Saudi Arabia Feature: A Princess in London Calls for Reforms (Milmo)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 8:41
Photo: Teri PengilleySat in a living room decorated with Saudi artefacts and in front of a table carrying a plate of Saudi dates ("the best in the world"), Princess Basma Bint Saud said: "The problems are because of the ruling ministers. We have ministers who are incapable of doing what has been ordered from above because there is no follow up, because there are no consequences. If you are poor man and you steal, your hand is cut off after three offences. But if you are a rich man, nobody will say anything to you."
She added: "We have 15,000 royals and around 13,000 don't enjoy the wealth of the 2,000. You have 2,000 who are multi-millionaires, who have all the power, all the wealth and no-one can even utter a word against it because they are afraid to lose what they have."
Asked if her decision to speak out means she risks losing what she has, she replied: "Oh, definitely. Definitely."