Saudi women react to new king

Caryle Murphy

Feb 23, 2015

Veiled Saudi women work at a coffee shop in Tabuk, 1500 km (932 miles) from Riyadh November 30, 2013. Saudi Arabia's crackdown on foreign workers has thrown millions of lives into turmoil and caused rioting in big cities, but the economy should benefit in the long run as Saudi nationals fill the gaps and cut their dependence on the state. REUTERS/Mohamed Alhwaity (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY EMPLOYMENT) - RTX15YWV — Veiled Saudi women work at a coffee shop in Tabuk, 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from Riyadh, Nov. 30, 2013. — REUTERS/Mohamed Alhwaity

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Her mobile phone case said it all. It was not covered with sparkling rhinestones or cartoonish kitty cat faces. Just a photo of her beloved king reaching out and shaking her hand at a formal reception.

“He took it and held it, and asked me, ‘How are you?’” the middle-aged professional recalled fondly, imitating the late King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz’s slow-cadenced, masculine voice. “I love him.”