Born: 1921 (Janaklis, Alexandria)
Died: 1988
Biography:
Farida (born Safinaz Zulficar Arabic: صافيناز ذو الفقار; 5 September 1921 16 October 1988) was the Queen of Egypt for nearly eleven years as the first wife of King Farouk. She was the first queen of Egypt since antiquity to have left seclusion and played a public representational role, attending public functions and acting as the honorary protector of charities, in accordance with the modern image the monarchy wished to represent at the time.
Farida was born as Safinaz Zulficar on 5 September 1921 to an Egyptian noble family in Janaklis, Alexandria. Her father, Youssef Zulficar Pasha, was a judge of Turkish origin; he was also the vice president of the Alexandria Mixed Court of Appeals. Her mother, Zainab Sa’id, was a lady-in-waiting of Queen Nazli Sabri. On her mother’s side, Farida’s uncle was the artist and lawyer Mahmoud Sa’id, and her grandfather was the former prime minister of Egypt, Muhammad Said Pasha, who was also of Turkish origin.
Farida received her elementary and primary education at Notre Dame de Sion in Alexandria, a school run by French nuns.
Farida and King Farouk first met on a royal trip to London in 1937. They were engaged in the summer of 1937 and married on 20 January 1938 at Qubba Palace in Cairo, Egypt. She was renamed Farida as her reginal name in accordance with the royal naming convention initiated by King Fuad I, that members of the royal family should bear the same initials. She wore a wedding gown designed by The House of Worth in Paris.
During their marriage, Farida gave birth to three daughters: Princess Ferial, Princess Fawzia, and Princess Fadia. However, after the birth of their third daughter, Farouk divorced her on 19 November 1948. Farouk took care of the first two daughters, while Farida raised and cared for the youngest one after the divorce.
In a culture where motherhood was deemed the only priority for women, Farida’s position as a queen presented a unique opportunity for female emancipation. With the influence of the West, the role of the first lady and queen gained higher significance. Queen Farida, unlike her predecessors, did not live in seclusion but instead assumed a public role. This marked a significant shift in the representation of the royal house to the Western world.
Queen Farida attended public functions and acted as the honorary protector of charities. She played a crucial role in promoting the modern image of the monarchy and its focus on philanthropy. Her public presence, in contrast to the traditional role of queens, showcased a new era in Egypt’s royal history.
Queen Farida’s tenure as Queen of Egypt came to an end after the divorce from King Farouk. Despite the dissolution of her marriage, her impact on society as a progressive and active queen cannot be overlooked. Farida paved the way for future queens of Egypt to play a more public and influential role, setting a new standard that transcended traditional expectations. Her contributions to women’s history lie in her ability to challenge societal norms and promote the role of women in public life.