**Saudi king to face divorce case **
The case could reveal details of Saudi royal family finances
A divorce case against King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, said to be worth £32bn and among the world’s richest men, is to be heard in a British court.
London-based Janan Harb has filed a claim that she is one of the king’s wives and that he has failed to provide reasonable maintenance for her.
The case will be heard in public after appeal court judges decided the ailing monarch’s identity is relevant.
His lawyers say he cannot be sued in the UK as he has “sovereign immunity”.
Opulent lifestyle
Janan Harb first filed a claim last January, but two subsequent rulings found that the king could not be sued because heads of state are protected against such action in the courts of another country.
It was decided that any appeal against the immunity must be heard in secret, but Appeal Court judges ruled last week that such actions should be heard in public.
It opens the way for details of the secretive Saudi royal family’s finances and opulent lifestyle to be exposed in an unprecedented way.
Outlining the Court of Appeal decision, Lord Justice Thorpe said the case had caused the king anxiety and that Mrs Harb “was seen as a potential source of embarrassment” by the Saudi royals.
He said this was illustrated by the fact that in 2001 Mrs Harb was paid “a very substantial sum for entering into a binding deed of confidentiality”, covering all aspects of her past relationship with the king.
Mrs Harb is thought to be from Jordan but to have British citizenship after living in the UK for many years.
Breathing problems
King Fahd, 83, was admitted to hospital last month with pneumonia after complaining of breathing problems.
On Tuesday a spokesman said it was hoped the monarch would leave hospital in a few days.
In 1995 King Fahd, now in his early 80s, suffered a stroke, and Crown Prince Abdullah has fulfilled most of the monarch’s responsibilities since then.
Prince Abdullah is regarded as a likely successor to the throne.
lol the deeds of saudi king 