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HT This Day: July 27, 1952 -- King Farouk of Egypt abdicates
King Farouk, ruler of Egypt for 17 years, abdicated at noon today at the demand of the armed forces led by F.-M. Naguib, leader of this week’s ‘ coup.’ He was asked to leave the country by 6 p.m. today.
King Farouk, ruler of Egypt for 17 years, abdicated at noon today at the demand of the armed forces led by F.-M. Naguib, leader of this week’s ‘ coup.’ He was asked to leave the country by 6 p.m. today.
His abdication was announced by the court. It brings to the throne his seven-month-old son by Queen Narriman, whom he married last year. The announcement added the 32-year-old ex-King Farouk would live in the U.S.A.
He sailed from Alexandria today with Narriman. With them was the seven-month-old Crown Prince, Ahmed Faud. His two eldest daughters by his first wife, Farida, were also on board the royal yacht, Mahrgussa.
The baby king is to return to Egypt at the age of seven. A Regency Council of three has been formed to manage royal affairs during his minority.
The Council consists of the Prime Minister, A1y Maher Pasha, Bahieddin Barakat Pasha, former President of the State Audit Council, and Abdul Razzek Sanhury Pasha, President of the State Council (Egypt’s Supreme Court).
At the very moment when the ex-King was boarding the yacht at Alexandria, a colonel at G.H.Q. of the Egyptian Army in Cairo smashed a portrait of the ex-King hanging in the entrance hall. All his portraits in Government offices, barracks and public buildings met the same fate. As he stood on the deck of the royal yacht while it weighed anchor, tears came to the ex-King’s eyes.
Mr Jefferson Caffery, U.S. Ambassador, saw the Royal exiles off at Alexandria. The Envoy had met the King before the latter abdicated and handed a message from the U.S. Government.
Before the ex-King boarded the yacht at Alexandria’s royal jetty. a bodyguard lowered the royal standard, folded it and handed it to the former monarch. Tears were streaming down the faces of the bodyguard. A military band played the Egyptian national anthem, and so Farouk, who was dressed in the uniform of an Egyptian admiral, took the last salute.
As the yacht cleared the harbour and put to sea, all vessels, from fishing trawlers to oceangoing liners, dipped their flags. Jet aircraft zoomed continuously overhead as the ship left.
King Farouk’s decision was made known to Egypt’s 20 million population in a statement saying. “ I wish my dear people of Egypt happiness, prosperity and progress.”
Farouk’s position became hopeless when, before dawn today, strong armoured units of the I army, led by F.-M. Naguib, author of this week’s military coup, surrounded the Royal Palace of Ras el Tin, the King’s summer residence in Alexandria.
While F.-M. Naguib’s forces and royal bodyguards faced each other across the railings of the palace courtyard, F.-M. Naguib and the Premier, Aly Maher Pasha, went into momentous conferences.
There was an exchange of shots -fired in the air by both sides between F.-M. Naguib’s forces and the palace guards. No one was hurt.
A spokesman at the Army H.Q. said the military action in no way threatened Egypt’s century-old monarchy, which was founded by Farouk’s great-grandfather, Mohamed Aly the Great.
The King, the spokesman added, had yielded to the armed forces demand for his abdication and was free to leave Egypt by any means he chose by 6 p.m. (local time) today.
While the drama was being enacted in the Ras el Tin Palace, Egyptian forces took up key positions in Cairo and Alexandria. Four-engined bombers zoomed overhead. The public remained calm.
F.-M. Naguib’s forces surrounded the King’s four main palaces in their action-the Abdin and Koubbeh palaces in Cairo and the Montazah besides the Ras-el-Tin in Alexandria. The small number of guards at the palaces surrendered to Naguib’s forces.
Today’s action-already known as “ operation palace “-appeared to be as well planned as Wednesday’s putsch which gave control of the country to F.-M. Naguib and the younger generation of army officers.
While “ operation palace “ was being carried out in Alexandria, Cairo bristled with military activity. Sherman tanks, armoured cars and other mechanized forces raced through the streets and squares. Troops in full battledress guarded strategic centres. Egyptian Air Force planes flew over the city.
Citizens lining the streets cheered the troops. Fez-capped men embraced and kissed each other. There were shouts of “ Naguib---Egypt’s liberator.”
Womenfolk crowding the balconies greeted the passing troops with the shrill “ zagalit “-a bugle-like sound Droduced by a twisting movement of the tongue, traditionally meant to celebrate happy events.
Latest indications are that F -M. Naguib has the situation under control both in Alexandria and Cairo.
