Farouk, the son of King Fuad, was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1920. Educated in England he returned to become king in 1937. The following year he removed the government of Nahas Pasha. Farouk tried to introduce land reform and modernize the economy but because of large-scale corruption progress was slow.

Winston Churchill was not impressed by Farouk's reaction to the invasion of the Italian Army in February 1941 and forced him to recall Nahas Pasha to power.

The failed 1948 Palestine campaign reinforced the view that Farouk's government was inefficient and corrupt. In 1952 General Mohammed Neguib and Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser forced Farouk I to abdicate.

Farouk went to live in Italy. He later became a citizen of Monaco. Farouk died in 1965.