King Mohammed VI of Morocco celebrates his 51st birthday on 21 August. The Moroccan royal is expected to mark his birthday with his family including wife Princess Lalla Salma and their two children. To honour the king’s birthday, HELLO! Online has gathered a list of ten facts you may not have known about the royal.
King Mohammed VI with Barack Obama
1. Mohammed was born on 21 August 1963, the eldest son and second child of King Hassan II and his wife Lalla Latifa Hammou.
2. From the moment he was born, Mohammed was made heir apparent and titled 'Crown Prince'.
A young King Mohammed with his sister
3. In March 2002, Mohammed married Salma Bennani, who became ‘Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Salma’ in a stunning religious ceremony.
After the wedding, the royal palace released photos of the event breaking royal tradition by acknowledging the new Moroccan bride.
4. A year after their beautiful nuptials, Mohammed became a father for the first time when the princess gave birth to their first child Crown Prince Moulay Hassan in May 2003, who was followed by their first daughter, Princess Lalla Khadija, in February 2007.
Princess Lalla Salma and King Mohammed VI on their wedding day
5. On July 23, 1999, Mohammed became King of Morocco after his father King Hassan II passed away. 6. Mohammed’s official title is ‘His Majesty the King Mohammed the Sixth, Commander of the Faithful, may God grant him Victory’.
Princess Lalla Salma, King King Mohammed VI and their children Prince Moulay Hassan and Princess Lalla Khadija
7. The king has received many foreign honours including the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in 1980 by Queen Elizabeth II.
8. Mohammed is close friends with King Abdullah II of Jordan and the two have supported one another since becoming kings in the same year of 1999, after their fathers’ deaths.
King Mohammed with Prince Charles
9. He has been praised across his country and the world for improving Morocco, which has included giving women more power and dealing with the country’s poverty by creating more jobs. As part of his royal duties, Mohammed welcomes royals from around the world to Morocco including a recent visit by King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain.
10. He shares his birthday with Olympic runner Usain Bolt, actress Hayden Panettiere and Keeping up with the Kardashians star Brody Jenner.