In Memoriam: Princess Fahda Bint Saud, 1953-2024

We were saddened to learn that Princess Fahda Bint Saud Al Saud (BS ‘74), daughter of the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, passed away on March 16, 2024.

A prominent figure in Saudi Arabia, Princess Fahda founded and headed the King Saud Online Library, a repository of her father’s legacy, and has since 1992 presided over Al-Faisaliya Women’s Welfare Society, an NGO, in Jeddah.

In addition to representing the center at national and international conferences, she was engaged in humanitarian and social programs geared toward the physically impaired and children on the autism spectrum. 

Born in 1953, Princess Fahda came to Beirut University College (as LAU was known in the 1970s) after completing her schooling at the Karimat High School in Riyadh and the Beirut Evangelical School for Girls. She obtained her bachelor’s in political science from BUC in 1974 and a master’s in the same subject from the American University of Beirut in 1976.

She went on to study art in Paris and then London where she was trained by the late Iraqi artist Issam Al Said on geometric patterns and Islamic art. Her watercolors featured in exhibitions by women artists.

Dedicated to preserving her father’s memory and his contributions to the country, Princess Fahda compiled an illustrated book documenting his life. Much like her father who established schools for girls and advocated for their education, Princess Fahda highlighted the concerns of Saudi women and endorsed their pivotal role in society.