A senior Saudi prince who once led the country’s national guard was reportedly freed on Tuesday, more than three weeks after he and hundreds of others were arrested on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, the son of former King Abdullah, is the highest-profile prince to have been released since a major purge of senior royals and businessmen began on November 4.

Prince Mutaib was arrested on allegations of corruption and is believed to have been imprisoned at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh.

The 65-year-old prince was once seen as a contender for the throne and controlled Saudi Arabia’s powerful national guard force, making him a potential rival to Crown Prince Mohammed, who has dramatically consolidated his own power since June.

The crown prince, often referred to by his initials as MBS, ordered Prince Mutaib’s arrest and swiftly replaced him as national guard minister with a little-known prince.

The Saudi government has insisted that the wave of around 200 arrests was part of an anti-corruption drive, rather than a power play to strengthen the hand of MBS.