Homaira (1916–2002)

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Homaira (1916–2002)

Queen of Afghanistan. Name variations: Homaira Shah; Homaira Shah Khanoum. Born July 24, 1916, in Kabul, Afghanistan; died June 26, 2002, in Rome, Italy; m. Mohammad Zahir Shah (king of Afghanistan), 1931; children: 9, including princes Nadir Zahir, Ahmed Shah, Mir Wais Zahir and Shah Mahmoud.

Married at 16; as leader of a movement to liberate modern Afghan women, threw off her veil to the horror of the mullahs (1959); independent-minded, led the way for women to be admitted to universities; lived with husband in Rome after he was ousted from power in a coup (1973); intended to return to Afghanistan with husband after US invasion, but died of a heart attack; her body was returned to Kabul.

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