Salman bin Abdulaziz declared Saudi king

Salman bin Abdulaziz has become Saudi Arabia’s king and Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz was declared the crown prince after King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz passed away, the Royal court announced on Friday.

A Royal court statement said Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud received the pledge of allegiance as the country's king from members of the royal family. After that, Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz received the pledge of allegiance as crown prince.

Allegiance will be sworn to King Salman and Crown Prince Muqrin after Friday's Isha prayers, Al Arabiya News Channel reported.

In a televised speech, King Salman said: “We will continue to hold on to the strong path on which Saudi Arabia has walked on since King Abdulaziz."

Both King Salman and Crown Prince Muqrin will receive pledges of allegiance from citizens on Friday evening.

Saudi King Abdullah passes away

A prior statement announced the death of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

“With great sorrow and grief His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning,” the statement said.

Funeral prayers will be held later in the day following afternoon prayers at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in the capital Riyadh.

Born in 1935 in the capital Riyadh, King Salman is the 25th son of the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz al-Saud.

In 1954, at the age of 19, King Salman was appointed as the Emir of Riyadh, and governed the province for over 50 years. In 2011, King Salman was appointed as the kingdom’s defense minister, overseeing the entire armed forces. In 2012, he was appointed crown prince.