Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan

Ahmad Shah, Crown Prince of Afghanistan (Dari: احمد شاه خان, Pashto: احمد شاه خان born 23 September 1934 in Arg-i-Shahi, Kabul) is the second son of Mohammed Zahir Shah, the former King of Afghanistan. He holds the title of Head of the House of Barakzai since his father's death in 2007.

Ahmad Shah Khan احمد شاه خان
Crown Prince of Afghanistan
1963 portrait
Head of House of Barakzai
Tenure	23 July 2007 – present
Predecessor	Mohammed Zahir Shah
Heir apparent	Prince Muhammad Zahir Khan
Born	23 September 1934 Kabul, Afghanistan
Spouse	Khatul Begum ​ (m. 1961)​
Issue	Prince Muhammad Zahir Khan Prince Muhammad Emel Khan Princess Hawa Khanum
House	Barakzai
Father	Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mother	Humaira Begum
Religion	Sunni Islam

Styles of Ahmad Shah
Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Highness
Alternative style	Sir

Biography

At the time of his birth he was second in the line of succession to the throne after his older brother Muhammed Akbar Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan. However following the death of his brother on 26 November 1942, he became first in the line of succession and the heir apparent and Crown Prince.

He was educated first at Esteqlal High School, and College of Military Science, in Kabul.

Later he attended the University of Oxford, the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (IEP) and later spent time working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

His father's reign ended on 17 July 1973, when he was ousted by a coup with Afghanistan being declared a republic. The Crown Prince was one of fourteen members of the royal family arrested following the coup. He was allowed to leave the country for Rome on 26 July.[1] Following the overthrow of the monarchy, the Crown Prince settled in the state of Virginia, United States and took to writing poetry.[2]

Since the death of his father on 23 July 2007, he is the oldest surviving male heir of the last king of Afghanistan.

Unlike his father, he does not possess the official title "Baba-e-Melat-e-Afghanistan" (Father of the Nation of Afghanistan).

Marriage and children

He was married at Kabul in 1961 to Princess Khatul Begum, daughter of Sardar Muhammad Umar Khan Zikeria, by his wife, Princess Sultana Begum, fourth daughter of Muhammad Nadir Shah, King of Afghanistan (d. 1933). He has two sons and one daughter:

• Prince Muhammad Zahir Khan (born 26 May 1962). He married Princess Oshila Begum (b. 1958). They have a daughter:
  • Princess Roxanne Khanum (born 1988).
• Prince Muhammad Emel Khan (born 1969).
• Princess Hawa Khanum (born 27 October 1963). She married Sultan Muhammad Nawaz (b. 1963).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan

16. Sardar Mohammad Yahya Khan, Governor of Kabul 8. Sardar Mohammed Yusuf Khan, Governor of Herat 17. Hamdan Sultana Begum 4. Mohammed Nadir Shah 18. Ali Ahmad Mirza, Khan Bahadur 9. Sharaf Sultana Hukumat Begum 2. Mohammed Zahir Shah 20. Sardar Mohammad Yahya Khan, Governor of Kabul (= 16) 10. Sardar Muhammad Asif Khan 21. Hamdan Sultana Begum (= 17) 5. Mah Parwar Begum 22. (= 26) 11. Murwarid Begum 23. (= 27) 1. Ahmad Shah Khan 24. Sardar Mohammad Yahya Khan, Governor of Kabul (= 16) 12. Sardar Muhammad Asif Khan (= 10) 25. Hamdan Sultana Begum (= 17) 6. Sardar Ahmad Shah Khan 26. (= 22) 13. Murwarid Begum (= 11) 27. (= 23) 3. Humaira Begum 28. Loinab Sher Dil Khan, Governor of Balkh 14. Loinab Khush Dil Khan, Governor of Kabul and Kandahar 7. Zarin Begum 30. Sardar Dost Mohammad Khan 15. Sahira Begum 31. A daughter of Sardar Agha Muhammad Khan Qizilbash

References

1. Middle East Economic Digest, page 3
2. The head that wore the Crown