King Farouk I

Egypt’s Last King

Farouk I became King of Egypt when he was only 16 years old in 1936 after his father, King Fouad I, passed away. He was born on 11 February 1920 in Cairo, into a royal family that had ruled Egypt for over 100 years. His grandfather, Khedive Ismail, helped build the famous Suez Canal.

Farouk had a very different childhood from most children. He didn’t go to regular school or make friends outside the palace. Instead, private tutors from Europe and Istanbul taught him subjects like history and maths. When he was 16, Farouk went to a military school in London, but he didn’t like the strict rules and spent more time shopping and collecting fancy cars. Later that year, when his father died, he became king. At first, many Egyptians hoped their young king would make the country a better place, but being king wasn’t easy. Farouk had to deal with a lot of problems, including political arguments and British interference.

Did You Know?

Farouk was affectionately called “The Beloved King” during the early years of his reign.
Farouk had a passion for automobiles and owned over 200 luxury cars, including rare models from Rolls-Royce and Ferrari.
He was an avid collector of coins, stamps, and art, with some collections worth millions of pounds.
Farouk’s first trip to the Pyramids of Giza happened after he became king—despite growing up just miles away.
Farouk was the first Egyptian monarch to address his people via live radio, using classical Arabic to connect with citizens.
When King Farouk had to abdicate He had to step down and no longer be king in 1952, he joked that soon only five kings would be left: “the King of England and the four kings in a deck of cards.”
After abdicating, Farouk moved to Italy, where he lived a very fancy lifestyle. In 1965, he died suddenly after collapsing during a big meal at a restaurant, and many believe he had a heart attack.