Majid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Majid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (19 October 1938 – 13 April 2003) was a member of House of Saud and served in different cabinet positions as well as Mecca governor.

Majid bin Abdulaziz was born in Riyadh on 19 October 1938 to King Abdulaziz and Muhdi. Prince Majid was the full brother of Prince Sattam, the former Riyadh governor, Sultana and, Haya. Prince Majid received formal education in Riyadh.

At the end of 1975, Majid bin Abdulaziz was appointed by King Khalid as minister of municipal and rural affairs, being the first minister, since this ministry was first established in this year in Saudi Arabia. Prince Mutaib was also joined the Saudi cabinet at that time, being appointed minister of public works and housing. These two appointments were a move to reduce the power of Sudairi Seven in the cabinet.

Then, on 3 March 1980, Prince Majid was appointed governor of the Makkah Province, replacing Prince Fawwaz. His tenure lasted for nineteen years from 1980 to 1999. Majid resigned from office as a result of a scandal involving one of his staff.

Views and allegiances

Prince Majid argued that communism and other temporal ideologies were totally false and against human nature. Prince Majid was close to both then Crown Prince Abdullah and Sudairi Seven, acting as a floating voter in contests. However, during his tenure in Mekkah governorship he was much closer to Crown Prince Abdullah.

Prince Majid married Nuf bint Abdallah Al Fahd Al Muhanna. He has seven children, two sons and five daughters. His eldest son, Mishaal bin Majid, is the governor of Jeddah city. Other son Abdulaziz bin Majid is the former governor of Medina province. One of his daughters, Jawaher bint Majed, is the first Saudi woman to have been granted the title of the patron of arts in Saudi Arabia. His other daughter, Princess Basma, married Prince Bandar bin Faisal Al Saud.

Philanthropy

The Society of Majid bin Abdulaziz for Development and Social Services (Society) was founded in 1998 by Majid bin Abdulaziz. Initially its name was “Makkah Al Mukarramah Association for Development and Social Services” at the founding stage. Later, it was changed into “The Society of Majid bin Abdulaziz for Development and Social Services”, and was registered as a “charity” in the register of charities at the ministry of social affairs in 2000. Mishal bin Majid is the chairman of the society.

The Majid society was given by the Global Research Alliance (GRA) A+ rating for its achievements during 2011.

Prince Majid died in Jeddah after suffering from a prolonged illness on 13 April 2003. His funeral prayers were performed in Grand Mosque on the same day and he was buried in Al Adl cemetery on Majed Street in Mecca. Then Crown Prince Abdullah, Prince Sultan, Prince Nayef, Prince Salman and other senior Saudi royals attended the funeral.

• Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash (2nd Class) for Services to the Republic of Austria (2000).

• "Reply to a parliamentary question about "Decoration of Honour"" (pdf) (in German). Retrieved 17 July 2013.