Saudi Arabia's King Salman will begin a holiday in Britain on Thursday and has appointed the country's crown prince to manage the kingdom's affairs in his absence, state news agency SPA reported.
The statement did not say how long King Salman, 80, would be absent for.
In April 2015 Salman appointed his nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef, as crown prince and made his young son second in line to rule, a major shift in power towards two princes who have overseen a more assertive stance at a time of regional turmoil.