Royal Watch News
Prince Abdullah bin Meteb's advert controversy
Apr 19, 2010, 12:01 GMT
Saudi Arabia's Prince Abdullah bin Meteb has appeared in a mobile phone advert.
The prince - a grandson of the king - has caused raised eyebrows after taking on a lead role in a commercial for the mobile phone company, Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), prompting diplomats to question what it could mean for a monarchy which has been secretive about its internal affairs for a number of years.
One Riyadh-based Western diplomat questioned why a Saudi prince needed to appear on a television commercial in the first place.
He said: "Why did it have to be the grandson of the king and not someone else?"
Humoud al-Ghobaini, Mobily's vice-president for corporate communications at Etihad Etisalat said the company had offered to sponsor the prince as he was a "successful equestrian sportsman" but had never expected him to sign up.
He said: "This is the first time a Saudi prince appears in a television commercial. We did not sponsor him and do the commercial because he is a prince. We have sponsored soccer clubs, several sports federations and even schools before we approached His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah."
Prince Abdullah could not be reached for comment.
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