Saudi King Abdullah (L) leaves a hospital in Riyadh October 22, 2011. Saudi King Abdullah left hospital on Saturday after back surgery and will continue treatment at a royal clinic, the Royal Court said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. The announcement came after King Abdullah's younger brother Crown Prince Sultan died of cancer in New York earlier on Saturday. King Abdullah, who is in his late 80sReuters
Concerns are rising in Saudi Arabia over succession and the distribution of key government positions, with King Abdullah recovering from surgery and the death Saturday of his heir, Crown Prince Sultan.
While most analysts expect the veteran Interior Minister Prince Nayef to become crown prince, there is less certainty about the defence role, a key post in a country that uses multi-billion dollar arms deals to cement relations with top allies.
In making the appointments, King Abdullah must maintain a delicate balance of power in a royal family that has thousands of members, dozens of branches and dominates Saudi Arabia's government, armed forces and business.
"Balance is always the concern of kings," said Khaled al-Dakhil, a political science professor in Riyadh. "It's to keep the balance within the family at all levels."
The changes to top Saudi personnel might prompt King Abdullah to undertake the first major government reshuffle of his reign, an event that has long prompted speculation. However, analysts said he might prefer to wait to avoid any perception that changes were being made under pressure.
King Abdullah's appointments this week will determine the direction of Saudi Arabia for years, if not decades, to come as the world's top oil exporter prepares to tackle long-term internal and foreign problems.
In order to make the succession process more straightforward, King Abdullah has formed an "allegiance council" of sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder to vote on future kings and their heirs. It is not certain, however, that he will choose to submit his nominee for crown prince to the body for election instead of simply appointing somebody by decree.
Here are key players of the ruling al-Saud family:
Prince Nayef
He has been Interior Minister since 1975. He was promoted to second deputy prime minister in 2009 and has since played a more prominent role in public life. Nayef, in his late 70s, chaired cabinet sessions while King Abdullah was on holiday and analysts say he will become crown prince. One of six full-brothers of Sultan, he is seen as a hardliner who might not press King Abdullah's reforms.
Prince Salman
The governor of Riyadh since 1962, he and his family own a newspaper group including pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat and al-Eqtisadiah. Born in 1936, he underwent spine surgery in the United States in August 2010 and remained outside the kingdom for recuperation. Another full brother of Sultan, he resumed his duties as governor in November 2010.
Prince Mugrin
The head of Saudi intelligence, his public profile has risen in recent years. He organized a conference on combating Internet militancy in 2007. Diplomats say he is close to King Abdullah. Born in 1945, he is relatively young but is hindered in succession by his non-royal mother.
Prince Mishaal
Born in 1926, he was appointed by King Abdullah as chairman of the allegiance council but his public profile is low.
So far no grandsons of Saudi founder Abdulaziz Ibn Saud have assumed the throne. Here are some of the most prominent:
Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef - Son of Interior Minister Prince Nayef who heads Saudi Arabia's anti-terror campaign and is deputy minister of interior. Diplomats say he has won plaudits from Western intelligence agencies for his work combating an al Qaeda campaign to destabilise the kingdom from 2003 to 2006. He survived an assassination attempt in 2009 by a suicide bomber posing as a repentant militant -- an incident that drew favourable attention in Saudi media.
Prince Khaled Bin Sultan
Son of the late Crown Prince Sultan, he led Arab forces during the 1991 war to oust Iraqi forces from Kuwait. He is deputy defence minister and owner of the influential pan-Arab daily newspaper al-Hayat. He led Saudi forces in their war against Yemeni rebels who strayed into Saudi territory in 2009.
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal
Entrepreneur businessman and one of the world's richest men, he is the largest individual investor in Citigroup Inc. His father's history as a renegade reformer prince who allied with Egyptian president Gamal Abdul Nasser in the 1960s could hinder his chances of promotion. Islamists also see his pan-Arab entertainment television network as immoral.
Prince Khaled al-Faisal
Governor of Mecca province, he is seen as one of the most liberal princes who has eased the religious police's influence in the port city of Jeddah. He is owner of al-Watan newspaper, the country's most liberal daily. A keen poet, his liberal leanings could disqualify him as far as the hardline Wahhabi clerics are concerned.
Prince Turki Al-Faisal
Born around 1945 and son of King Faisal, he has served as Saudi intelligence chief and as ambassador in London and Washington before retiring in 2006. He is the brother of veteran Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal.
Prince Miteb
The son of King Abdullah. In November 2010, his father handed him full control of the National Guard, an elite Bedouin corps that handles domestic security.
Prince Bandar
Born in 1950, this son of the late crown prince was a famed ambassador to Washington between 1983 and 2005. He is currently secretary-general of the Saudi National Security Council but is thought to have fallen out of favour with Abdullah and other princes over overzealous diplomatic efforts in recent years.