Princess Fawzia was the second daughter of King Farouk I of Egypt from his first wife Queen Farida.
Background
Born in Abdeen Palace in Cairo in the fourth year of her father"s reign, Fawzia was named after her paternal aunt, who was reportedly King Farouk"s favourite sister. Princess Fawzia was 12 years old when the July 1952 Revolution forced her father"s abdication and departure from Egypt.
Career
Two years later, the three young princesses were sent to a Swiss boarding school by the king. She took flying lessons and obtained a pilot"s licence. A professional sailor, she managed to reach the rank of captain, and was also a passionate scuba diver.
She was multilingual in French, English, Italian, Spanish and Arabic, and passed an exam which qualified her to work as a simultaneous interpreter in Switzerland.
She had not inherited a significant sum and relied on her interpreting job to earn a living. Although she had lost her royal status, Princess Fawzia remained strongly attached to her homeland, and visited Egypt as often as she could.
In 1995 Princess Fawzia was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which left her paralysed and bedridden. She died in Lausanne on 27 January 2005.
Membership
Her body was flown to Cairo where she was buried at First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Rifa"i Mosque, as traditional for members of the Egyptian royal family on 30 January.