Oman's sultan died childless, and his successor's name was read from a sealed envelope

Sultan Qaboos bin Said took power in 1970 by deposing his father and ruled Oman for nearly 50 years. A brief marriage in the 1970s produced no children, and he never named an heir in public. The 1996 Basic Statute said the Ruling Family Council had three days to choose a sultan; if it failed, the Defence Council would install the person named in a letter Qaboos had written. He died on 10 January 2020. On 11 January the family council chose to open the letter at once rather than deliberate. The letter named his cousin Haitham bin Tariq, who was sworn in that day. Reports said a second copy of the letter was kept in Salalah^†. In January 2021 Haitham amended the Basic Statute to create the post of crown prince and named his eldest son Theyazin, ending the sealed-letter system. The amended statute passes the throne from the sultan to his eldest son^†, so the next succession will not depend on a letter.