Riyadh - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has died at the age of 91, state-run Saudi television reported.
The king will be laid to rest after the noon prayer on Friday in the city of Riyadh.
King Abdullah had been in hospital for several weeks suffering from a lung infection. The king had been on the throne in 2005.
The broadcaster said that his brother Salman, 79, has become king.
It added that King Salman has called on the royal family's council to pay allegiance to Muqrin as his crown prince.
Shortly before the death announcement was made Saudi television cut its programmes and broadcast versus from the Qur’an signalling that a high ranking official had died.
The king had been admitted to the King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard in Riyadh in December. The royal court at the time said king was suffering from pneumonia.
Sapa-dpa