Prior to leaving to the US to pursue medical treatment, H.M. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud handed over power temporarily to Crown Prince Sultan.
Prince Sultan returned to the Kingdom Monday after a long retreat in Morocco. He will run the Kindgom’s affairs until King Abdullah’s return, according to a Royal Decree announced on Sunday.
The Palace said the King will seek treatment in the U.S. following a blood accumulation in the spine that complicated a herniated disc, a relatively routine but painful back ailment that required him to rest. The country's Health Minister said the King is in stable condition and good health.
King Abdullah has farmed out some of his responsibilities to key Deputies recently.