Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco
Encyclopedia
Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco, also known as Prince Moulay Rachid ben al-Hassan was born on 20 June 1970 in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...

 as the youngest male child of the late King Hassan II
Hassan II of Morocco
King Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...

. He holds a doctorate
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...

 in international politics and serves Morocco as a diplomat. He is currently 2nd in the line of succession to the Moroccan throne
Alaouite Dynasty
The Alaouite Dynasty is the name of the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of its founder Moulay Ali Cherif who became Prince of Tafilalt in 1631. His son Mulay r-Rshid was able to unite and pacify the country...

.

Early life and education

After primary and secondary studies at the Royal College
Royal College
A Royal College in some Commonwealth countries is technically a college which has received permission to use the prefix Royal. Permission is usually granted through a Royal Charter. The charter normally confers a constitution with perpetual succession and the right to sue or be sued independently...

 in Rabat and obtaining the Baccalauréat
Baccalauréat
The baccalauréat , often known in France colloquially as le bac, is an academic qualification which French and international students take at the end of the lycée . It was introduced by Napoleon I in 1808. It is the main diploma required to pursue university studies...

 in June 1989, His Royal Highness entered Mohammed V University
Mohammed V University
Mohammed V University was founded in 1957 under a royal decree . It is the first modern university in Morocco.The university is named after Mohammed V d. 1961, the former King of Morocco. In 1993, it was divided into two independent universities:* Mohammed V University at Agdal* Mohammed V...

 in Rabat to start his higher studies in Law. In May 1993, Prince Moulay Rachid obtained his Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) majoring in economic and social law. The same year the Prince received his License to Practice Law – Public Law
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...

 with the mention “very good”. On 29 June 1995, the Prince completed his graduate Studies and received a Master of Law (LL.M.) in Political Science, with mention “very good”. The Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...

 question was the subject of his research and the thesis that the Prince presented and supported publicly. In order to complete his training for his postgraduate education, in November 1993, the Prince started an internship with the United Nations in New York. On 18 May 2001, the Prince presented his doctorate thesis on the Organisation of the Islamic Conference at the Université Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV, which merited a specific mention for the quality of his work. On 21 June 1996, the Prince successfully completed the written and oral tests for his post graduate education and received a Post-graduate Degree in International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...

, with mention “very good”.

In addition to his native language Arabic, the Prince speaks English, French, and Spanish.

Military career

In July 1994, Prince Moulay Rachid was promoted to the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

 in the Royal Moroccan Navy
Royal Moroccan Navy
The Royal Navy of Morocco is a branch of the military of Morocco responsible of conducting naval operations.The Royal Moroccan Navy is administratively managed by the Adminsitration of Defence, which is commanded by King Mohammed VI - Mission :The Royal Moroccan Navy is part of the Moroccan Armed...

. In July 2000, Prince Moulay Rachid was promoted to the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...

.

Activities

  • Since April 1997, Prince Moulay Rachid has been president of the National Federation of Moroccan Scouting
    Fédération Nationale du Scoutisme Marocain
    The Fédération Nationale du Scoutisme Marocain is the national federation of several Scouting organizations of Morocco. It was founded in 1933, and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1961...

    .

  • Prince Moulay Rachid an amateur of golf and has represented Morocco professionally. In 2000, he founded the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association, which is hosting the Hassan II Golf Trophy
    Hassan II Golf Trophy
    The Hassan II Golf Trophy is a golf tournament in Morocco presided by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid. It was held at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat until it moved to Agadir in 2011....

    .

  • In 2001 Prince Moulay Rachid initiated the Marrakech International Film Festival Foundation
    Marrakech International Film Festival Foundation
    Marrakech International Film Festival Foundation was established in 2001 by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid and was endowed with the presidency of His Royal Highness...

     (MIFFF) and Marrakech International Film Festival.

  • He is the president of the Royal Moroccan Federation for Hunting Shotgun Shooting.


Prince Moulay Rachid is also the honorary president of:
  • Grand Heart Association (2006)
  • Moroccan Falconers Association Al-Noubala (2007)
  • Royal Moroccan Yachting Federation
  • Royal Moroccan Skiing and Mountaineering Federation
  • Moroccan Environmental Protection Association, Moroccan – Far East Association
  • Spanish Social Service Association, Maghreb Association for Research and the Fight Against AIDS
  • Moroccan Association of Law Students in France.

Family

Prince Moulay Rachid is the second son and the fifth child of King Hassan II and his wife, Lalla Latifa Hammou
Lalla Latifa Hammou
Lalla Latifa Hammou is the widow of king Hassan II and the mother of Princess Lalla Meryem, King Mohammed VI, Princess Lalla Asma, Princess Lalla Hasna and Prince Moulay Rachid.. , Evening Times Although she never held the title of "Queen," she is referred to using terms such as "mother of the...

. Prince Moulay Rachid has one older brother King Mohammed VI
Mohammed VI of Morocco
Mohammed VI is the present King of Morocco and Amir al-Mu'minin . He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father.-Education:...

 and three sisters Princess Lalla Meryem
Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco
Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco is first daughter and eldest child of the late King Hassan II of Morocco and his wife Lalla Latifa Hammou.After she obtained her Baccalaureat in 1981, Princess Lalla Meryem was appointed by her father as the President of Social Works of the Royal Army Forces.In...

, Princess Lalla Asma
Princess Lalla Asma of Morocco
Princess Lalla Asma of Morocco is the second daughter and third eldest child of Hassan II of Morocco and his wife Lalla Latifa Hammou.Lalla Asma married Khalid Bouchentouf in 1987...

 and Princess Lalla Hasna
Princess Lalla Hasna of Morocco
Princess Lalla Hasna of Morocco is the youngest daughter of the late King Hassan II and his wife, Lalla Latifa Hammou. She is sister to the current king, Mohammed VI and Prince Moulay Rachid....

.

Prince Moulay Rachid as heir to the Moroccan throne

In 1999, after the death of his father and the enthronement of his older brother King Mohammed VI
Mohammed VI of Morocco
Mohammed VI is the present King of Morocco and Amir al-Mu'minin . He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father.-Education:...

, the prince became crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....

, but in 2002 his brother conferred this position to his own newborn son Moulay Hassan
Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco
Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco is the current heir apparent to the Moroccan throne. He is the oldest child of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and his wife Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, and has a younger sister, Princess Lalla Khadija....

. The Prince is now a second in line to the Alaouite
Alaouite Dynasty
The Alaouite Dynasty is the name of the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of its founder Moulay Ali Cherif who became Prince of Tafilalt in 1631. His son Mulay r-Rshid was able to unite and pacify the country...

 throne.

In 1999, a few Moroccan and international governments and analysts argued that Prince Moulay Rachid might be better suited for the job of the king than his brother Mohammed VI. They expressed their concern that Mohammed VI might not have adequate expertise to deal with the Islamists.

The Fouad Mourtada controversy

On Tuesday 5 February 2008, Fouad Mourtada was arrested on suspicion of stealing the identity of Prince Moulay Rachid and creating a false profile on Facebook despite the fact that Prince Moulay Rachid did not sue him. On 23 February, Fouad Mourtada was sentenced to 3 years in jail and fined 10,000 dirhams (~1,350 US Dollars). After local protests and international criticism, Fouad Mourtada was granted a royal pardon on 19 March 2008 just days before an appeal hearing.

External links

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