Officials say the Saudi crown prince is keeping his mother hidden from his father, King Salman

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
(Image credit: Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images)

More than a dozen current and former U.S. officials say that Saudi Arabia's crown prince has purposely kept his mother away from his father, King Salman, for at least two years, NBC News reports.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32, became the crown prince of Saudi Arabia last June, after his cousin was removed from the position. Using intelligence, the officials have pieced together that he's prevented his mother, Princess Fahda bint Falah Hathleen, from seeing the king by putting her under house arrest at one point, and making up excuses to his father as to why he hasn't been able to see her, including telling him she's receiving medical treatment overseas.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.