King of Egypt and the Sudan

Who is King of Egypt and the Sudan?

King of Egypt and the Sudan was the title used by the Egyptian monarch from 16 October 1951 until the abolition of the monarchy on 18 June 1953.

In 1951, the Egyptian Parliament amended the Constitution by Law 176 of 16 October 1951 to provide that the title of the King should be "King of Egypt and the Sudan" instead of "King of Egypt, Sovereign of Nubia, Sudan, Kordofan, and Darfur". This move came in the wake of Wafdist Prime Minister Nahhas Pasha's decision to unilaterally abrogate the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936. The change in King Farouk I's title was intended to further Egypt's claims over the Sudan, which had been an Anglo-Egyptian condominium since 1899.

The title had long been used by Egyptian nationalists to emphasize their desire for the unity of the Nile Valley. For instance, expatriate Egyptian students in France greeted Farouk I during his 1937 tour of Europe by proclaiming "Long live the King of Egypt and Sudan". A Member of Parliament is also reported to have cried out "Long live His Majesty, King of Egypt and Sudan!" during Farouk I's coronation ceremony. However, the title had no legal standing prior to 1951, and Farouk I was officially "Sovereign of the Sudan" until the Wafdist government's decision to change his title. The title "King of the Sudan" was merely ceremonial, as the Egyptian King did not exercise effective control over Sudan, which was administered by the United Kingdom. The British objected to the title and did not recognize it, claiming that Egypt needed to respect the Sudanese people's right to self-determination. Many other countries also refused to recognize Farouk I as "King of the Sudan", notably the United States, as well as the Vatican.