EGYPTIAN PRINCESS DEPRIVED OF TITLE BY KING FAROUK

Wanganui Chronicle, 18 May 1950, Page 5

EGYPTIAN PRINCESS DEPRIVED OF TITLE BY KING FAROUK

LONDON, May 17 (Rec. 7.5 pm).— The Cairo correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says King Farouk of Egypt last night signed a royal decree annulling the marriage of his 19-year-old sister. Princess Fathia, to 31-year-old Mr. Riad Ghali, a Coptic Christian, in San Francisco last month. The decree deprived her of her royal titles and privileges. It also ordered the return to Egypt of another sister, 22-year-old Princess Faikah, who married Fouad Sadek, an Egyptian Consular official, in San Francisco last month. The decree suspended lhe guardianship of Princess Fathia by Queen Nazli, the Queen Mother, and ordered confiscation of all their property. It also ordered Queen Nazli to return to Egypt from the United States. King Farouk signed the decree after a three-hour meeting of the Egyptian Crown Council, which is responsible for advising the King on the status of the Royal Family. It recommended all the steps announced in the decree. The Council sat under the chairmanship of 75-year-old Prince Mohammed Ali, the King’s cousin and heir-presumptive to the Throne. The Council called for effective measures to separate Princess Fathia and her husband, who is Queen Nazi’s adviser, and to place her in ; lhe King’s care until her case is settled. She is still a minor under Egyptian law. The King in a memorandum to the Council said he made representations to Princess Fathia and Queen Nazli and asked them to return to Egypt but they had refused. The King said Queen Nazli left Egypt in 1946 for health reasons, accompanied b'y Priscess Fathia and Faikah. By reason of the Queen’s health and their long sojourn abroad the princesses had fallen under certain influences. Every effort was made by appeals to Queen Nazli to prevent the marriage. The King added: “My mother indicated that she did not care whether Fathia’s husband was of royal blood or a commoner. She said her feelings as a mother were her main concern.” The King described Riad Ghali as “not of good character.” He said Queen Nazli and her two daughters had received £483,000 in the last four years. Ghali received £40,000.