Former Saudi Princess Exposes the Royal Family

As the IMF predicts years of austerity for Saudi Arabia, Afshin Rattansi goes underground with a woman who was a former Saudi princess- Janan Harb. A film is currently being made based on her book- The Saudi King and I.

'Secret Wife' of Late Saudi King Wins Payout Worth More Than £20m

Janan Harb told the court she married King Fahd in 1968,
when she was 19.

THE GUARDIAN: High court judge rules Saudi royal family must honour promise that Janan Harb would be looked after for the rest of her life

A woman who claims to be the secret wife of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia has won a payout worth more than £20m to honour a promise that she would be looked after for the rest of her life.

Palestinian-born Janan Harb, 68, claimed she had lived a cosseted life in the embrace of one of the world’s richest and most secretive families for more than 20 years and had married Fahd in 1968.

The Saudi royal family has fought her claims through the high court for more than a decade, insisting that no official marriage took place and that she was owed nothing.

On Monday, however, a judge ruled in Harb’s favour, saying she was entitled to more than £15m plus the value of two expensive west London properties.

Mr Justice Peter Smith also ordered Fahd’s son, Prince Abdul Aziz, to pay legal costs estimated at more than £1m.

The prince, who did not attend the court hearings to counter Harb’s claims, must pay damages of £12m with interest of £3.25m for leaving her without her money for years.

Smith also ordered the prince to transfer two luxury flats in Chelsea worth around £5m to her name, making a total award of £20.25m. » | Rajeev Syal | Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Saudi Prince Has No State Immunity from £12 million 'Secret Wife' Claim, Court Rules

Janan Harb claims she was secretly married to King Fahd

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Decision by London court opens the way for a potentially embarrassing court case involving a British woman who claims she was secretly married to the late king of Saudi Arabia

A British woman who claims she was secretly married to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia has won a key victory in a multi-million pound legal battle as the High Court rejected a "state immunity" claim by the late monarch's son.

Janan Harb, 65, told the High Court in London that she wed King Fahd when he was a prince and an interior minister in 1968, but that she was forced to leave the country several years later, before he ascended to the throne.

She claims she is owed a lump sum of £12 million which was promised to her 11 years ago, plus the ownership of two high-value apartments in central London.

Lawyers for Prince Abdul Aziz, the king’s son, argued he had “state immunity” and the court had no jurisdiction to try Mrs Harb’s claim.

But Mrs Justice Rose threw out the prince’s argument, opening the way for a full hearing which risks embarrassing the House of Saud by exposing details of life inside what Mrs Harb has previously described as a royal harem, as well as new claims about their business dealings. » | David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent | Monday, June 09, 2014