Princess Fawzia of Egypt (born 1940)

For other uses, see Princess Fawzia of Egypt.

Princess Fawzia (Arabic: الأميرة فوزية; 7 April 1940 – 27 January 2005) was the second daughter of King Farouk I of Egypt from his first wife Queen Farida.

Fawzia
Princess of Egypt
Born	(1940-04-07)7 April 1940 Abdeen Palace, Cairo, Egypt
Died	27 January 2005(2005-01-27) (aged 64) Lausanne, Switzerland
Burial	30 January 2005 Al-Rifa'i Mosque, Cairo, Egypt
House	House of Muhammad Ali (by birth)
Father	Farouk I
Mother	Safinaz Zulficar
Religion	Sunni Islam
Occupation	Simultaneous interpreter

Early life and education

Fawzia was born on 7 April 1940 in Abdeen Palace in Cairo. She was named after her paternal aunt, who was reportedly King Farouk's favourite sister. She was 12 years old when the July 1952 Revolution forced her father's abdication and departure from Egypt. Along with her two sisters, she travelled with King Farouk on his last voyage out of Egypt,^[1] and lived with him in exile in Rome. Two years later, the three young princesses were sent to a Swiss boarding school by the king. Their mother Queen Farida stayed in Egypt, and joined her daughters in Switzerland only a decade after the revolution.^[2]

Fawzia was an accomplished athlete. She took flying lessons and obtained a pilot's licence. A professional sailor, she managed to reach the rank of captain, and was also a passionate scuba diver. She was multilingual in French, English, Italian, Spanish and Arabic, and passed an exam which qualified her to work as a simultaneous interpreter in Switzerland. She had not inherited a significant sum and relied on her interpreting job to earn a living. Although she had lost her royal status, Fawzia remained strongly attached to her homeland, and visited Egypt as often as she could. Unlike her two sisters she never married.

Illness and death

In 1995, Fawzia was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which resulted in significant mobility limitations and the need for constant care. She died in Lausanne on 27 January 2005 at the age of 64. Her body was transported to Cairo, where she was interred at Al-Rifa'i Mosque on 30 January, following the tradition for members of the Egyptian royal family.^[2][3]

Ancestors

Ancestors of Princess Fawzia of Egypt (born 1940)

16. Ibrahim Pasha, Viceroy of Egypt 8. Isma'il Pasha, Khedive of Egypt 17. Khushiyar Kadin 4. Fuad I, King of Egypt 9. Ferial Kadin 2. Farouk I, King of Egypt 10. Abdel Rahim Sabri Pasha, Governor of Cairo 5. Nazli Sabri 22. Muhammad Sharif Pasha, Prime Minister of Egypt 11. Tewfika Hanem 23. Nazli El-Fransawi 1. Princess Fawzia of Egypt 24. Youssef Bey Rasmi 12. Ali Zulficar Pasha, Governor of Cairo 6. Youssef Zulficar Pasha 26. Muhammad Mohyi Pasha 13. Aziza Hanem 3. Safinaz Zulficar (Queen Farida) 14. Muhammad Sa'id Pasha, Prime Minister of Egypt 7. Zeinab Hanem

References

1. "Farouk gives up his throne". The News and Courier. 27 July 1952. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
2. Rady, Faiza (3–9 February 2005). "Obituary: A daring princess". Al-Ahram Weekly (728). Archived from the original on 11 September 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
3. "Body of former Princess Fawzia flown back to Egypt for burial". Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 30 January 2005. Retrieved 4 July 2013.