Reema bint Bandar Al Saud (Arabic: ريما بنت بندر آل سعود; born 15 February 1975) is the current Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, a position her father had also previously held. Appointed by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, she presented her credentials to Donald Trump on 8 July 2019 and took office as ambassador on 23 February 2019—becoming the first woman to serve in the role of ambassador in the country’s history.[2][3][4] She also holds the rank of minister.[5] She has advocated for female empowerment and has worked to expand opportunities for Saudi women within the Kingdom.[6][7]
Early life and education
Reema bint Bandar was born in Riyadh in 1975.[8][9] Her parents are Bandar bin Sultan and Haifa bint Faisal. Reema is the great-granddaughter of Ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, on her maternal and paternal sides.[10] Her maternal grandparents are King Faisal, the son of Ibn Saud, and Queen Iffat who was born to a Circassian mother and a Saudi father.[11] Her paternal grandfather is former Crown Prince Sultan.
She is one of eight children. Two of her siblings also work in government: Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud is the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United Kingdom and Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud is the chairman of the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS).[12]
