| Prince Moulay Rachid | |
| Full Name: | Rachid El Alaoui |
| Suc-Type: | Second in Line |
| Royal House: | Alaouite |
| House-Type: | Dynasty |
| Father: | Hassan II |
| Mother: | Princess Lalla Latifa |
| Birth Date: | 20 June 1970 |
| Birth Place: | Rabat, Morocco |
| Issue: | Prince Moulay Ahmed Prince Moulay Abdeslam |
| Religion: | Islam |
Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco, also known as Prince Moulay Rachid ben al-Hassan, (Arabic: الأمير مولاي رشيد بن الحسن; born 20 June 1970) is a member of the Alawi dynasty. He was the youngest child of the late King Hassan II and his wife, Lalla Latifa. He holds a doctorate in international politics. He is currently second in the line of succession to the Moroccan throne.
Prince Moulay Rachid is the second son, fifth and youngest child of King Hassan II and his wife, Lalla Latifa Hammou. Prince Moulay Rachid has four older sibling, Princess Lalla Meryem, King Mohammed VI, Princess Lalla Asma and Princess Lalla Hasna.
After primary and secondary studies at the Royal College in Rabat and obtaining his Baccalauréat in June 1989, he entered Mohammed V University in this very city to start his higher studies in law. In May 1993, Prince Moulay Rachid obtained his Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) majoring in economic and social law. The same year the Prince received his License to Practice Law – Public Law. In 1994, he was promoted to the rank of Senior colonel of the Royal Navy.[1] On 29 June 1995, the Prince completed his graduate studies and received a Master of Law (LL.M.) in Political Science. The Bosnia question was the subject of his research and the thesis that the Prince presented and supported publicly. In order to complete his training for his postgraduate education, in November 1993, the Prince started an internship with the United Nations in New York. On 21 June 1996, the Prince successfully completed the written and oral tests for his postgraduate education and received a postgraduate Degree in International Relations. In July 2000, he obtained the rank of Brigadier general of the Royal Navy.[2] On 18 May 2001, the Prince presented his doctorate thesis on the Organisation of the Islamic Conference at the Université Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV, which merited a specific mention for the quality of his work.
In 1999, Moulay Rachid became crown prince following the death of his father and the enthronement of his brother King Mohammed VI, and remained as such until 2003, with the birth of his nephew Moulay Hassan. The Prince is now second in line to the throne.
In 1999, a few analysts like Nicolas Beau and Catherine Graciet argued that Moulay Rachid might be better suited for the job of the king than his brother. They expressed their concern that Mohammed VI might not have adequate expertise to deal with militant Islamists.[3]
On 5 February 2008, Fouad Mourtada was arrested on suspicion of stealing the identity of Moulay Rachid by creating a fake profile on Facebook as a joke. Although the prince did not seek to press charges, on 23 February, Fouad Mourtada was sentenced to three years in jail and fined 10,000 dirhams (~US$1,350).[4] After local protests and international criticism, Fouad Mourtada was granted a royal pardon on 19 March 2008 just days before an appeal hearing.[5] [6]
On 15 June 2014 he married, during the initial Moroccan wedding ceremony: the sadaq ceremony, his second cousin Oum Kalthum Boufarès, who is daughter of Moulay El Mamoun Boufarès, former Minister of Interior, and paternal granddaughter of Lalla Khadija (a sister of Mohammed V).[7] And on 13 and 14 November[8] of the same year took place their zafaf (or celebration of marriage) at Dar al-Makhzen in Rabat. His wife, henceforth Lalla Oum Kalthum, was granted by King Mohammed VI the title of Princess and the status of Royal Highness on 8 June 2017.[9] [10] Their first child, a son, Moulay Ahmed was born on 23 June 2016. The couple have two children, referred to as Highnesses. Moulay Rachid being second in line to the throne, his sons are respectively 3rd and 4th in line.
On 14 October 2022, Moulay Rachid tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently missed the state opening of parliament for that year.[11]
Moulay Rachid occasionally serves Morocco as a diplomat, representing his brother King Mohammed VI at foreign engagements. On 22 October 2019, he attended the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito of Japan.[14] On 19 September 2022, Rachid attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.[15] [16]
On 7 November 2022, Rachid attended the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference that took place in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.[17] [18] [19]
On 20 December 2022, Moulay Rachid, along with King Mohammed VI and Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, received the members of the Moroccan national football team at the Royal Palace in Rabat, after their brilliant performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[20] [21]
PortugalGrand Cross of the Military Order of Aviz (13 August 1998).[24]