Princess Reema made ambassador to US, Khaled bin Salman appointed deputy defense minister by royal decree

Deputy King Prince Mohammed bin Salman issued a royal decree on Saturday appointing Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US. 

The deputy king issued a second decree announcing the appointment of Prince Khaled bin Salman as the Kingdom’s deputy defense minister. 

Another royal decree, issued by the deputy king, announced a one-month salary bonus to soldiers serving at the front lines on Saudi Arabia’s southern borders.

A daughter of a former Saudi ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Princess Reema is a graduate in museology from an American university. 

In October 2017, the princess became the first woman to lead a Saudi multi-sports federation, covering sporting activities for men and women.

Prince Khaled, Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador in Washington, graduated from the King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). 

He received his initial pilot training at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and advanced training at Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi. He also studied advanced electronic warfare in France.

Previously, he was an F-15 pilot and tactical intelligence officer in the RSAF. 

Before a back injury ended his flying career, Prince Khaled flew more than 50 combat missions as part of the international coalition campaign against Daesh in Syria and as part of Operations Decisive Storm and Renewal of Hope in Yemen.