Hassan II

Articles

• Former Moroccan Royal Castle in France Listed as World’s Most Expensive Property
  18 February, by Sylvanus

  The former castle of King Mohammed VI, inherited from his father, the late Hassan II, located in the commune of Gretz-Armainvilliers, in Seine-et-Marne, is the most expensive in the world. The jewel has been put up for sale at a high price.
  This Anglo-Norman style manor was built in 1884 by the Rothschild family in place of the old 17th century building, on an area of 1,100 hectares of land. The estate extends over two other villages, Tournan-en-Brie and Favières, on the edge of an (…)

• Former Moroccan Royal Estate in France Listed for Record $180 Million
  7 April, by Sylvanus

  Considered the most expensive property for sale in France, the former castle of King Mohammed VI, inherited from his father, the late Hassan II, located in Tournan-en-Brie (Seine-et-Marne), on a 1100 ha property straddling Tournan, Gretz-Armainvilliers and Favières, is looking for a buyer.
  Who will be able to buy the Gretz-Armainvilliers castle? Previously, it had been put up for sale for 425 million euros. For almost a year now, the former property of the King of Morocco has been offered (…)

• Gilles Perrault, Author of Controversial Hassan II Biography, Dies at 92
  4 August 2023, by Said

  Writer and activist Gilles Perrault, known in particular for his work "Our friend the king", on King Hassan II, died at the age of 92 from a heart attack, according to information provided by his family.
  The author, whose real name was Jacques Peyroles, had started his career as a lawyer before turning to journalism and literature. Beyond his novels, including the famous spy novel "The File 51", he was known for his positions against racism and for the legalization of euthanasia.
  In (…)

• Former French President Giscard d’Estaing’s Support for Morocco in Sahara Dispute Caused Rift with Chirac
  7 December 2020, by Sylvanus

  The former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, who died on December 2, was an ally of King Hassan II on the Sahara issue. This support annoyed Jacques Chirac, his Prime Minister.
  During a lunch with Mohammed Bedjaoui, Algerian ambassador to France, on July 21, 1976, Jacques Chirac expressed his disagreement with Giscard d’Estaing. He accused him of having been too "reckless" and of having gone "too far" in favor of Morocco on the Sahara issue.
  The Algerian diplomat reports (…)

• Former Royal Chef Brings Moroccan Cuisine to French Town with New Food Truck
  11 February 2023, by Sylvanus

  A former employee of King Hassan II has opened a new food truck on the Church Square in Thomery (Seine-et-Marne), where he does not offer burgers but Moroccan specialties.
  "Le Succulent du Maroc" arrives on the Church Square in Thomery every Wednesday. Its manager, Mohamed Hanine, "Momo" to his close friends, is a very experienced chef with more than 35 years in the world of gastronomy. "I’ve been to 33 countries around the world. I’ve worked with a lot of ambassadors, but also at the (…)

• Moroccan King’s Secret French Château: Inside Mohammed VI’s Historic Oise Estate
  25 August 2023, by Sylvanus

  Purchased in 1972 by his late father Hassan II, the Château de Betz located in the Oise, France, is one of the secondary residences of King Mohammed VI, which remains a mystery.
  In the 1970s, King Hassan II had fallen under the charm of the Château de Betz, built by Princess Marie-Catherine de Brignole of Monaco in the 19th century, then bought by a wealthy bourgeois just before World War I because of its garden classified since 1991 as a national heritage and considered the 3rd most (…)

• Woman Claiming to be Hassan II’s Daughter Pursues Legal Recognition with High-Profile Lawyer
  27 August 2023, by Sylvanus

  Jane Benzaquen, the septuagenarian born in Casablanca, who claims to be the "hidden daughter" of Hassan II and therefore the half-sister of King Mohammed VI, is pursuing her fight for paternity recognition.
  The Belgian-Israeli Jane Benzaquen, 70, has hired Belgian lawyer Marc Uyttendaele to advance the legal proceedings. Thanks to this lawyer, Belgian plastic artist Delphine Boël won her long legal battle for paternity recognition. The former King of the Belgians, Albert II, admitted to (…)

• Casablanca Bans Swimming Near Hassan II Mosque to Prevent Drownings
  26 June 2024, by Sylvanus

  Due to the cases of drowning recorded in recent years in the Casablanca-Settat region, the local authorities have taken strict measures to put an end to dangerous swimming near the Hassan II Mosque during the summer.
  Metal barriers have been installed along the beach adjacent to the mosque located in Casablanca, the area being dangerous for swimming due to strong sea currents and rocks at the bottom of the sea. In addition to the installation of these metal barriers, the authorities (…)

• Morocco Counters Paternity Claim Against Late King Hassan II with Fraud Complaint
  16 January 2023, by Ginette

  After 18 years of calm, the case of the alleged "hidden daughter" of King Hassan II resurfaced with a paternity suit filed in Belgium on one side, and on the other, a complaint filed by Morocco for "fraud".
  In 2005, Jane Benzaquen alias Hedva Selaa, an Israeli woman, claimed to be the daughter that Prince Heir Moulay Hassan, who became Hassan II, would have had. She would be the result of a liaison between Anita - the niece of Léon, a former Moroccan Minister of Posts and (…)

• Prince Moulay Hicham Shares Rare Photo of Childhood with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI
  13 February 2020, by Kamal

  The cousin of King Mohammed VI, on his Facebook account, revives the nostalgic memories of the moments spent with the Sovereign and his late father, Prince Moulay Abdellah, while evoking his relationship with his uncle Hassan II.
  "In this photo, dating back to the 1970s, we can see my late father, Prince Moulay Abdellah, accompanied by myself and my cousin, King Mohammed VI, reviewing a squadron of the national guard," he wrote in his message.
  "Mohammed VI, as heir apparent, and my (…)