Credits: Ecostylia Media montage; portrait: WHO/Pierre Albouy / Wikimedia Commons — attribution.
Lalla Salma, ex-wife of King Mohammed VI, was spotted in early July in Mykonos after five long years out of sight. Nicknamed the “ghost princess,” the famous Moroccan, who does not yet turn 46, has remained close to her son, Crown Prince Moulay el-Hassan.
Rumors said she was imprisoned, held captive, or even murdered. But local videos show Lalla Salma in Mykonos with her children—the Crown Prince Moulay el-Hassan (21) and Princess Lalla Khadija (17). They traveled with an escort of at least 70 people and numerous luxury vehicles.
Popular with Moroccans, Lalla Salma had disappeared since 2019, except for one oncology visit. She was born in Fez in 1978 and graduated in computer engineering. She always refused to be confined to the role of a silent wife. Married to Mohammed VI in 2002, she became the first Moroccan royal wife to receive the illustrious title of princess.
Lalla Salma has often represented Morocco internationally, attending royal events and receiving world leaders. In 2018, her absence from a photo of Mohammed VI at the hospital sparked wild, lengthy speculation. In 2019, the divorce was confirmed, but the Palace never commented.
Today, Lalla Salma retains an important role in the monarchy. Her son, Moulay el-Hassan, deeply attached to his very public mother, even refused to leave Rabat for his studies. This close relationship is causing tensions within the royal family. It could influence the future of the very wealthy monarchy.