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Al Sudairi Clan

King Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz
Prince Abdel-Rahman
Crown Prince Nayef
Prince Turki
King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud Salman
Ahmed bin Abdulaziz

Since Fahd's ascent to the throne in 1982, the most influential clan of the Al Faisal branch of the Al Saud family had been the Al Sudairi [Sudeiri], known by the patronymic of Fahd's mother [Hussa bint Ahmad Al Sudairi, known later as Umm Fahd]. Among the sons of Ibn Saud, the so-called Sudairi Seven (King Fahd along with princes Sultan, Abdel-Rahman, Nayef, Turki, Salman and Ahmed, who are full brothers) held positions of significance, although neither Prince Abdel-Rahman nor Prince Turki held formal office. Fahd had seven full brothers, including Minister of Defense Sultan, who was second in the line of succession, Minister of Interior Nayif, and Governor of Riyadh Salman. Sultan and Salman were considered to be Fahd's closest political advisers.

In 1983 Fahd appointed one of Sultan's sons, Bandar, to be the Saudi ambassador to the United States. Another of Sultan's sons, Khalid, was the de facto commander of Saudi armed forces during the Persian Gulf War. At least once a week, the king and his full brothers met for a family dinner at which they shared perspectives about national and international politics. In addition to his full brothers, seven of Fahd's half brothers were sons of other Al Sudairi women whom his father had married. As the sons of Fahd and his brothers matured and assumed government responsibilities during the 1980s, some Saudis began to refer to the clan as Al Fahd instead of Al Sudairi.

Prince Abdel-Rahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud

Among the sons of Ibn Saud, the so-called Sudairi Seven held positions of significance. As of 1999 Prince Abdel Rahman, then 68 years old, was the Deputy Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General. One of the Sudairi Seven, Prince Abdulrahman has held the position since 1982 working for his brother, Crown Prince Sultan. Prince Abdulrahman traditionally has not engaged in MoDA's operations. However, he reportedly has increased the frequency of office visits, and some speculate he could succeed his ailing brother as minister.

Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud

Among the sons of Ibn Saud, the so-called Sudairi Seven held positions of significance, although Prince Turki did not hold formal office. Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud should not be confused with Prince Turki Al-Faisal bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud, who was head of the Department of General Intelligence between 1977 and 2001. Prince Turki Al-Faisal is a son of former Saudi King Faisal, who was assassinated in 1975.

Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud

Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz served as Deputy Minister of Interior. Prince Ahmad served behind his more powerful brother, Prince Nayef, and yields day-to-day operations of MoI to influential nephew Mohamed bin Nayef. He held the Deputy Minister position since 1978. The head of Saudi Arabian intelligence, prince Turki al Faisal, and the country's deputy interior minister, prince Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz, travelled to Islamabad on 10-12 July 1996 for talks with Pakistan's interior minister, Nasrallah Babr, as well as the chiefs of military intelligence. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud should not be confused with Prince Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz [the first Arab owner to win the Kentucky Derby].

Royals seeking to change the line of succession viewed Prince Ahmed, King Salman's only surviving full brother, as a possible choice who would have the support of family members, the security apparatus and some Western powers. He was one of only three people on the Allegiance Council, made up of the ruling Al Saud family's senior members, who opposed Mohammed bin Salman becoming crown prince in June 2017. In late 2018, a video emerged of Prince Ahmed facing protesters outside his London residence and in which he seemed to criticise King Salman and his crown prince for the war in Yemen. "Don't blame the entire family ... Those responsible are the king and his crown prince" he said. "In Yemen and elsewhere, our hope is that the war ends today before tomorrow." Though Prince Ahmed quickly retracted his comments, insisting that his words were taken out of context, messages of support and pledges of allegiance began pouring in. The 78-year-old also issued a statement to deny speculation that he was interested in the role of monarch. Prince Ahmed has largely kept a low profile since returning to Riyadh in October 2018 after two and a half months abroad.