Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra

Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra of Morocco died on Sept. 15. Cause of death was not released. She was 77.
Born in 1926, Zohra was the daughter of Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz, and King Muhammed VI ben Hassan’s sister. Unlike other princesses of the time, Zohra received a European education. This liberal upbringing instilled a sense of independence in Zohra, so she was horrified when her father arranged a marriage with his cousin, Prince Moulay Ben El Mehdi Alaoui. Despite her protests, Zohra was engaged to the prince when she was 16 years old.
Shortly after the betrothal, the sultan died, leaving Zohra in charge of his household and harem. Until her marriage five years later, Zohra trained with the Red Cross and worked as a nurse.
When Morocco gained its independence from France in 1957, Zohra’s husband became the first ambassador to London. Zohra reveled in her newfound freedom, and was noted in the British press for her shopping excursions and jaunts to the theatre and ballet.
After a tour through Italy, the couple returned to Morocco where Zohra began a career in social philanthropy. Known as the “Princess of the Poor,” Zohra encouraged women to educate their daughters and to move back the age of marriage. She also served as the chairwoman of the Moroccan Women National Union, an organization that helped thousands of women gain economic self-sufficiency.
In 2001, Zohra denounced the media’s lack of sensitivity on “the serious threat of AIDS.” Morocco had previously shunned the public discussion of the disease. This year, she was appointed a Commander of the Legion d’Honneur.