What’s the history of the portrait behind Mohammed bin Salman, Kushner?

The rare image of King Abdul Aziz with American President Roosevelt appeared at the first meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the senior US advisor and envoy to the Middle East Jared Kushner, during his current visit to the United States to assert the bond between the two countries since King Abdul Aziz initiated it about 73 years ago.

Historical picture

With the beginning of the first quarter of 1945, US President Roosevelt called on his Saudi counterpart to meet on February 14 of the same year. The meeting was set on the American ship "Quincy” in al-Buhayrat al-Mura of the Suez Canal.

Roosevelt said after meeting with the Saudi king that he was "a charming figure and a difficult negotiator, never met anyone in my life like the king of Saudi Arabia."

He added, “this man possessed strong will power.”

الصوة التاريخية التي جمعت الملك عبدالعزيز مع الرئيس الأميركي روزفلت

The historic meeting took place after the union of the country and the announcement of the name of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 13 years after a long march towards aligning the divided parts of Saudi Arabia and the consolidation of security and allowing it to prevail throughout the country by King Abdul Aziz.

King Abdul Aziz journey

The newly born Kingdom at the time had a population of 5 million people and King Abdul Aziz was 70 years old and leaving his homeland for the first time. The King departed from Jeddah towards the Suez Canal. Rare carpets were stretched to celebrate the Saudi King and his accompanying companions, they wore their distinctive Saudi robes.

Between the grandfather and grandson

The history that passed between the two pictures, that of the Crown Prince during his visit to the United States and the one featured behind him, reflect the depth of relations between the two nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sit down to a working lunch with their delegations at the White House in Washington, U.S. March 20, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

A connection which had lasted from February 14, 1945 until March 2018 carrying on the legacy of partnership drawn by the Founding King from that time until today.

The Crown Prince will carry on a series of political and economic meetings during his current visit, which began by meeting with President Trump and US officials and continuing for the coming two weeks.