Ahmad Shah Khan

Vorlage:Infobox royalty Vorlage:History of Afghanistan Ahmad Shah, Crown Prince of Afghanistan (Pashto: أحمد شاه خان, Urdu: أحمد شاه خان; born 23 September 1934 in Arg-i-Shahi, Kabul) is the second son of Mohammed Zahir Shah, the former King of Afghanistan, and the pretender to the former throne of Afghanistan.

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 November 26, 1942, he became first in the line of succession and the heir apparent and Crown Prince.

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

His father's reign ended on July 17, 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 July 26.^[1] Following the overthrow of the monarchy, the Crown Prince settled in Virginia and took to writing poetry.^[2]

Since the death of his father on July 23, 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-i-Millet-i-Afghanistan" (Father of the Nation of Afghanistan).

Marriage and children

He was married at Kabul in 1961 to Princess Khatul Begum the daughter of Sardar Muhammad Umar Khan Zikeria, by his wife, Princess Sultana Begum. He has two sons and one daughter:

Prince Muhammad Zahir Khan (born 1962). If he becomes king he will be known as King Mohammad VIII.
Prince Muhammad Emel Khan (born 1969).
Princess Hawa Khanum (born 1963).