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Ra'ad bin Zeid

Prince Ra'ad bin Zeid
Pretender
Born (1936-02-18) 18 February 1936 (age 81)
Berlin, Third Reich
Title(s) Prince of Iraq and Syria
Throne(s) claimed Kingdom of Iraq
Pretend from 18 October 1970
Monarchy abolished 1958
Last monarch Faisal II
Connection with 2nd Cousin
Royal House Hashemite
Father Prince Zeid
Mother Princess Fahrelnissa
Spouse Margaretha Lind
Children Prince Zeid
Prince Mired
Prince Firas
Prince Faisal
Princess Fakhrelnissa
Predecessor Prince Zeid

Prince Ra'ad bin Zeid (Arabic: الأمير رعد بن زيد‎‎; born 18 February 1936) is the son of Prince Zeid of the Hashemite House and Princess Fahrelnissa Zeid (Fakhr un-nisa), a Turkish noblewoman. Upon the death of his father on October 18, 1970, he inherited the position as head of the Royal Houses of Iraq and Syria. Ra'ad has lived in London and Paris. The Kingdom of Jordan has confirmed his style as His Royal Highness and Prince.

Prince Raad was born in Berlin, where his father was Iraqi ambassador at the time. He is an agnatic grandson of the late king Hussein of Hejaz, his father prince Zeid being king Hussein's youngest son. As such he is a first cousin of late kings Talal of Jordan and Ghazi of Iraq.

Raad's paternal first cousin once removed was Faisal II, the last king of Iraq, who was killed in a bloody coup d'état on 14 July 1958 (Crown Prince Abd-al-Illah was also killed). Following the regicide, Prince Zeid, Raad's father, took the representation of Iraqi monarchy as the next heir, and was recognized as the Head of the Royal House of Iraq by his remaining agnatic co-heirs of Jordan. They continued to live in London, where the family resided during the coup, as Zeid was the Iraqi ambassador there.

Raad himself succeeded his father as all such at the latter's death in 1970 in exile in France.

He was educated in Alexandria, Egypt, and at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1960, promoted to MA in 1963.


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