Prince Idris bin Abdullah al-Senussi is a member of the Libyan Royal family and a leader of the Sanussiyyah movement. While Libya’s royal family was under house arrest after Gaddafi overthrew their rule, Prince Idris al-Senussi began working on leading the royal family and uniting Libya, as this role was passed onto him by his late father. The position of heir to the throne is also claimed by his cousin Prince Mohammed El Senussi, the son and designated heir of the last Libyan Crown Prince. Idris has called for Libyans of all different factions and tribes to meet, discuss and mutually agree on the future and leadership of Libya, as he supports the unity of Libya. He has also been playing a diplomatic role to help balance the differences between Libya and Africa, the Arab World, Europe, the United States, Latin America and Asia. He returned to Libya on 23 December 2011 with his cousin, Prince Ahmed Zubair Al-Senussi. He stated that he was not there to be active in politics or campaigning for the monarchy's restoration, but to work towards peace and unity in Libya.
Early life
Prince Idris al-Senussi was born in Benghazi, the third son of Prince Abdullah al-Abid al-Senussi and his second wife Princess Ghalia bint Nur Saleh. His father's third wife was a daughter of Crown Prince Muhammad al-Rida, the brother of King Idris. Prince Idris was twelve years old when, on 1 September 1969, the monarchy in Libya was overthrown by Muammar Gaddafi. At the time of the coup, Idris was at school in England with his brothers. They found out about the end of monarchy after a phone call from their father. Idris attended the Brummana High School in Lebanon, and then St. Stephen's International School, Rome. He later attended several private executive and leadership courses.
Exile
The al-Senussi Family
Idris is supported by an Advisory Council that heads the Sanussiyyah movement which embraces the majority of Libyan tribes.
Addressing Controversies in Libya
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 injustice in Libya. In the post-Gaddafi era, Idris’s new role is to work for peace and unity to reign in Libya, amongst all the different factions and tribes in Libya. He has become a respected expert, offering strategic solutions, in helping to solve controversial issues concerning Libya, example, addressing controversial immigration issues, illegal outflow of arms from Libya into other African countries, and solutions for internal conflict resolution in Libya. As a result, people from different Libyan tribes and factions, consider Idris a leading symbol of peace and unity in Libya. Idris is also working on a master plan and an economic development blueprint for the reconstruction of Libya.
Leadership
In the early 1990s, Idris lobbied 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 him as a "great nephew of the late King Idris of Libya and heir presumptive of the Libyan throne." 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 Prince Idris had held meetings at the State Department and Congress in Washington with US government officials to work towards peace and leadership issues in Libya. It was also reported attempts at contact had been initiated by French and Saudi officials over peace and leadership issues. In March 2011, when asked if he was the rightful heir, Prince 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 and the unity of Libya. It was reported in December 2011 that Idris had flown to Tripoli from Italy 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
Prince Idris has served as a Director of Washington Investment Partners and China Sciences Conservational Power Ltd. He has also been involved in the railways development, port development, power plants, real estate projects and oil and gas industry, having in the past worked for Condotte, Ansaldo Energia, Eni and its subsidiary Snamprogetti. He was also the mediator and key adviser of the contract for the construction of the Port of Ras Laffan in Qatar. Idris has structured, facilitated and raised financing for several infrastructure development projects.
Marriages and issue
Idris has been married twice. He first married Cindy Lea Heles on 30 January 1982. Together, they have one daughter before their divorce in 1986: Alia al-Senussi, an intellectual and a leading principal figure in the art world. He married his current wife, Spanish aristocrat Ana María Quiñones Fernández on 23 March 1987, now known as Princess Ana María al-Senussi. Together, they have one son: Khaled bin Sayyid Idris al-Senussi, a defense, security and business advisory expert.
