Age, Biography and Wiki

Humaira Begum was born on 24 July, 1918 in Kabul, Afghanistan, is a Queen of Afghanistan from 1933 to 1973. Discover Humaira Begum's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 83 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation N/A
Age 83 years old
Zodiac Sign Leo
Born 24 July 1918
Birthday 24 July
Birthplace Kabul, Afghanistan
Date of death 26 June, 2002
Died Place Rome, Italy
Nationality Afghanistan

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 24 July. He is a member of famous Former with the age 83 years old group.

Humaira Begum Height, Weight & Measurements

At 83 years old, Humaira Begum height not available right now. We will update Humaira Begum's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Humaira Begum's Wife?

His wife is Mohammed Zahir Shah

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Mohammed Zahir Shah
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Humaira Begum Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Humaira Begum worth at the age of 83 years old? Humaira Begum’s income source is mostly from being a successful Former. He is from Afghanistan. We have estimated Humaira Begum's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Former

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Timeline

1918

Humaira Begum (24 July 1918 – 26 June 2002) was the wife and first cousin of King Mohammed Zahir Shah and the last queen consort of Afghanistan.

Humaira Begum was the daughter of Sardar Ahmad Shah Khan, brother of the royal consort Mah Parwar Begum and Minister of the Royal Court, and his first wife Zarin Begum, who was cousin of King Amanullah Khan and eldest daughter of General H.E. Loinab Khush Dil Khan, Governor of Kabul and Kandahar.

1929

King Amanullah Khan had been deposed in 1929 because of discontent partially caused by the example of Queen Soraya Tarzi, who appeared in public with her husband unveiled, and his successor reinstated the veil and gender seclusion and caused a backlash in women's rights.

1930

During the 1930s, the royal women continued to dress in Western fashion inside the enclosed royal palace compound of Kabul, but reverted to covering themselves in the traditional veil when they left the royal compound, and no longer showed themselves in public.

This changed after the Second World War, when modernization reforms were seen as necessary by the government, including reforms in women's position.

1931

She married her first cousin, the Crown Prince of Afghanistan Mohammed Zahir on 7 November 1931 in Kabul.

Mohammed Zahir Shah and Humaira Begum had six sons and two daughters:

1933

On 8 November 1933 after the assassination of her father in law Mohammed Nadir Shah her husband was proclaimed King and Humaira became Queen of Afghanistan.

During the first part of her husband's reign, Queen Humaira did not play a big public role.

1946

In 1946, Queen Humaira became the protector of the newly founded Women's Welfare Association, which was the first-ever Women's Institute in Afghanistan, and signified resuming the women's movement.

1953

When Mohammed Daoud Khan became Prime Minister in 1953, the development toward women's emancipation started to move faster, and the women of the royal family, with the Queen as the central figure, were given an important task as role models in this process.

They started to attend public functions, initially veiled.

1957

The step was carefully prepared by introducing women workers at the Radio Kabul in 1957, sending women delegates to the Asian Women's Conference in Kairo, and employing forty girls to the government pottery factory in 1958.

When this was met with no riots, the government decided it was time for the very controversial step of unveiling.

1959

In 1959, she supported the call by the Prime minister Mohammed Daoud Khan for women to voluntary remove their veil by removing her own.

This was a big event in the history of women in Afghanistan, and it was also an intentional part of the women's emancipation policy of the Daoud Government at that time.

In August 1959 therefore, on the second day of the festival of Jeshyn, Queen Humaira and Princess Bilqis appeared in the royal box at the military parade unveiled, alongside the Prime Minister's wife, Zamina Begum.

This controversial step was met with indignation by the Islamic clergy, and a group of clerics sent a letter of protest to the Prime minister to protest and demand that the words of sharia be respected.

The Prime minister answered by inviting them to the capital and present proof to him that the holy scripture indeed demanded the chadri.

When the clerics could not find such a passage, the Prime Minister declared that the female members of the royal family would no longer wear veils, as the Islamic law did not demand it.

While the chadri was never banned, the example of the Queen and the Prime Minister's wife was followed by the wives and daughters of government officials as well as several urban women of the upper- and middle class, with Kubra Noorzai and Masuma Esmati-Wardak known as the first pioneers among the common citizens.

After this event, Queen Humaira participated in royal representational tasks and attended public functions unveiled.

She engaged in charity and visited hospitals and public events.

1973

On 17 July 1973, while her husband was in Italy undergoing eye surgery as well as therapy for lumbago, his cousin and former Prime Minister Mohammed Daoud Khan, who had been removed from office by Zahir Shah a decade earlier, staged a coup d'état and established a republican government.

In the August following this coup, Zahir Shah abdicated rather than risk an all-out civil war.

Queen Humaira had remained in Afghanistan when her husband departed to Italy for his surgery, and was thus present in Afghanistan during the coup.

She was not harmed, but kept in house arrest in her residence, as several other members of the royal family, until they were allowed to depart to join Zahir Shah in Italy.

Humaira and Zahir Shah spent their twenty-nine years in exile in Italy living in a relatively modest four-bedroom villa in the affluent community of Olgiata on Via Cassia, north of the city of Rome.

The king had never put money into foreign bank accounts, and thus depended on the generosity of friends.

Just weeks before she was to return to Afghanistan and be reunited with her husband who recently had returned, Begum was admitted to hospital with breathing problems and heart trouble and died two days later.

Her body was returned to Afghanistan and was greeted at the airport by military personnel, tribal representatives in traditional robes, and cabinet ministers from Hamid Karzai's government.

Memorial and funeral services were also held for her in two Kabul mosques.

Her remains were buried in the Royal Mausoleum in Kabul.