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The royal family of Morocco is from the Alaouite dynasty. They have been ruling the kingdom of Morocco since the 17th century. Family members include:
The royal Alaouite dynasty has reigned over Morocco since the 17th century. In the early 20th century, the European powers vied for power in Morocco. Sultan Abd al-Aziz IV displeased Moroccans by cooperating with the Europeans and was deposed in 1908. His brother, Abd al-Hafiz, took the throne but abdicated after the kingdom became a French protectorate in 1912. He was succeeded by his brother Yusuf.
Yusuf's son Mohammed V, who became sultan in 1927, was a widely-respected nationalist. He was deposed by the French in 1953, but the French returned Mohammed V to his throne in 1955. Morocco became independent the following year and Mohammed took the title of king.
Mohammed V died in 1961 and was succeeded by his son, King Hassan II. Hassan II was accused of human rights abuses. He is credited with maintaining unity in Morocco and working toward peace in the Middle East. He survived many attempts to topple him from his throne and permitted some democratic reforms.
King Hassan died in 1999 and was replaced as monarch by his son, King Mohammed VI. Like his father, King Mohammed had almost complete control over Morocco's government. After protests in 2011, the king proposed a new constitution restricting his powers. Voters accepted his plan, but critics said the changes did not go far enough and that the king still retained most of his power.
The king and his wife, Princess Lalla Salma, married in 2002. Their son, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, was born in 2003, followed by a daughter, Princess Lalla Khadija, in 2007.