[2] At the time of its formation, the Council's intended function was to appoint a Crown Prince once a new King succeeds to the throne.
[6] The Council gave additional voice to members of the Al Saud family when a new King selects his Crown Prince.
[7] According to an October 2009 diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, the Al Saud family described the Council as a "codification of the unwritten rules that have governed the selection of Saudi rulers since the passing of King Abdulaziz in 1953.
"[8] The role of the Council was intended to take effect once the late Prince Sultan succeeded to the throne.
[9][10] The Council supposedly undertook its duties for the first time when Prince Sultan died in October 2011.
Under the Allegiance Institution Law, the King nominates up to three candidates for the position of Crown Prince.
The nominee who secures the majority of votes will be named Crown Prince.The Council also preempts the possibility of the King becoming incapacitated.
[9] With the promotion of Crown Prince Sultan's three successors deemed automatic, and the King's writ on the subject of the appointment of the second deputy PM (the honorific "deputy crown prince" being much more recent than the position itself), the Council has proved to be little more than a "rubber stamp".
After almost a year with the post of second deputy Prime Minister vacant, Prince Muqrin was formally designated by royal decree in 2013.
In order to make his place in the line of succession permanent and preclude any challenges by any of the dispossessed royals, King Abdullah polled each member of the Allegiance Council individually before announcing Maqrin's new title.
The royal decree stated that the election “may not be modified or changed in any way or form by any person whoever it may be”, precluding a King Salman from capriciously choosing someone else, which is exactly what would happen three months into the new reign.