Throne(s) claimed Libya Name Idris Abdullah | Last monarch Idris of Libya | |
 | ||
Connection with cousin twice removed and also step-great nephew Father Sayyid Abdullah al-Abid al-Senussi | ||
Monarchy abolished 1 September 1969 | ||
Idris bin Abdullah al-Senussi (born 18 January 1957) is an exiled Libyan opposition figure and a claimant to the headship of the Sanussiyyah movement. While Libya’s legitimate royal family was under House arrest after Gaddafi overthrew their rule, Idris began claiming to be the heir to the Libyan throne, a claim that is contrary to the Constitution/Royal Decree. He has continued to claim he is the legitimate heir despite the fact that his cousin, Prince Mohammed El Senussi, is the designated heir of the last Libyan Crown Prince, and under the Constitution is the legitimate Heir to the Senussi Crown. However, he later stated that if the old Constitution of Libya (1951) (as amended in 1961) was restored post-Gaddafi, there would be free elections and the people would be united under the constitution with "some modifications where the part of the monarch will be taken out" and the people would be able to elect a head of state, who could be called "president or whatever they want to call him". The position of heir to the throne is also claimed by Prince Mohammed El Senussi, the son and designated heir of the last Libyan Crown Prince. Idris al-Senussi returned to Libya on 23 December 2011 and stated he would not be active in politics or campaigning for the monarchy. He returned to Libya in December 2011 with his cousin, Ahmed Zubair Al-Senussi.
Contents
Early life
Al-Senussi was born in Benghazi, the third son of the "Black Prince" Sayyid Abdullah al-Abid al-Senussi (1919–88) and his second wife Ghalia bint Nur Saleh. His father's third wife was a daughter of Crown Prince Muhammad al-Rida, the brother of King Idris. He was twelve years old when, on 1 September 1969, the monarchy in Libya was overthrown by Muammar Gaddafi. At the time of the coup, al-Senussi was at school in England with his brothers. They found out about the end of monarchy after a phone call from their father. al-Senussi later attended the Brummana High School in Lebanon, as well as attending St. Stephen's International School, Rome, Italy.
The al-Senussi Family
Al-Senussi, supported by an Advisory Council, claims to be (the Senussi royal family allows polygamy, which is "a factor that complicates all claims of royal legitimacy through descent") the head the Sanussiyyah movement which embraces the majority of Libyan tribes.
Controversies
In 1991, the New York Times published an article stating that al-Senussi would take control of a 400 man strong dissident Libyan paramilitary force that had received training from American intelligence, to fight against Gaddafi. What might have become of this paramilitary force is unknown.
Claimant
In the early 1990s, Idris el-Senussi spent nearly £100,000 in lobbying efforts to convince the British government to recognize him as the legitimate heir to the King of Libya. Forty-one MPs signed a motion that described Idris as a "great nephew of the late King Idris of Libya and heir presumptive of the Libyan throne." Once it was made public that he is actually the second son of the sixth son of the younger brother of King Idris’s father, not the great nephew of the late King, his lobbying campaign died out.
During the 2011 Libyan civil war al-Senussi announced he was "ready to return to Libya". On 21 February 2011 he made an appearance on Piers Morgan Tonight to discuss the uprising. In March 2011 it was reported Idris had held meetings at the State Department and Congress in Washington with US government officials. It was also reported attempts at contact had been initiated by French and Saudi officials. In March 2011, when asked if he was the rightful heir, Idris said a family council would decide who would be king, not an heir, and that his father had passed on to him the task of maintaining the legitimacy of the monarchy. The Royal Decree which establishes the Royal Succession, however, clearly establishes Mohammed El Senussi, not Idris al-Senussi, as the Heir to the Senussi throne and does not leave open the possibility that a family council determines who would be king. Additionally, King Idris abdicated the throne and named his successor in a letter penned to the Libyan government. Mohammed el Senussi is accepted as the “legitimate” king in exile by most Libya exiles.
It was reported in December 2011 that Idris had flown to Tripoli from Italy using a pre-1969 passport and spent his first day looking around the former Royal Palace of Tripoli, which he described as "the greatest joy of my life, apart from the birth of my children".
Business life
Al-Senussi has served as a Director of Washington Investment Partners and China Sciences Conservational Power Ltd. He has also had involvement in the oil and gas industry, having in the past worked for Condotte, Ansaldo Energia, Eni and its subsidiary Snamprogetti. On one business deal alone al-Senussi once earned $80m in commission. He was also the mediator of the contract for the construction of the Port of Ras Laffan.
Marriages and children
Al-Senussi has been married twice. His first marriage to Cindy Heles ended in divorce in 1986 having had one daughter.
He married his current wife the Spanish aristocrat, Ana María Quiñones Fernández on 23 March 1987 who now styles herself Princess Ana María al-Senussi. They have one son: