Saudi prince calls for regime change

A senior member of the Saudi royal family has called for a coup to replace King Salman as the country's leader, in an unprecedented call for a change to the absolute monarchy that governs the Gulf state.

An unnamed Saudi prince, one of the hundreds of grandsons of the nation's founder, Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, called for the King to be removed in two letters written earlier this month, which have been posted online and read millions of times by the country's citizens.

The prince also told the Guardian that his feelings are shared by other members of the royal family, who are becoming more and more opposed to the management of the country under King Salman.

Speaking to the paper, he said: "The king is not in a stable condition and in reality the son of the king [Prince Mohammed bin Salman] is ruling the kingdom."

The prince reportedly said that a number of his uncles would meet soon to discuss plans to replace the king.

He added that the public and many senior tribal leaders have similar views, in light of Saudi Arabia's recent troubles, both at home and abroad.