AP Photo/Francois Mori
- Mohammed bin Salman is the 33-year-old crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
- He controls part of the royal family’s vast wealth, which is estimated at up to $1.4 trillion.
- Prince Mohammed has spent his fortune on a $500 million yacht, a $300 million French chateau, and a $450 million Leonardo da Vinci painting.
- In the fall of 2018, bin Salman faced global outcry over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who the CIA later concluded was assassinated on the prince’s orders.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud, known as MBS, is the future king of Saudi Arabia.
The 33-year-old heir will ascend to the throne after the death of his father, 83-year-old King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Prince Mohammed is known for his lavish spending. He has bought a $500 million yacht, a $300 million French chateau, and a $450 million Leonardo da Vinci painting. According to one estimate, the Saudi royal family — which has about 15,000 members — is worth up to $1.4 trillion.
The crown prince has become a controversial global political figure, particularly in the fall of 2018, when he faced global outcry over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who the CIA later concluded was assassinated on the prince’s orders.
Here’s a look at the lavish — and controversial — lifestyle of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Mohammed bin Salman is the 33-year-old crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
REUTERS/Amir Levy
He was born to King Salman and his third wife, Fahda bint Falah, in 1985.
He was named crown price in June 2017 after his father, King Salman, decided to remove Muhammad bin Nayef from the position.
Rumors later emerged that Mohammed bin Salman had secretly plotted to oust bin Nayef and take his place, The New York Times reported.
The prince has a bachelor’s degree in law from King Saud University, the oldest university in Saudi Arabia.
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After graduating, he worked for several state agencies before being appointed as a special adviser to his father in 2009, who was serving as governor of Riyadh at the time.
In 2012, Prince Mohammed’s father was named crown prince after the death of Nayef bin Abdul Aziz. Three years later, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz died and the prince’s father took the throne at the age of 79.
Prince Mohammed is not yet king, but he "essentially runs the country for his father," 83-year-old King Salman bin Abdulaziz, according to Bloomberg.
Reuters/Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court
The prince is known to be a "workaholic" who spends 18 hours of the day in his office, according to The Guardian.
But he reportedly doesn’t take criticism well.
"People who tried to say no even gently and diplomatically faced consequences," one source from Saudi Arabia told The Guardian.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
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- Miami’s ‘Billionaire Bunker’ is a high-security island that has a 13-person police force for its 42 residents. A real-estate agent got me past the guardhouse — here’s what the exclusive community looks like.
Source: Business Insider – kwarren@businessinsider.com (Katie Warren)