King Hassan II’s Secret Life: Morocco’s Monarch Mastered the Art of Disguise

Hassan II did not hesitate to blend into the crowd, in the souks, on the squares and in the public gardens, where he often went, disguised, in such a way that no one could recognize him.

Once, reported the newspaper Al Massae a few years ago, the monarch had passed himself off as a sick old man, with a thick beard and a large mustache, and then went for a walk. Another time, the late Hassan II had put on a tattered djellaba and headed for a hospital in Casablanca.

On another outing, the late sovereign even concealed the features of his face, put on a military jacket and sandals and pretended to be a driver in El Jadida, according to the same source. In Rabat, Hassan II had given the impression of being a poor man wanting to acquire a shack in a slum.

But the late king’s most famous disguises were in Ifrane. The monarch would leave his palace, located at the foot of a mountain, wearing a false beard, old pants and dark glasses. Then he would walk with the help of a cane, thus appearing to be an old man. It was in this outfit that Hassan II liked to stroll around Ifrane, talk to people and inquire about their living conditions.