Royal Decree – 25 November 1956

Appointment of the Crown Prince and Establishment

of

the Royal Succession

WE, IDRIS 1st, King of the United Kingdom of Libya, after reviewing sections 44 and 45 of the Constitution, and upon the Royal order to reorganise the Royal Household issued on (22/Safar/1374H) (20 October 1954) and the Decress for amending the law of the Regency Council issued on (21/Rabie’II/1376H) (24 November 1956), wish to appoint a Crown Prince to succeed our late Crown Prince in heaven, the forgiven, His Royal Highness Princes Muhammad Rida Al-Mehdi Al-Senoussi. Due to what we have found in Seyyed Al-Hassan, son of the late forgiven, in terms of his equanimity and wisdom and what we found in his late father (God bless his soul) who was without equal and had our trust,

We decree the following:

Section 1:

1. Seyyed Al-Hassan Al-Rida Al-Mehdi Al-Senoussi is to be appointed Crown Prince of the Crown of the United Kingdom of Libya until God blesses us with a male Heir to whom the Crown Princehood will be passed according to section 44 of the Constitution and sections 3 and 5 of our Order to reorganise the Royal Household issued on 20 October 1954.
2. If God blesses us with a male Heir, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida would become his Heir to the Throne, provided this does no conflict with the Rulings of our aforementioned Order. In this case His Royal Highness Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida would assume the line of succession and become the originator of future successions to the Throne according to the rulings of our aforementioned Order.

Section 2:

If the King were to die without a male Heir his wife not being pregnant, or if she were pregnant but the pregnancy was not to result in an Heir to the Throne, then the Crown would be retained by His Royal Highness Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida who would become the origin of future successions to continue through His line according to the rulings of our Order to reorganise the Royal Household issued on 20 October 1954.

Section 3:

If the King were to die with his Heir still a minor, His Royal highness Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida would act as Regent to the Throne of the United Kingdom of Libya until the King completes his 18th Lunar year according to the rulings of section 49 of the Constitution.

His apppointment would not be subject to our Order relating to the reorganisation of the Royal Household issued on 20 October 1954 and the Regent will carry out all the King’s duties and have His rights and authority.

Section 4:

If the King was to die while his wife was pregnant, the unborn child would enter into the line of succession as if the child was born before the death of the King.

Until the birth of the child, His Royal Highness Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida, being Regent will continue with the duties, rights and authority of the King. If the child is born dead, then things would continue as if there had been no birth, and the Throne would be transferred to His Royal Highness Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida. The rulings of section 17 of our Order to reorganise the Royal Household issued on 20 October 1954 will not apply in this case.

Section 5:

In all cases where His Royal Highness Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida becomes Regent to the Throne he must recite in front of the senate and parliament in a joint session the Oath written in section 53 of the Constitution prior to assuming his duties.

If the parliament is not in session, it must be recalled at once to hear the Oath, and if the House of Representatives has been disbanded, then the old house must be recalled to meet at once for the aforementioned reason.

Until the Regent recites the Constitutional Oath, the government under its own responsibility will resume the King’s authorities in the name of the Libyan nation under the ruling of section 52 of the Constitution.

Section 6:

His Royal Highness Prince Al-Hassan Al-Rida as Regent will have a private advisory house / body (Shura) until he completes forty years of age, which is the age of maturity. The rulings of the special house of shura to the King will apply to this house according to our Order to reorganise the Royal Household issued on 20 October 1954.

Section 7:

(1) Section 1 of our Order to reorganise the Royal Household issued on 20 October 1954 is to be amended as follows:

“...The Bearer of the Throne is the Head of the Royal Household, and as such has authority over the members of the Royal Household. The members of the Royal Household are the King’s wives, His children and those who have the right to assume the throne according to our Order issued on 20 October 1954, and their children. Apart from these members of the Senoussi family, no-one is now to be considered as members of the Royal Household, and their privileges, titles and immunities are to be cancelled.”

(2) Section 2 comments on the aforementioned matter as follows:

“The title of Prince is to be used by all male members of the Royal Household. The Heir to the Throne will have the title of His Royal Highness. Other Princes will be titled His Highness. The title of Queen, Queens, Princess and Princesses is to be cancelled.”

Section 8:

Our Prime Minister and the heads of the governing bodies each according to what concerns them will carry out this Order and act by it from the date of its issue.

Muhammad Idris

Issued from the ‘Al-Khold’ Palace on 22 Rabie II 1376, 25 November 1956.