King Mwsati III of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Mswati

King Mswati III of Eswatini; Credit – Wikipedia

Note: In 2018, Swaziland was renamed Eswatini.

King Mswati III of Eswatini (born Prince Makhosetive Dlamini) was born on April 19, 1968, at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital in Manzini in the African country of Swaziland, called Eswatini since 2018.  His parents are King Sobhuza II of Swaziland and one of his younger wives, Ntfombi Tfwala.  King Mswati is one of many sons fathered by King Sobhuza II, but the only child of Ntfombi Tfwala. King Sobhuza II married 70 wives, who gave him 210 children between 1920 and 1970. About 180 children survived infancy. At his death, he had more than 1,000 grandchildren.

King Mswati attended primary school at the Masundwini Royal Residence and then attended the Lozitha Palace School. From 1983 to 1986, Mswati attended Sherborne International College in Dorset, England.

In 1982, King Sobhuza II died at the age of 83, having reigned for 82 years. A Swazi king cannot appoint his successor, nor is there a line of succession. A traditional council called the Liqoqo decides which of the wives shall be “Great Wife” and “Indlovukati” (She-Elephant / Queen Mother) after the death of a king. The “Great Wife” must be of good character and cannot be one of the first two wives (known as ritual wives) chosen for the king by the national councilors. The son of this “Great Wife” will automatically become the next king. 14-year-old Mswati was selected to be the next king. From 1982-1986, two wives of the late King Sobhuza II, Queen Dzeliwe Shongwe (1982–1983) and Mswati’s mother, Queen Ntfombi Tfwala, (1983–1986) served as regents.

Mswati_coronation

King Mswati’s coronation; Credit – news.bbc.co.uk

On April 25, 1986, 18-year-old King Mswati III was crowned. The king and his mother, whose title is Indlovukati (“Great She-Elephant”), rule jointly.

Mswati_mother

Queen Ntfombi, Great She-Elephant; Credit – www.microdinero.com

A Swazi king’s first two wives are chosen for him by the national councilors. These two wives have special functions in rituals, and their sons can never become kings. The first wife must be a member of the Matsebula clan, and the second must come from the Motsa clan. The king then chooses his other wives, often at a festival called the Reed Dance.  A royal fiancée is called liphovela, or “bride”. They graduate from being fiancées to full wives as soon as they become pregnant, when the king customarily marries them. In traditional Swazi culture, the king is expected to marry a woman from every clan to cement relationships with each part of Swaziland. This means that the king must have many wives. A listing of King Mswati’s wives and children can be seen here.

Eswatini and King Mswati are not without controversy. The country had the highest AIDs rate in the world, with 26.5% of the population HIV positive. 63% of Swazis live below the poverty line, surviving on less than US$1.25 per day. The king, who rules as an absolute monarch and appoints the prime minister and cabinet, enjoys many lavish parties and lives in luxury. His birthday is celebrated in front of thousands in a stadium where expensive gifts are presented to him on behalf of his people. Quite a few of his wives have complained of abuse and have left him. The mother of one of his wives said her daughter was kidnapped to become the king’s wife.

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King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

KIng Abdullah of Saudi Arabia; Credit – Wikipedia

Arabic Naming Conventions

  • Al – family/clan of…
  • bin or ibn – son of…
  • bint – daughter of…

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was born on August 1, 1924, in Riyadh, then in the Sultanate of Nejd, now in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  His father was the first King of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz,  also known as Ibn Saud. His mother was Sheikha Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim. King Abdullah had two younger full sisters: Nuf bint Abdulaziz and Seeta bint Abdulaziz (1930-2011) and many half-siblings.

King Abdulaziz had a polygamous household comprising several wives at a time and numerous concubines. It is thought he had a total of 22-24 wives. Abdulaziz was the father of almost a hundred children, including 45 sons of whom 36 survived to adulthood. The six Kings of Saudi Arabia who followed King Abdulaziz were all his sons.

King Abdullah received a formal religious education at the royal court. From his father, he developed a deep respect for religion, history, and Arab heritage. He spent years living in the desert with Bedouin tribes and learned their values of honor, simplicity, generosity, and bravery. It is thought that his mother’s descent from the powerful Shammar tribe and a speech impediment led to a delay in having equal status with the other sons of King Abdulaziz.

In 1962, Abdullah was chosen by King Faisal to command the Saudi National Guard. Upon the succession of King Khalid in 1975, he was appointed Second Deputy Prime Minister. When King Fahd came to the throne in 1982, he was named Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister. As First Deputy Prime Minister, Crown Prince Abdullah presided over cabinet meetings and governed the country as deputy to King Fahd.

Abdullah_commander

Prince Abdullah as Commander of the Saudi National Guard; Credit – Wikipedia

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was proclaimed the sixth King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on August 1, 2005, upon the death of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz. The Kings since King Abdulaziz’s death have all been his sons: Saud, Faisal, Khalid, Fahd, Abdullah, and Salman.  Saudi Arabia does not have a clearly defined succession, but the sons of King Abdulaziz were considered to have a primary claim on the throne.  In 2006, King Abdullah set up the Allegiance Council composed of the sons and grandsons of King Abdulaziz, to vote by a secret ballot to choose future kings and crown princes.

King Abdullah had more than 11 wives and had more than 36 children. For more information about his family see Wikipedia: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia – Personal Life.

Throughout his life, King Abdullah had a love of the desert and a love of horsemanship. He was a breeder of pure Arabian horses and the founder of the equestrian club in Riyadh. Another lifelong passion was reading which he considered very important. He established two libraries, the King Abdulaziz Library in Riyadh, and one in Casablanca, Morocco.

Abdullah in a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014; Credit – Wikipedia

King Abdullah died on January 23, 2015, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the age of 90, three weeks after being hospitalized for pneumonia. He was buried at the Al-Oud Cemetery in Riyadh. Although the sons of King Abdulaziz were aging and some members of the Saudi royal family thought it was time for the next generation to come to the throne, Abdullah was succeeded by his 79-year-old half-brother Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

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Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar; Credit – Wikipedia

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, The Emir of Qatar was born on June 3, 1980, in Doha, Qatar, the fourth son of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar. His mother is Sheikh Hamad’s second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned.

He was educated at the Sherborne School in Dorset, England, receiving his A-levels in 1997. He then enrolled at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, graduating in 1998. Upon his return to Qatar, he was commissioned in the Qatar Armed Forces. In 2003, he was named Crown Prince of Qatar after his elder brother renounced his position.

As Crown Prince, Sheikh Tamim was instrumental in raising the international profile of Qatar, putting much of his focus into various sporting events. He is a member of the International Olympic Committee, as well as the chairman of the Qatar National Olympic Committee. He was a large part of the successful bid to bring the FIFA World Cup to Qatar in 2022.

On June 25, 2013, his father announced his abdication and the accession of Sheikh Tamim as the new Emir of Qatar.

Sheikh Tamim with his first wife, Sheikha Jawahir photo: The Times

Sheikh Tamim with his first wife, Sheikha Jawaher;  photo: The Times

Sheikh Tamim has three wives:

First wife (and second cousin) Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim, had two sons and two daughters:

  • Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2006)
  • Sheikh Hamad bin Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2008)
  • Sheikha Aisha bint Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2010)
  • Sheikh Jassim bin Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2012)

Second wife, Sheikha AlAnoud bint Mana Al Hajri, had three daughters and two sons:

  • Sheikha Naylah bint Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2010).
  • Sheikh Abdullah bin Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2012)
  • Sheikha Roda bint Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2014)
  • Sheikh Alqaqaa bin Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2015)
  • Sheikha Moza bint Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2018)

Third wife, Sheikha Noora Bint Hathal Aldosari, had three sons and one daughter:

  • Sheikh Joaan bin Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2015)
  • Sheikh Mohammed bin Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2017)
  • Sheikh Fahad bin Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2018)
  • Sheikha Hind bint Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (born 2020)

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Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo: Wikipedia

Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman – photo: Wikipedia

Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman was born on November 18, 1940, in Salalah, Oman, the only son of Said bin Taimur, Sultan of Muscat and Oman, and his second wife, Princess Mazoon bint Ahmed Ali al-Maashani.

Qaboos was initially educated in Oman, and from 1958-1960, attended a private boarding school in the United Kingdom. In 1960, he enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, graduating two years later. He joined the British Army, serving with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) for a year in Germany. Following his military service, he returned to the United Kingdom for a year, studying local government systems and taking several courses in management. Following a world tour, he returned to Oman in 1964.

In 1970, Qaboos staged a coup that overthrew his father as Sultan. His father was exiled to the United Kingdom, where he lived at the Dorchester Hotel in London until he died in 1972. Sultan Qaboos immediately began efforts to modernize and develop the country, even changing the name to The Sultanate of Oman.

In March 1976, he married his first cousin Nawwal bint Tariq Al-Said, daughter of his uncle Tariq Al-Said. The couple had no children, and the marriage ended in divorce in 1979.

The Sultan with The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, 2010. photo: Zimbio

The Sultan with Queen Elizabeth II  and Duke of Edinburgh on a state visit to Oman, 2010; Photo – Zimbio

Qaboos loved classical music and established his own symphony orchestra in the mid-1980s. This orchestra performs locally in Oman and often accompanied the Sultan when he traveled abroad. The Sultan’s other interests included horses, the arts, and shooting.

Qaboos had been under treatment for colon cancer since at least 2014 and had spent much time in Germany undergoing treatment. In December 2019, he traveled to Belgium for medical treatment.

Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman died at the Al Alam Palace in Muscat, Oman on January 10, 2020, at the age of 79.  “With great sorrow and deep sadness… the royal court mourns His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who passed away on Friday,” said a statement from the royal court.  The funeral of the late Qaboos bin Said Al Said was held on January 11, 2020, the day after his death, at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, the capital of Oman, and he was buried at the Royal Cemetery in Muscat.

Qaboos was succeeded by his first cousin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said who was named Sultan of Oman after a sealed letter from Qaboos was opened identifying whom he wished to take his place.

Embed from Getty Images 
Qaboos’ successor, the newly sworn-in Sultan Haitham, on the right, carries his coffin during the burial

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Lalla Salma of Morocco

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco; Credit – Wikipedia

Morocco Naming Conventions

  • Lalla: meaning Lady is used by the royal family of Morocco for the wife, daughters, and sisters of the king and some other female relatives
  • Moulay: meaning Lord is used by the royal family of Morocco for the sons and brothers of the king and some other male relatives
  • Sharif/Sharifa(h): a traditional Arabic title meaning noble or highborn

Lalla Salma is the former wife of King Mohammed VI of Morocco.  Salma Bennani was born on May 10, 1978, in Fez, Morocco. She was one of two daughters of Al-Haj Abdel Hamid Bennani, a school teacher, and Naima Bensouda. Salma’s mother died when she was three years old, and thereafter she was raised by her maternal grandmother.

Salma Bennani was educated in private and public schools in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. There she attended Lycée Hassan II, Lycée Moulay Youssef, and l’École Nationale Supérieure d’Informatique et d’Analyse de Systèmes (National School of Computer Science and Systems Analysis), where she received a degree in computer science and was her class valedictorian. Salma is fluent in Arabic, French, English, and Spanish. After graduation, she worked in Casablanca, Morocco, as an information services engineer at Omnium North Africa Group, the country’s largest private holding company.

In 1999, Salma met her future husband, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, at a private party. Reportedly, Salma set some ground rules, including insisting on a monogamous marriage as a condition for accepting the King’s proposal. King Mohammed’s father had two wives, as had many rulers of Morocco before him. Traditionally, wives of the Kings of Morocco remained private figures, so the King surprised many in Morocco when he announced his future wife’s name.

On March 21, 2002, Salma Bennani married King Mohammed VI of Morocco at the Royal Palace in Rabat. She was granted the style Her Royal Highness and the title Princess Lalla.

Mohammed_wedding

Wedding of King Mohammed VI and Lalla Salma; Credit – main.stylelist.com

The couple had two children:

Mohammed VI_family

Although her predecessors were private figures, Lalla Salma became a public Islamic consort in the style of Queen Noor, the wife of King Hussein of Jordan, and Queen Rania, the wife of King Abdullah II of Jordan. One of her major achievements was the founding in 2005 of the Lalla Salma Foundation – Prevention and Treatment of Cancers to raise public awareness of cancer. With this organization, Lalla Salma organized the first national cancer registry and worked with many international partners in the fight against cancer. Lalla Salma was also involved in HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa, and she received the Sharjah Voluntary Work Award, one of the most important awards in the Arab world.

Lallah_hospital

Lalla Salma at a pediatric cancer center in Casablanca, Morocco; Credit – http://www.spyghana.com

Lalla Salma represented Morocco at events around the world. She attended the wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, now The Prince and Princess of Wales, in London in April 2011, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands’ investiture in April 2013, and the wedding of Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Countess Stephanie de Lannoy in October 2013.

Lalla Salma with royals

Lalla Salma with other royals at the investiture of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in 2013

Lalla Salma was noticeably absent from public appearances beginning in 2018. A March 2018 article in the Spanish magazine Hola! mentioned that King Mohammed and Lalla Salma had divorced according to sources close to the palace, however, there was no formal announcement from the royal court. In 2019, Éric Dupond-Moretti, King Mohammed’s lawyer, referred to Lalla Salma as the “ex-wife”, unofficially confirming the royal couple’s divorce.

After the divorce, Lalla Salma remained in Morocco, living in the residential area of Rabat. She regularly visited the palace to see her children. In 2025, it was reported that Lalla Salma had custody of her children, and she was authorized to return to the palace and live there with her children.

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King Mohammed VI of Morocco

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Mohammad VI of Morocco; Credit – Wikipedia

Morocco Naming Conventions

  • Lalla: meaning Lady is used by the royal family of Morocco for the wife, daughters, and sisters of the king and some other female relatives
  • Moulay: meaning Lord is used by the royal family of Morocco for the sons and brothers of the king and some other male relatives
  • Sharif/Sharifa(h): a traditional Arabic title meaning noble or highborn

King Mohammed VI of Morocco was born on August 21, 1963, in Rabat, the capital of the African country of Morocco.  His parents were King Hassan II of Morocco and Princess Lalla Latifa Amahzoune.

King Mohammed has four siblings:

King Mohammed began his education at the age of four when he was enrolled in the Koranic School at the Dâr-al-Makhzen in Rabat. He then attended the Collège Royal, a school located inside the Royal Palace in Rabat founded in 1942 that specializes in the education of princes and princesses of the Alaouite dynasty.  The King completed his primary and secondary education at the Collège Royal in 1981. He then attended the Mohammed V University at Agdal and received a Bachelor’s Degree in law in 1985. In 1987, King Mohammed received a Certificate of Higher Specialized Studies in political sciences. He received an additional Certificate of Higher Specialized Studies in public law in 1988. The King received a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in law with distinction in 1993 from the Nice Sophia Antipolis University in Nice, France. The topic of his thesis was “Cooperation between the European Economic Community and the Arab Maghreb Union”. King Mohammed is fluent in Arabic, French, Spanish, and English.

On July 23, 1999, King Hassan II died and Mohammed became king. The ceremony of presenting allegiance to His Majesty King Mohammed took place on the same day in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Rabat. The enthronement ceremony took place on July 30, 1999. King Mohammed VI solemnly performed the Islamic Friday prayer and gave his first speech from the throne at the Royal Palace in Rabat.

Embed from Getty Images 
King Mohammed VI of Morocco delivers his enthronement speech

King Mohammed VI is the president of several charitable organizations including the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity whose motto is “Ready to help the needy.”

Mohammed VI_food

King Mohammed VI distributes food; Photo Credit – http://riadzany.blogspot.com

On March 21, 2002, Mohammed married computer engineer Salma Bennani (now HRH Princess Lalla Salma) at the Royal Palace in Rabat.  Princess Lalla Salma has been noticeably absent from public appearances since the beginning of 2018. A March 2018 article in the Spanish magazine Hola! mentioned that King Mohammed and Princess Lalla Salma had divorced according to sources close to the palace, but there has been no such announcement from the royal court.

Mohammed_wedding

Photo Credit – main.stylelist.com

The couple has two children:

Embed from Getty Images
King Mohammed VI of Morocco and his son Crown Prince Hassan at the international ceremony for the Centenary of the World War I Armistice of November 11, 1918

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King Letsie III of Lesotho

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Letsie III of Lesotho; Credit – By 首相官邸ホームページ, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112032290

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a country completely within the borders of South Africa. From 1822 – 1868, Lesotho was called Basutoland and was ruled by King Moshoeshoe I, the son of a minor tribal chief. In 1868, Basutoland became a British Crown Colony.  Kings and then Paramount Chiefs still held power in Basutoland during the period of British colonization.  Basutoland gained its independence from the United Kingdom and became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966. King Letsie’s father, King Moshoeshoe II, was the first King of Lesotho.

King Letsie III of Lesotho was born July 17, 1963, at Scott Hospital in Morija in the British Crown Colony of Basutoland, now the African country of Lesotho.  He was named Mohato Bereng Seeiso and was christened into the Roman Catholic Church as David. His parents were King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho and Queen Mamohato Bereng Seeiso (née Princess Tabita ‘Masentle Lerotholi Mojela).

King Letsie had two siblings:

King Letsie began his primary education in 1968 at Iketsetseng Private School in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. In 1973, he went to the United Kingdom to attend St Martin’s Ampleforth, a Roman Catholic independent preparatory school run by the Benedictine Order in Yorkshire, England. King Letsie then began to attend his father’s alma mater, Ampleforth College in 1977, which is affiliated with St Martin’s Ampleforth. He completed his secondary education at Ampleforth College in 1980. From 1980 to 1984 King Letsie attended the National University of Lesotho where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in law. From 1984 and 1986 he completed a Diploma in English Legal Studies at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. In 1989, King Letsie studied Development Studies at the University of Cambridge. At the same time, he was enrolled at Wye College of the University of London where he studied agricultural economics.

In 1990, King Moshoeshoe II was deposed and Letsie became king. He took the name Letsie in honor of King Letsie I, the eldest son of King Moshoeshoe I, the founder of the Basotho nation. In 1991, former King Moshoeshoe II was allowed to return to Lesotho as a citizen. King Letsie III, who was embarrassed at being king while his father was still alive, tried in vain to persuade the government to reinstate his father as king, and in August 1994 he enacted a new coup d’état with the army. Having obtained power, Letsie promised to return it to the previous government on the condition that Moshoeshoe II would return to being King of Lesotho, achieving this result in 1995. King Moshoeshoe II’s second reign was brief. In the Maloti Mountains in Lesotho, 57-year-old Moshoeshoe and his chauffeur were killed when their car plunged off a mountain road during the early hours of January 15, 1996, and Letsie became king again.

King Letsie became engaged to Anna Karabo Mots’oeneng, the eldest child of Thekiso and ‘Makarabo Mots’oeneng, on October 23, 1999. The queen-to-be was born in Mapoteng in the Berea District of Lesotho. She attended the National University of Lesotho and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. The couple was married on February 18, 2000, in the Lesotho capital city of Maseru. The ceremony was held at the national sports stadium with a crowd of 40,000 people watching. Maseru’s Roman Catholic Archbishop Bernard Mohlalisi officiated at the ceremony.

WEDDING OF KING LETSIE III

Photo Credit – www.corbisimages.com

King Letsie and Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso have three children:

The Lesotho Royal Family; Credit – https://face2faceafrica.com/

In April 2006, King Letsie’s brother, Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry formed a charity called Sentebale to support organizations working with Lesotho’s disadvantaged young people and children, particularly those orphaned as a result of HIV and AIDS.  Find out more about Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry’s charity at the official website: Sentebale.

Seeiso_Harry_Lesotho

Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry join some children in a kneeling dance in Lesotho; Credit – www.thetimes.co.uk

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Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 15th Ruler and 5th Emir of Kuwait

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Sheikh_Sabah_IV

Sabah IV bin Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait; Credit – Wikipedia

Originally a sheikhdom ruled by local sheikhs, Kuwait became a British Protectorate in 1899. The sheikhs still had power during the British Protectorate. Kuwait was granted independence in 1961 and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, 11th Ruler of Kuwait became the first Emir of Kuwait. The rulers of Kuwait belong to the House of Al-Sabah.

The Emir of Kuwait is nominated by a family council headed by prominent family members. The Crown Prince of Kuwait, who must be a senior member of the House of Al-Sabah, is also nominated by the family council. The Kuwaiti parliament must approve both the Emir and the Crown Prince.

Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was born on June 16, 1929 in Kuwait City, Kuwait. He was the son of Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 10th Ruler of Kuwait from 1944 – 1950, and Munira Al-Ayyar of Jahra. Sabah’s father had ten wives and 24 children.

Sabah had one full sister Sheikha Al-Anoud Al-Ahmad. His prominent half-siblings include:

Sabah’s early education began at the Al Mubarakiyya School, established in 1911 as one of Kuwait’s first modern educational institutions. He then completed his education with private tutors.

Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah married his cousin Sheikha Fatuwah bint Salman al-Sabah, who died in 1990. The couple had three sons and one daughter:

  • Sheikh Nasser (1948 – 2020)
  • Sheikh Hamed
  • Sheikh Ahmed, died in a car accident in 1969
  • Sheikha Salwa (1951-2002), died of breast cancer

Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah was Foreign Minister of Kuwait between 1963 and 2003. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and afterward, the Gulf War was fought. Sabah was involved in restoring the country after the Iraqi invasion. On July 13, 2003, Sabah became Prime Minister of Kuwait.

Sheik Sabah_Obama

Sabah IV bin Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait meets with President Barack Obama at the White House in 2013; Photo Credit – http://www.whitehouse.gov

On January 15, 2006, Jaber III al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, who was the half-brother of Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah died. The new Emir of Kuwait was Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, the eldest son of Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who ruled Kuwait from 1950 to 1965. However, after a nine-day reign, Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, who suffered from colon cancer, abdicated. On January 24, 2006, the Kuwaiti parliament voted Saad out of office, moments before an official letter of abdication was received. The Kuwait Cabinet nominated Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah to take over as Emir as expected.

Sabah was a respected regional and international mediator due in part to his leadership in the Gulf Cooperation Council and his forty years of service as Foreign Minister and Prime Minister. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called Sabah a “global humanitarian leader”, saying, “His support of disaster relief, peace efforts, and advancing public health are an inspiration. Other world leaders can learn from the wise example set by my friend, His Highness the Emir.”

In July 2020, Emir Sabah was flown to the United States for medical treatment following surgery for an unspecified condition in Kuwait earlier that month. Sabah IV bin Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait died at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, on September 29, 2020, at the age of 91, due to long-term health issues.  His 83-year-old half-brother Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed was named by the cabinet as his successor.

The mourners, led by Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah of Kuwait perform the funeral prayer over the body of the late Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at Bilal bin Rabah Mosque; Credit – https://www.alkhaleejtoday.co/

Typically tens of thousands of mourning Kuwaitis and many foreign leaders and dignitaries would have attended Emir Sabah’s funeral. However, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the burial was a private service restricted to relatives. Emir Sabah was buried in Sulaibikhat Cemetery, the largest cemetery in Kuwait, alongside his relatives, after prayers at Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Kuwait City where all mourners wore face masks.

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August 4, 2014 World War I Commemorations

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Liege, Belgium where early action in World War I took place; Photo Credit – http://www.bbc.com / European Photo Press Agency

100 years ago today, on August 4, 1914, the United Kingdom entered World War I by declaring war on Germany. Many commemorations were held today, attended by many royals.
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King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia

by Scott Mehl   © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia; Credit – Wikipedia

King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 14, 1953. He is the eldest son of King Norodom Sihanouk and his sixth wife, Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, born Monique Izzi.

Norodom Sihamoni had one brother:

Norodom Sihamoni had thirteen half-siblings from his father’s first five marriages:

Mother: Phat Kanhol (? – 1969)

Mother: Sisowath Pongsanmoni

  • Prince Norodom Yuvaneath (1943 – 2021), had two wives and six children
  • Norodom Ravivong (1944 – 1973), died from malaria
  • Prince Norodom Chakrapong (born 1945), had seven wives and thirteen children
  • Norodom Sorya Roeungsi (1947 – 1976), disappeared under Khmer Rouge
  • Norodom Kantha Bopha (1948 – 1952), died from leukemia
  • Norodom Khemanourak (1949 – 1975), disappeared under Khmer Rouge
  • Norodom Botum Bopha (1951 – 1975), disappeared under Khmer Rouge

Mother: Sisowath Monikessan, died in childbirth

Mother: Mam Manivan (1934 – 1975)

  • Norodom Sujata (1953 – 1975), disappeared under Khmer Rouge
  • Princess Norodom Arunrasmy (born 1955), had two husbands and five children

In 1962, at just nine years old, he was sent to Czechoslovakia where he received his elementary and secondary education. He studied music and classical dance at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, graduating in 1975. He then moved to North Korea where he studied filmmaking and returned to Cambodia in 1977. Upon his return, Sihamoni, along with his family, was placed under house arrest by the Khmer Rouge until the Vietnamese invasion in 1979. Sihamoni moved to France in 1981 where he taught ballet and remained there for nearly 20 years before returning once again to Cambodia. During this time, he also served as a delegate to UNESCO.

photo: BBC/AP

photo: BBC/AP

Citing his poor health, Sihamoni’s father, King Sihanouk, announced his abdication in October 2004. Unlike most monarchies, the succession to the Cambodian throne is not hereditary. The monarch is elected for life by the Royal Council of the Throne, consisting of members of the royal family, government officials, and religious figures. Upon his father’s abdication, Sihamoni was unanimously elected as the next King of Cambodia on October 14, 2004. His formal enthronement took place on October 29, 2004. Following an anointing ceremony at a sacred temple, the new King proceeded to the Royal Hall, within the Royal Palace complex, where he received his crown.

King Norodom Sihamoni remains a major patron of the arts, particularly dance. He regularly returns to Prague, which he considers his “second home” and maintains close contact with the family he lived with during his early years there. He is unmarried and has no children.

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