Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud al-Faisal has died, his relative Nawaf al-Faisal announced on Facebook Thursday. The news was confirmed by foreign ministry spokesman Osama Nugali on Twitter.
كنت أتمنى ان انفي إشاعة خبر وفاتك هذه المرة ايضا ، ولكن العين لتدمع والقلب ليحزن ياسيدي سعود وانا لفراقك لمحزونون تغمدك الله بواسع رحمته
— أسامة أحمد نقلي (@OsamaNugali) July 9, 2015
Two months ago, Prince Saud retired for health reasons. He was the longest serving foreign minister until former ambassador to Washington Adel al-Jubeir replaced him in April 29, according to The Guardian.
The government-owned media announced the news Friday but the official statement did not mention the cause of death, according to ABC News.
Saud served under four kings. He was well respected in diplomatic circles. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry once said that the prince "has not just been the planet's longest-serving Foreign Minister but also among the wisest," ABC News reports.
His career as foreign minister started at a tragic time when King Khaled appointed him to the post in October 1975 after Saud's father King Faisal was assassinated, according to Al Jazeera.
However, the prince was able to see the country through some difficult regional crises, and during his tenure, Saudi became a major diplomatic player in the region. Prince Saud also maintained good relations with the west.
Saud held a bachelor's degree in economics from Princeton University. He spoke fluent English and French. He was widely known for his sense of humor and charisma that were not so common among royal family members.
Saud had three sons and three daughters. He was 75-years-old when he died.
Kerry expressed his condolences to the prince's family. He honored the prince by saying that he was "a man of vast experience, personal warmth, great dignity and keen insights who served his country loyally and well," ABC News reports.
"His legacy as a statesman and diplomat will not be forgotten," Kerry said.
