At the beginning of this month, the nation of Oman celebrated the birthday of the First Lady, Her Highness Sayyida Ahad bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Busaidiyah. As the wife of Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan of Oman, this has become somewhat of a tradition, with a new image of the beloved royal being released almost every year. Known for regal beauty and exquisite fashion sense, any glimpse we get of Her Highness never fails to leave us in awe. While her regal presence certainly radiates with every appearance she makes, Sayyida Ahad has proven her heart lies with the people, frequently championing women empowerment and civil rights within the country.
In honour of her recent 54th birthday, GRAZIA brings you six things to know about the Omani royal.
She’s a fashion lover
The First Lady’s birthday portraits are known to showcase her impeccable style. She frequently champions local designers, while her outfits usually incorporate traditional details, vibrant colours, rich textures and modern silhouettes. For her birthday this year, Her Highness commemorated the occasion wearing a deep purple traditional garment with glistening gold embellishments and a matching sheer headscarf. Designed by local designer, Bthaina, she completed the outfit with an ornate gold headpiece and an elaborate necklace with large gold coins.
She’s new to the spotlight
While Her Highness may have taken on her royal duties with grace, she is fairly new to the spotlight. Sayyida Ahad rose to prominence in 2020 after her husband, Sultan Haitian, was crowned as leader of Oman. Since then, she’s conducted a series of public roles, and become a beloved figure in the Arab region and beyond.
She comes from a lineage of political leadership
Her Highness is married to the current ruler of Oman but she’s always been close to leadership within the country. Her father, Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Busaidi, previously served as the governor of Musandam in 1990, while in 1984, he was appointed as the undersecretary for justice in the Ministry of Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.
She champions women’s empowerment
Shortly after her public debut, Her Highness delivered her first public speech on Omani Women’s Day in 2020, where she advocated for the promotion of women in various fields and sectors of the economy. That same year, she also attended a graduation ceremony of women police officers in the country. Since then, she’s made various appearances and statements in which she champions women empowerment and draws attention to the critical role played by women in developing Omani society.
She’s a mom of four
Sayyida Ahad and the Sultan have four children together: Bilarab bin Haitham, Thuraya bint Haitham, Omaima bint Haitham and Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, who is Oman’s first crown Prince and the oldest son of the ruling couple.
She’s University Educated
The First Lady has a degree in sociology which underpins much of her humanitarian work.
