Background
Humaira Begum was the daughter of Sardar Ahmad Shah Khan and his first wife Zarin Begum.
Humaira Begum was the daughter of Sardar Ahmad Shah Khan and his first wife Zarin Begum.
In 1946 Queen Humaira created the Women"s Society which was the first ever women"s institute in Afghanistan. In 1959 she supported the call by the Prime minister Mohammed Daoud Khan for women to voluntary remove their veil by removing her own. Daoud Khan had been removed from office by Zahir Shah a decade earlier.
In the August following this coup, Zahir Shah abdicated rather than risk an all-out civil war.
Humaira and Zahir Shah spent their twenty-nine years in exile in Italy living in a relatively modest four-bedroom villa in the affluent community of Olgiata on Via Cassia, north of the city of Rome. The king never had feathered any nests in foreign bank accounts, and he depended on the generosity of friends.
Her body was returned to Afghanistan and was greeted at the airport by military personnel, tribal representatives in traditional robes, and cabinet ministers from Hamid Karzai"s government. Memorial and funeral services were also held for her in two Kabul mosques.
Her remains were buried in the Royal Mausoleum in Kabul.
National honours Foreign honours.
Member 1st Class of the Order of the Supreme Sun (08/11/1933). Dame Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (01/01/1950). Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (07/08/1963). Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown (14/04/1969). Member 1st Class of the Order of the Pleiades (03/1950).
