Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, detained in the kingdom's sweeping crackdown on corruption, said on Saturday that he expected to be cleared of any wrongdoing and be released from custody within days.

Prince Alwaleed was speaking in an exclusive interview with Reuters at his suite in Riyadh's opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel, where he has been confined for over two months along with dozens of other suspects.

It was the first time the prince, one of the nation's most prominent businessmen, has spoken publicly since his detention.