Under the royal order, “the Ministry of the National Guard will replace the Presidency of the National Guard and the Minister of the National Guard will replace the Commander of the National Guard, wherever they are used in systems, regulations, decisions and royal orders and decrees.”
Prince Miteb Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, previously the commander of the Saudi National Guard, was appointed minister of the military force, the agency added.
The decisions were announced in a decree by King Abdullah, the state news agency SPA reported.
King Abdullah had himself led the National Guard from 1962 to 2010, when he handed its command over to Mitab.
The body is formed of recruits from the tribes who have traditionally backed the rule of the Saud dynasty since it spread its rule in the Arabian Peninsula.
The National Guard is a trained army of around 200,000 men, divided into infantry units, mechanised brigades, special units, and military police.
It operates in parallel, and as a palace-directed counter balance, to the Saudi ground forces.