The deaths of two Saudi crown princes in the past eight months highlight the fact that the number of second-generation princes, who have ruled the country for much of its 80-year history, is dwindling. Standards for succession were informally established when King Abdulaziz's eldest son, Prince Saud, succeeded the founder. However, in 1964 the former king's second son, Faisal, took power after forcing King Saud to abdicate his throne. It was then established that the king must not only be a senior member of the family, but must also have leadership credentials. In addition to these conditions, balancing the power of the various family branches of King Abdulaziz's progeny became increasingly important. The main power blocs include the family of the late King Faisal, a steadily weakening faction; the seven sons of King Abdulaziz's favorite wife, Hassa al Sudairi, known as the "Sudairi seven"; and King Abdullah's descendants. King Faisal then imposed a separate informal policy, appointing not only a crown prince but also a second deputy prime minister — essentially third in line for the throne. This process has been adopted by all of the subsequent kings. Other formal succession laws were enacted through the 1990s and 2000s, but despite these procedures, there will come a time in 10 to 20 years when the role of king will be assigned for the first time to one of the grandsons of King Abdulaziz. This shift will raise a number of concerns. First, while many of the elder third-generation princes hold prominent roles, only a select few have been tested in foreign policy and national governance. Second, it cannot be known whether the younger, less experienced grandsons will place the stability and unity of the kingdom above their own interests. Finally, it is important to remember that a greater number of second-generation princes were uneducated compared to the third generation. Some members of the second generation were content to settle for financial benefits from the government rather than take on public office. Considering the higher education levels attained by the third-generation princes, there will likely be more grandsons battling for government positions — a condition that will exacerbate factionalism and lead to fierce competition.
