Queen Nazli, Mother of Fawzia and Mother-in-Law of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi: My Younger Daughter Faiza Was More Suited to Be Queen of Iran Than Fawzia; Faiza Is Intelligent and Wise, But Fawzia…

According to the History Service of SaedNews, I have written here several times about Fawzia Fouad, the first wife of the deposed Shah of Iran. While browsing photos of King Fouad’s family, one image of Faiza, Fawzia’s younger sister, caught my eye. It sparked my curiosity to explore her life and discover the fate of one of Iran’s royal sisters—a story reflected in the evident affection and attention Fawzia had for Faiza.

King Fouad’s daughters were known for their exemplary conduct and sense of responsibility, earning them widespread popularity in Egypt. Faiza was beautiful, intelligent, knowledgeable, and socially active, even taking charge of the Red Crescent for a time. Years after Fawzia divorced Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Nazli—mother of Faiza, Fawqia, Fathiya, Fouqia, and Ismail (who died in childhood)—remarked in an interview that Faiza would have been a more suitable choice than Fawzia for the title of Queen of Iran.

According to Nazli, Faiza was politically astute, clever, and highly intelligent, better prepared for queenship. Had she married the Shah, perhaps the union would have endured. In contrast, Nazli felt Fawzia’s reserved nature, shy personality, and serene character made her less suited for the Iranian court—a court that Soraya Esfandiary described in her memoirs as a “nest of intrigue.” One had to be a wolf to survive the intrigues of Princess Ashraf, the Shah’s sister.

At the age of 22, Faiza married one of her Turkish cousins, Mohammad Ali Raouf, who was twelve years her senior. Raouf was a scholar, Sufi, professor of mysticism, translator, and had studied extensively in the West. This marriage initially went against King Farouk’s wishes, but he gradually accepted it, and a cordial relationship formed between Faiza, her sister, and her brother-in-law. However, in the later years of his reign, Farouk’s growing suspicion led to Faiza and her husband being placed under house arrest.

During their confinement, the couple produced a film about the military coup that eventually dethroned Farouk six weeks later. After Egypt’s coup, Faiza moved first to Turkey and later settled in Paris. (In photos from this period, she can be seen between Princesses Ashraf and Shams.)

Life After Exile

Faiza and her husband never had children. Despite maintaining a strong bond, they divorced after 17 years of marriage. Like her sister Princess Fawzia, Faiza never publicly discussed the reasons for her divorce and always spoke of Mohammad Ali Raouf with respect and warmth.

Faiza never remarried and, despite her love for her homeland, never returned to Egypt. The beautiful Egyptian princess passed away quietly in the United States at the age of 70, where she was laid to rest.