The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, passed away, the state’s Amiri Diwan announced on Saturday. He was 86.
“With great sadness and sorrow, we — the Kuwaiti people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and the friendly peoples of the world — mourn the late His Highness the emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, who passed away to his Lord today,” Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al Sabah, the minister of his Emiri court, read the brief statement.
Prior to the announcement, Kuwait’s state TV interrupted regular programming to cut to Quranic verses, signalling a death in the royal family.
In late November, Sheikh Nawaf was rushed to hospital for an unspecified illness. State-run news previously reported that he travelled to the United States for unspecified medical checks in March 2021.
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Sheikh Nawaf was sworn in as Emir following the 2020 death of his predecessor, the late Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah. The breadth and depth of emotion over the loss of Sheikh Sabah, known for his diplomacy and peacemaking, was felt across the region.
Born in 1937, the Emir was the fifth son of Kuwait’s late ruler from 1921 to 1950 Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He started his political career at the age of 25 as governor of Hawalli province, where he remained until 1978 when he started a decade as interior minister.
Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber, now 83, is believed to be the world’s oldest crown prince. He is in line to take over as Kuwait’s ruler.