Since Fahd's ascent to the throne in 1982, the most influential clan of the Al Faisal branch of the Al Saud family had been the Al Sudairi [Sudeiri], known by the patronymic of Fahd's mother [Hussa bint Ahmad Al Sudairi, known later as Umm Fahd]. Among the sons of Ibn Saud, the so-called Sudairi Seven (King Fahd along with princes Sultan, Abdel-Rahman, Nayef, Turki, Salman and Ahmed, who are full brothers) held positions of significance, although neither Prince Abdel-Rahman nor Prince Turki held formal office. Fahd had seven full brothers, including Minister of Defense Sultan, who was second in the line of succession, Minister of Interior Nayif, and Governor of Riyadh Salman. Sultan and Salman were considered to be Fahd's closest political advisers.
In 1983 Fahd appointed one of Sultan's sons, Bandar, to be the Saudi ambassador to the United States. Another of Sultan's sons, Khalid, was the de facto commander of Saudi armed forces during the Persian Gulf War. At least once a week, the king and his full brothers met for a family dinner at which they shared perspectives about national and international politics. In addition to his full brothers, seven of Fahd's half brothers were sons of other Al Sudairi women whom his father had married. As the sons of Fahd and his brothers matured and assumed government responsibilities during the 1980s, some Saudis began to refer to the clan as Al Fahd instead of Al Sudairi.
Among the sons of Ibn Saud, the so-called Sudairi Seven held positions of significance. As of 1999 Prince Abdel Rahman, then 68 years old, was the Deputy Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General. One of the Sudairi Seven, Prince Abdulrahman has held the position since 1982 working for his brother, Crown Prince Sultan. Prince Abdulrahman traditionally has not engaged in MoDA's operations. However, he reportedly has increased the frequency of office visits, and some speculate he could succeed his ailing brother as minister.
Among the sons of Ibn Saud, the so-called Sudairi Seven held positions of significance, although Prince Turki did not hold formal office. Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud should not be confused with Prince Turki Al-Faisal bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud, who was head of the Department of General Intelligence between 1977 and 2001. Prince Turki Al-Faisal is a son of former Saudi King Faisal, who was assassinated in 1975.
Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz served as Deputy Minister of Interior. Prince Ahmad serves behind his more powerful brother, Prince Nayef, and yields day-to-day operations of MoI to influential nephew Mohamed bin Nayef. He held the Deputy Minister position since 1978. The head of Saudi Arabian intelligence, prince Turki al Faisal, and the country's deputy interior minister, prince Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz, travelled to Islamabad on 10-12 July 1996 for talks with Pakistan's interior minister, Nasrallah Babr, as well as the chiefs of military intelligence. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud should not be confused with Prince Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz [the first Arab owner to win the Kentucky Derby].