Lalla Salma of Morocco: The Other Absence in Rabat No One Talks About Anymore

For years, the ex-wife of Mohammed VI was a powerful diplomatic asset, representing the modernity of Morocco. Five years ago, her international profile suddenly plummeted.

The summit between Spain and Morocco currently taking place in Rabat has been overshadowed by the absence of King Mohammed VI. Given the importance of the meeting, it was assumed that the king would personally receive President Pedro Sánchez, but this did not happen. According to the government, the meeting was replaced yesterday by a phone call in which the Alaouite monarch invited Sánchez to make an official visit to Morocco « soon. »

Lacking further explanations, media outlets like El Confidencial have linked the king’s absence to a vacation abroad that he did not want to interrupt. Additionally, his marital status has been cited, as since his separation from his wife, Princess Lalla Salma, Mohammed VI’s growing interest in leisure has reportedly led him to neglect his diplomatic relations.

While more details of the king’s invitation to Pedro Sánchez are awaited, it is certain that Princess Lalla Salma will not participate in the official visit’s program. Most likely, there will be no news of her in the coming months, despite her reportedly still living in Rabat. Since separating from the king, the former first lady of Morocco has fallen into obscurity and has not been seen in public for years.

The last known information about her is from last year, when, on the occasion of her 44th birthday, the Moroccan weekly Assahifa updated the news about her whereabouts. According to the outlet, Princess Lalla Salma celebrated her birthday at a royal family estate in Rabat, « where she resides almost permanently. » The report added that she lives there with her daughter, Princess Khadija, and receives regular visits from other members of the royal family.

Married to Mohammed VI in 2002, Princess Lalla Salma was a significant diplomatic asset for Morocco for years, especially in promoting the country’s modern image abroad. She was the first consort of a Moroccan king to have the official title of royal highness and played a public role in the country similar to Queen Rania of Jordan. An IT engineering graduate, the king’s consort was deeply committed to cancer advocacy and, as a WHO goodwill ambassador, often traveled abroad to participate in related events, including in New York.

In Morocco, she frequently participated in the programs of visits from foreign dignitaries like Macron, accompanying their spouses in various social and cultural activities.

Her elegance earned her praise from fashion magazines, making her an ideal figure for globally impactful events, such as the inauguration of the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech in the fall of 2017, one of the last official events she attended as a member of the royal family.

Weeks later, Lalla Salma’s international profile collapsed abruptly. The princess disappeared from public life for months, a mystery unresolved until March 2018 when ¡Hola! magazine reported that she and the king had separated.

The news was confirmed the following year when a royal family lawyer referred to her as the ex-wife of King Mohammed VI in an official statement.

In the last five years, Princess Lalla Salma has only been seen in public enough to quash rumors that she had been separated from her children or possibly detained. In 2019, she attended the inauguration of an exhibition in Rabat and was seen weeks earlier in New York enjoying a day of shopping with her children, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Princess Lalla Khadija.

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