Saudi King Leaves Hospital After ‘Reassuring’ Medical Tests

News Desk

Riyadh:  Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was discharged from hospital on Friday after undergoing what the Royal Court described as “reassuring” medical tests, easing concerns about the health of the veteran monarch.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the 90-year-old king had been admitted earlier in the day to Riyadh’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital for routine medical examinations. In a subsequent update, SPA said the tests had been completed and their results were reassuring, adding that King Salman had left the hospital later the same day.

The Royal Court did not indicate that the examinations were linked to any new health concerns. King Salman last chaired a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, state media reported.

News of the king’s hospital admission prompted messages of concern and goodwill from leaders across the region and beyond. 

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep concern upon learning of the development and later welcomed news of the monarch’s discharge.

“The people of Pakistan hold His Majesty in the highest esteem. We join our Saudi brothers and sisters in praying for His Majesty’s swift and complete recovery to full health, vitality, and continued leadership,” the prime minister said in a post on X.

King Salman, who rules the world’s largest oil exporter, has faced a number of health issues in recent years, though Saudi authorities have consistently sought to reassure the public. According to Gulf News, he received medical care in 2024 for lung inflammation. The Royal Court has previously said he recovered from that condition.

In May 2022, the king was hospitalised for a colonoscopy and remained under observation for just over a week for additional tests and rest. Earlier that year, in March 2022, he was admitted to hospital to undergo what state media described as “successful medical tests” and a pacemaker battery replacement. In 2020, King Salman underwent surgery to remove his gall bladder.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has also publicly reassured citizens about his father’s health on several occasions. During a cabinet meeting earlier this week, the crown prince conveyed assurances regarding the king’s condition, with SPA quoting him as praying for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to be blessed with “good and sound health” and a speedy recovery.

King Salman is the seventh ruler of modern Saudi Arabia and ascended the throne in 2015 following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. He is the 25th son of the kingdom’s founder, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, and has long been regarded as a central figure in managing royal family affairs and advising successive Saudi kings.

Born in Riyadh in 1935, King Salman received his early education at the Princes’ School in the capital, an institution established by King Abdulaziz to educate his sons. There, he studied both religious and modern sciences and memorised the Holy Quran in full. His upbringing combined formal instruction under prominent scholars with extensive self-education, particularly in Islamic studies, history, politics and literature.

The king’s public service career began at a young age. In 1954, he was appointed acting governor of Riyadh, and in 1963 he became governor of the Riyadh Region — a post he held for several decades. During his tenure, Riyadh was transformed from a relatively small city into a modern capital

Beyond governance, King Salman has chaired and supported numerous charitable committees and initiatives throughout his career, contributing to humanitarian relief efforts and supporting causes across the Arab and Islamic worlds.

While details of royal health matters are rarely disclosed, Friday’s announcement appeared aimed at reassuring both citizens and international partners that the monarch remains in stable condition and continues to oversee state affairs, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman acting as the kingdom’s de facto ruler.