First woman to serve as top Saudi diplomat in the US

Saudi Arabia on Sunday named Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud to serve as its top diplomat in the United States, making her the kingdom’s first female ambassador.

The princess acknowledged the appointment in a tweet early Sunday. 

“I will work with God’s permission to serve my country, its leaders and all its children, and I will spare no effort to that end,” Princess Reema wrote on Twitter.

أرفع أصدق عبارات الشكر والامتنان لمقام مولاي خادم الحرمين الشريفين وسمو سيدي ولي العهد -حفظهما الله- على هذه الثقة الكريمة الغالية بتعيني سفيرة في الولايات المتحدة الامريكية
وسأعمل بإذن الله لخدمة وطني وقادته وكافة أبنائه
ولن أدخر جهداً في سبيل ذلك

— Reema Bandar Al-Saud (@rbalsaud) February 23, 2019 

{mosads}The Associated Press reported that the princess studied in America and lived in the U.S. while her father served as the Saudi ambassador.

The AP added that she will replace Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, a son of King Salman. Prince Khalid will return to Saudi Arabia to serve as a deputy defense minister, the news service reported.

The change comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. The Washington Post columnist and U.S. resident was an outspoken critic of Saudi leadership.

The Saudi government initially denied knowledge of Khashoggi’s whereabouts, and changed its story multiple times before announcing charges against more than a dozen people in the incident.

U.S. and international intelligence officials have indicated that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely played a role in Khashoggi’s death.

The Trump administration sanctioned several Saudi officials deemed responsible for the killing, but has drawn criticism for not taking stronger action against the kingdom.