Prince Abdullah bin Meteb of Saudi Arabia has appeared in the lead role in a television commercial for the Kingdom’s second-biggest mobile phone operator Etihad Etisalat (Mobily).

The appearance of the young Saudi prince, a grandson of the king, in a television commercial has raised eyebrows in the country and has sparked a debate among diplomats and Saudis alike on what it could mean for the absolute monarchy.

The advert starring Prince Abdullah, a professional rider, and his sponsorship deal with Mobily, exposes discreet changes that have been affecting the Saudi royal family in recent years, said a Saudi analyst who is familiar with some royals.

'Passion for success drives us to take the lead, and we are like that at Mobily,' a voice in the commercial says to a shot of Prince Abdullah taking care of his horse.

The prince and his horse then jump a fence that appears to be on fire.

'This is the first time a Saudi prince appears in a television commercial,” said Humoud Al-Ghobaini, Mobily's vice president for corporate communications at Mobily.

Ghobaini declined to discussed details of the sponsorship deal, and Prince Abdullah could not be reached for comment. – Reuters