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Two years after his first marriage, which stayed mostly out of the public eye, Oman’s crown prince is giving love and the search for an heir another try. The sultanate is now officially hereditary. On Thursday, April 24, the royal family’s social media shared the news of the wedding with a poem full of best wishes for the groom, Crown Prince Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said. He is a well-known figure in Oman, being the son of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and serving as Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth, showing his dedication to the country’s cultural and social growth. Tradition dictates that little is known about the bride, the leader's wife.
Known for his international education, Prince Theyazin, named heir in January 2021, attended top institutions in the United Kingdom. While staying true to his beliefs and traditions, he earned a degree in political science from the University of Oxford, trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and worked as second secretary at the Private Royal Office of the Omani Embassy in London from 2014 to 2019. Before that, according to various Omani media outlets, he held several roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For a year leading up to his appointment as heir, he served as Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth—a position he stepped down from in January 2021.
Very little is known about the bride. The name shared on a wedding invitation circulating on social media is Alia bint Mohammed bin Hilal bin Hamad Al Busaidi, reportedly a descendant of diplomats and governors. The mystery surrounding her is due to the strict observance of Purdah in Oman—a tradition that states the wives of rulers must not be seen by men other than their husbands.
His first marriage lasted barely six months. He had a grand wedding on November 11, 2021, at the Mazay Hall of Al-Alam Palace in Muscat, the capital of Oman. The bride was his first cousin, Sayyida Meyyan bint Shinab Al Said, the daughter of the Sultan’s brother and the sister of the Sultan’s wife. But within six months, that “I do” turned into a clear “I don’t.” “They separated in early 2022” was the only explanation the Palace gave about the unexpected split.
The Succession Question
Oman, located on the Arabian Peninsula and bordering the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, is one of the wealthiest and most stable countries in the region. It is governed as an absolute monarchy, currently led by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, the father of the prince who is now getting married. Sultan Haitham inherited the role from his cousin, Qaboos bin Said, who passed away at the age of 79 without any heirs. Despite a long illness, Sultan Qaboos remained in power for over four decades.
Exactly one year after taking the reins of the country, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said approved a Basic Law that established the hereditary nature of succession in Oman. This means power passes “from the Sultan to his eldest son, then to that son’s eldest son, and so on […]. If the eldest son dies before taking power, it must go to his own eldest son, even if the deceased has surviving brothers.”