Kuwait's crown prince has been asked to carry out some of Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah's constitutional duties on a temporary basis, state news agency KUNA said on Monday, citing an Emiri decree.
Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, in his 80s, is the half brother of the emir. Under Kuwait's constitution, the crown prince automatically becomes emir upon his death.
Sheikh Nawaf, 84, has been emir for just over a year following the death in September 2020 of his brother, who had ruled for more than a decade.
Sheikh Nawaf looked frail in his last public appearance, when he briefly addressed parliament in October. In July, Kuwait said the emir had undergone medical check-ups that were successful and would continue.
(Reporting by Nadine Awadalla, writing by Maher Chmaytelli and Lisa Barrington, Editing by Alex Richardson)
