Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has been named as Kuwait’s new emir following the death of Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, the 86-year-old former ruler of the oil-rich country on Saturday.
Mishal came into the world on September 27, 1940, as the offspring of Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who served as the ninth leader of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait. Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Mishal’s father, held the position of Kuwait’s ruler from 1921 to 1950.
Also read: Who is Dana Elmore? Life, Career, and more
Mishal, who is the eighth son of Ahmad, is the younger half-brother on the paternal side of three consecutive emirs of Kuwait: Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1977–2006), Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (2006–2020), and Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (2020–2023).
After completing his elementary education at Kuwait’s Al Mubarakiya School, Mishal travelled to Great Britain to enroll in the Hendon Police College, where he eventually graduated in 1960.
Mishal began working for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior (MOI) after receiving his degree from Hendon.
In 2006, shortly after his half-brother Sabah took over the throne, Mishal was seen as one of the top three people in the Al-Sabah royal family who made important decisions.
Mishal reportedly turned down more prominent roles during his tenure to avoid getting involved in political disputes and to maintain strong connections with his family.
Crown Prince Mishal declared the dissolution of the Kuwait National Assembly on April 17, 2023, claiming in a television address legislation that entitled the emir to do so in reaction to political unrest and impasse in Kuwait.
Mishal has attended important global events on behalf of Kuwait, including the wedding of Hussein, the Crown Prince of Jordan, in 2023, and the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London in 2022.
