Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan

Ahmad Shah Khan
Crown Prince of Afghanistan
Head of House of Barakzai
Tenure 23 July 2007 – present
Predecessor Mohammed Zahir Shah
Successor Muhammad Zahir Khan
Born (1934-09-23) 23 September 1934
Kabul, Afghanistan
Spouse Khatul Begum (m. 1961)
Issue Prince Muhammad Zahir Khan
Prince Muhammad Emel Khan
Princess Hawa Khanum
House Barakzai
Father Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mother Humaira Begum

Ahmad Shah, Crown Prince of Afghanistan (Pashto: أحمد شاه خان, Urdu: أحمد شاه خان; born 23 September 1934 in Arg-i-Shahi, Kabul) is the second son of Mohammed Zahir Shah, the former King of Afghanistan.

Biography

At the time of his birth he was second in the line of succession to the throne after his older brother Muhammed Akbar Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan. However following the death of his brother on 26 November 1942, he became first in the line of succession and the heir apparent and Crown Prince.

He attended Oxford University, the Institut d'études politiques de Paris and later spent time working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

His father's reign ended on 17 July 1973, when he was ousted by a coup with Afghanistan being declared a republic. The Crown Prince was one of fourteen members of the royal family arrested following the coup. He was allowed to leave the country for Rome on 26 July.[1] Following the overthrow of the monarchy, the Crown Prince settled in Virginia, in the United States and took to writing poetry.[2]

Since the death of his father on 23 July 2007, he is the oldest surviving male heir of the last king of Afghanistan.

Unlike his father, he does not possess the official title "Baba-i-Millet-i-Afghanistan" (Father of the Nation of Afghanistan).

Marriage and children

He was married at Kabul in 1961 to Princess Khatul Begum the daughter of Sardar Muhammad Umar Khan Zikeria, by his wife, Princess Sultana Begum. He has two sons and one daughter:

Ancestry

References

  1. Middle East Economic Digest, page 3
  2. The head that wore the Crown

External links

Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan
Born: 23 September 1934
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
King Mohammed Zahir Shah
 TITULAR 
King of Afghanistan
23 July 2007 – present
Reason for succession failure:
Monarchy overthrown in 1973
Incumbent
Heir:
Prince Muhammad Zahir Khan


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