Prince Rakan bin Salman Named Governor of Diriyah

A royal decree issued on 12 February 2026 appointed Prince Rakan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz as Governor of Diriyah Governorate with excellent (ministerial) rank, in a set of high-level leadership changes across several regions of the Kingdom.

Prince Rakan succeeds Prince Fahd bin Saad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki. In the same package, Prince Fawaz bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz was named Governor of Taif at ministerial rank, replacing Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud, who was reassigned as Deputy Governor of Madinah Region.

The appointments form part of a broader 2026 reshuffle that also touched several ministers, deputy governors, and senior officials across regional, economic, and tourism portfolios.

Why it matters

Both governorships hold strategic weight for regional development. Diriyah is tied to the multibillion-riyal بوابة الدرعية cultural tourism project, one of the country's flagship heritage and tourism destinations, while Taif is linked to regional tourism and urban development plans.

Governorship appointments of this kind are made by royal order and announced through official channels. They are high-level state positions and do not involve any public application process, service fees, validity periods, or citizen-facing e-services through platforms such as أبشر, مقيم, قوى, ناجز, or نفاذ.

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