Princess

Product Description

In a land where Kings still rule I am a Princess. You must know me only as Sultana for I cannot reveal my true name for fear that harm will come to me & my family for what I am about to tell you. Think of a Saudi Arabian princess & what do you see? A woman glittering with jewels living a life of unbelievable luxury. She has gold palaces swimming-pools servants designer dresses galore. But in reality she lives in a gilded cage. She has no freedom no vote no control over her own life no value but as a bearer of sons. Hidden behind the veil she is a prisoner her jailers her father her husband her sons. ' Sultana' is a member of the Saudi royal family closely related to the King. For the sake of her daughters she decided that it was time for a woman in her position to speak out about the reality of life for women in her country whatever their rank. She tells of her own life from her turbulent childhood to her arranged marriage
- a happy one until her husband decided to take a second wife
- & of the lives of her sisters her friends & her servants. In contrast to the affection & easy camaraderie amongst the women she relates a history of appalling oppression against them everyday occurrences that in any other culture would be seen as shocking human rights violations: forced marriages servants bullied into sex slavery summary executions. Princess is a testimony to a woman of indomitable spirit & great courage. By speaking out ' Sultana' risked bringing the wrath of the Saudi establishment upon her head & upon the heads of her children. For this reason she told her story anonymously.