Mystery Beauty waits to be Queen of the Nile

London Times ^ | 10/25/2009 | Marie Colvin

[Saije]

The glamorous young wife of Gamal Mubarak, son of the Egyptian president, is set to become the first lady of the Middle East if, as expected, her husband becomes Egypt’s next leader.

***Gamal’s 27-year-old wife Khadija, a wealthy society beauty with a business degree from the American University in Cairo, has kept a low profile and refused all interviews since their wedding two years ago. She rarely appears in the glossy magazines that chronicle Cairo’s elite and is seldom photographed at social events.

That may be about to change if her husband stands for president. In a rare public appearance she was photographed in elegant designer clothes at the World Economic Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh.

“She would be a perfect first lady for Egypt,” said a businessman friend of her family. “She is intelligent, genuinely sweet and knows the world very well. She has class.”

A fluent English speaker, she works for her father, Mahmoud el-Gamal, who owns one of Egypt’s largest construction companies and vast property holdings. At weekends she occasionally plays football at the Gezira Sporting Club, a watering hole on a fashionable island in central Cairo.

The couple married in a lavish private wedding ceremony and live in the wealthy Cairo suburb of Zamalek.

Pressure to sort out the succession has been growing, as rumours circulate about the state of the president’s health. On paper Egypt is a democratic republic, although Mubarak’s party has dominated the political scene for decades and the government keeps a tight control over the press and broadcasters.

[Saije]

She's certainly no Michelle Obama.

[Dumpster Baby]

[vaudine]

Is there a pic?

vaudine

[Saije]

“Is there a pic?”

Well that’s not a picture of me. I included one as part of the article. Does it not show? It does on my computer.

[NYFreeper]

NOT GUILTY!!

[vaudine]

Sorry--the one in the posting showed as a little blue square. I googled, found lots of pics, came back and can see this one big and clear. She has Angelina Lopez lips and Hollywood hair--altogether, an expensive looking pkg. Bet she could put Obama Mama in her place--especially style wise.

[Bellflower]

She looks quite “American”.

[BigCinBigD]

She couldn't hold Michelle Obamas belt. Health regulations and her allergy to fake leather would preclude it.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Do not think that the Islamist types will approve, although I do.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

She's certainly no Michelle Obama.

True, but you will have to admit that Michelle would look great in a burka.

[muir_redwoods]

She’ cute but, IMHO, the brunette to her left in that picture is more attractive.

[dennisw]

Her dyed hair is incongruous and she should ditch it because the Muslim fundamentalists will ridicule it....Other than that she is a beauty and smart

[BOBWADE]

She looks like Jessica Biel

[skimbell]

That's what I was thinking. She goes around looking like that and the R.O.P. muzzies are going to become outraged (again) and demand that she receive 60 or 70 lashes

[skimbell]

Don't take this wrong, but when I first saw the pic, I thought that she sort of looks like Val Kilmer.?

[SlowBoat407]

Don't take this wrong, but when I first saw the pic, I thought that she sort of looks like Val Kilmer.?

You don't think Kilmer is pretty?

[aruanan]

She has a Rene Zellweger thing about her, too. But not this one:

[Right Wing Assault]

the brunette to her left in that picture is more attractive

Agree.

[Right Wing Assault]

the Muslim fundamentalists will ridicule it

They'll do more than that. They'll try to stuff her into a burka.