Prince Hassan rises to prominence as the future successor to King Mohammed VI in Morocco
The future succession to King Mohammed VI in Morocco is still being planned and every detail is being taken care of. The emerging figure of Prince Moulay El Hassan is the key for when the moment of succession arrives, and the young crown prince is continuing his training for it in all aspects, intervening more and more in institutional events of great importance.
One of the areas in which the young heir is having a greater presence is the military, where the Armed Forces have renewed their loyalty to the Crown and to his heir. King Mohammed VI is handing over military power to his son after having served for years as Chief of Staff of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Prince Moulay El Hassan has been increasingly present at military events in recent times, even reviewing a detachment of the Royal Guard.
King Mohammed VI, accompanied by the Crown Prince, presided on Monday, at the Royal Palace in Tetouan, over the swearing-in ceremony for officers of the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 regiments who graduated from various military and paramilitary institutes and schools, as well as non-commissioned officers who were promoted to the rank of officer. After this event, the first-born son of King Mohammed VI presided over a luncheon in Tetouan hosted by the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch, on the occasion of the Moroccan Throne Festival. This gave another sign of how he is beginning to head very important institutional acts on behalf of King Mohammed VI.
The lunch was also attended by part of the Regent Council that King Mohammed VI appointed in 2016 in case the first-born ascends to the throne as a minor, in case of any possible fatality of the Alaouite monarch, and the presidents of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors and various royal advisors.
Also present at the luncheon were the senior officers of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Morocco (FAR), who now see the Crown Prince as an important point of reference.
On the other hand, the Crown Prince of Morocco received on Monday at the Royal Guard Officers Club in the city of Tetouan a telegram of congratulations, loyalty and sincerity sent to King Mohammed VI by the Royal Armed Forces, on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of his accession to the throne. In this way, Prince Hassan received the congratulations of the Royal Armed Forces on behalf of the Alawi monarch, in a move that demonstrates that the Crown Prince continues to gain prominence and reinforce his image as an important link and visible head of the Moroccan army.
This comes at a time when Prince Hassan's presence in various state institutions has increased, indicating that he is playing his role as crown prince to the full within the path of development that the Moroccan kingdom is experiencing. The path to the possible succession to the throne continues to be developed and planned gradually, so that the aim is to continue on the path of progress and development in all areas that King Mohammed VI has been setting since his accession to the throne in 1999.
Prior to these latest acts led by the crown prince, also on the occasion of the Throne Festival, which every 30 July commemorates the accession to the throne of King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan monarch, accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid and Prince Moulay Ahmed, presided on Monday at the Mechuar Square of the Royal Palace in Tetouan, the ceremony of obeisance, commemorating the 24th anniversary of Mohammed VI's accession to the throne. The ceremony marked the end of the festivities marking the 24th anniversary of the enthronement of King Mohammed VI, and was an opportunity for the representatives of the twelve regions of the Kingdom to demonstrate their attachment to the Monarchy and the strong bond between this royal institution and Moroccan citizens.
Ready for the throne
Prince Hassan is already 20 years old and has a very important academic and military background.
This year, Prince Hassan has already replaced his father at the meal held on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the Royal Armed Forces at the officers' circle in Rabat. In June, in Kenitra, he presided over the graduation ceremony of the 23rd graduating class of the Higher Defence Course and the 57th graduating class of the General Staff Course at the Royal College of Higher Military Education (CREMS), in place of Mohammed VI. On that occasion, the brigadier general director of CREMS presented him with the annual report on the activities of the royal college, and the prince presented the diplomas of higher military education with a master's degree specialising in National Defence and the diplomas of the General Staff.
Since his birth, Prince Hassan has accompanied Mohammed VI to important events, the anniversaries of the coronation and the country's independence. The King carried him in his arms to official events from an early age. At the age of 7, he visited the International Publishing and Book Fair (SIEL) on his own and made his first speech at the age of 14. Over the years, the crown prince has attended various official activities, which has allowed him to gain experience for his continuing education.
Mohammed VI is following the same tactic as his father, the late Hassan II, who encouraged Mohammed VI's total immersion from an early age in all kinds of public events until he ascended to the throne in 1999.
Analysts have pointed out that the crown prince began participating in official activities at an early age, which has favoured his strong personality and his commitment to the strictest details of protocol.
Nabil al-Andalusi, director of the Maghreb Centre for Research and Strategic Studies, said that 'Prince Moulay El Hassan impressed the Moroccan people with his charismatic personality that combines strictness and friendliness, and is characterised by openness', as reported by Al-Arab media.
Al-Andalusí added, in statements to The Arab Weekly, that "the crown prince has become more visible at official events, and is now entrusted by King Mohammed VI with protocol tasks in the framework of preparation and training, including receiving military chiefs and receiving telegrams of congratulations, loyalty and sincerity; and not for the first time, he has been appointed to preside over the graduation ceremonies of the regiments of the High Defence Corps and the General Staff Corps at the Royal College of Advanced Military Studies in Kenitra.
In addition, the Crown Prince regularly attends a number of institutional events of various ranks, including the work of the Council of Ministers, which deepened his knowledge of the national dossiers and his dealings with ministers, as well as assigning him a number of tasks inside and outside Morocco.