, Prince Abdel Aziz Al-Saud, the favorite son of King Fahd, has just done his bit for reducing unemployment in the kingdom by building a new palace in Riyadh at a reported cost of $670 million. No 30-year-old can be content with just a single home, so the austere Saudi royal is building another palace in Jeddah, although this will cost a mere $540 million."

Dear Prince Abdel Aziz al-Saud,

Oil reserves are not forever.

[Lalla Meriem]

Let me see over a billion on two homes? Plus, keeping up all the wives, mistresses and children he must have.

I can't imagine spending such a vast sum. He probably could have bought country for that much money.

No, I agree with you on the doublt standard of morality, but it isn't just SA it is all over the Middle East and Asia.

The sad thing is all this construction and planning was probably done by cheap foreign laborers which really wouldn't have reduced the unemployment much.

I read an article in Time or Newsweek not to long ago on how the young people in SA are so used to being kept up for doing practically nothing that they don't understand the concept of working real jobs even those that are in offices with astronomical salaries.

One funny thing I noticed, not to long ago I was looking at job advertisements on the web for UAE and SA and I noticed that all the jobs even those for "errand boy/girl" required the employee to be "attractive." What is the purpose of requiring your secretary or copy person to be beautiful?