Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is currently presiding over two hawkish princes he appointed in 2015 to run the kingdom. Since then, many observers have tried to pierce a hole in the iron curtain drawn around Saudi royal succession and rivalries to understand or at least predict the logic of royal succession and the potential competition it generates.

The rise to power of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has already been noted. He apparently has eclipsed his cousin Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, recently reported to be ill and near death. The deputy crown prince is said to be determined to procure more power to secure his position as future king while his father is still alive.

The alleged rivalry is fueling a lot of speculation.

Saudi succession to the throne is a mystical affair, a prerogative of the king, with only an inner circle of princes and confidants privy to its intrigues. Moreover, while Mohammed has achieved great visibility thanks to his erratic war in Yemen, regular visits to the United States and Europe and economic plan Vision 2030, his cousin Nayef, who is in charge of the kingdom's internal security, is truly the Saudi deep state.