At the time, the Guard was an extremely small and disorganized force and the position was meant as a sop while King Saud and Crown Prince Feisal were locked in a deadly power struggle.
Intrigued, Prince Abdullah brought Al-Tuwaijri on board as his deputy, and over the years the two created a modern and sophisticated force.
They not only developed its military capabilities, but also ensured its members were provided with top-class housing, medical care and education.
To many the success of the National Guard was due to the hard work and foresight of al-Tuwaijri, who became Prince Abdullah's close confidant and special advisor.
During Saudi–Egyptian tensions over competing regional interests, al-Tuwaijri demonstrated his excellent political skills by acting as a go-between of Nasser and King Faisal and publicly supporting both sides.