Seeta bint Abdulaziz Al Saud

Seeta bint Abdulaziz
Born 1930
Died 13 April 2011 (aged 80-81)
Riyadh
Burial 14 April 2011
Riyadh
Spouse Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabir Al Saud
Issue Fahd bin Abdullah
Noura bint Abdullah
Turki bin Abdullah
Full name
Seeta bint Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud
House House of Saud
Father King Abdulaziz
Mother Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim
Religion Islam

Seeta bint Abdulaziz (1930 – 13 April 2011. Arabic: صيتة بنت عبد العزيز آل سعود) was a member of the House of Saud and the younger full-sister of King Abdullah, former ruler of Saudi Arabia.

Early life

Princess Seeta was born in 1930. She is the daughter of King Abdulaziz and Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim who was one of two Rashidi women married to him.[1] She is the younger full sister of King Abdullah with whom she was very close with.[2]

Activities

Seeta bint Abdulaziz was very active in charitable efforts. But, she was also active in forming women groups such as the Princesses' Council. Furthermore, the first and second Saudi Women's Forum was carried out under her patronage in 2009 and 2010, respectively.[3] In May 2011, a conference entitled “Saudi Women of Tomorrow” was also organized under her patronage.[4] She sponsored many charities within the Kingdom and made donations to many research programs and family welfare projects, too.[5] Under her patronage, career days were organized towards female employment.[6]

Princesses' council

In 2003, Princess Seeta initiated the Princesses’ Council.[2] The Council was designed to involve one member of each of the royal family’s sub-branches. It was the first family council for female royals in Saudi Arabia. All members of the council were asked to be interested in social work such as health-care, children, women, and business. The council became an important body in the House of Saud. Instead of focusing on charity work, it functions as a think tank and lobbying body.[2]

The council is designed to meet at a regular period, twice a month, every second week lasting for two or three hours. Societal issues focusing on women-related topics are being discussed in the meetings. The outcomes of these meetings are mostly non-binding suggestions for solving certain issues, and petitions to relevant governmental institutions. At the initial phase, the number of the council members was twenty-two. The number of council members is thirty royal women in its current form.[2]

Personal life

Seeta bint Abdulaziz married Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Saud Al Kabir,[7] who was a member of the cadet branch of House of Saud, Al Kabir. Abdullah bin Muhammad died in January 1994 at the age of 68. He was the eldest son of Muhammad Al Kabir.[8]

She had three sons, Turki, Fahd and Bandar.[9] His son, Turki, is one of the advisors to King Abdullah[10] and is a former military officer in the National Guard during the 1980s.[11] Another son, Fahd bin Abdullah, is the former assistant minister of defense.[9] Princess Seeta's sons are considered to be significant members of the Al Kabir branch of Al Sauds.[8] Princess Seeta's daughter, Noura bint Abdullah (born 1958), is married to Khalid bin Abdullah, the eldest son of King Abdullah.[8]

Death

Seeta bint Abdulaziz died on 13 April 2011, after a long illness.[12][13] Her funeral prayer was held at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh on 14 April 2011.[13][14] The funeral prayer was attended by King Abdullah, late Crown Prince Sultan, late Prince Nayef, Prince Salman, Prince Bandar, Prince Turki, Saad Hariri and other senior princes.[15] President Barack Obama called King Abdullah to convey his condolences.[16]

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ Al Rasheed, Madawi (1991). Politics in an Arabian Oasis. The Rashidis of Saudi Arabia. New York: I. B. Tauirs & Co. Ltd.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Stenslie, Stig (2011). "Power behind the veil: Princesses of the House of Saud". Journal of Arabian Studies: Arabia, the Gulf, and the Red Sea. 1 (1): 69–79. doi:10.1080/21534764.2011.576050. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "About Us". SIC Group. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  4. ↑ Khan, Fouzia (13 May 2011). "Saudi women meet to discuss empowerment". Saudi Gazette. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  5. ↑ "King Abdullah attends Princess Seeta's funeral prayer". Gulf in the Media. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "Princess Seeta to launch Girls Careers Day". Saudi Gazette. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  7. ↑ "صحيفة عكاظ - وفاة الأميرة صيتة بنت عبد العزيز". Okaz. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 Sharif, Sabri (2001). The House of Saud in Commerce: A Study of Royal Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. New Delhi: I. S. Publications. ISBN 81-901254-0-0.
  9. 1 2 "King Abdullah attends Princess Seeta's funeral prayer". Arab News. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  10. ↑ "King Abdullah Receives the Turkish Prime Minister". Al Riyadh. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "The role of Saudi princes in uniform". Wikileaks. 27 May 1985. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "Princess Sita bint Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman passes away, royal court announces". SPA. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  13. 1 2 "King Abdullah attends Princess Seeta's funeral prayer". Life in Riyadh. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "Princess Sita bint Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman passes away, royal court announces". Sauress. Saudi Press Agency. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  15. ↑ "King Abdullah attends Princess Seeta's funeral prayer". Asharq Al Awsat. 15 April 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  16. ↑ "King Abdullah receives telephone call from U.S. President". Royal Embassy, Washington D.C. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  17. ↑ Al Sudairi Family Gale Encyclopedia of the Mideast & N. Africa. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
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