Born in Cairo in 1941, Prince Abbas Hilmi was named after his paternal grandfather Abbas Hilmi II, the last khedive of Egypt. Theirs was the most senior male branch descended from
Isma'il Pasha, and thus first in the line of succession to the Egyptian throne by virtue of the
1866 rules of succession. However, those rules were suspended by the British upon their proclamation of a protectorate over Egypt in 1914. Abbas Hilmi II was deposed, and his son Muhammad Abdel Moneim lost his place as
heir apparent. The throne passed to Abbas Hilmi II's uncles
Hussein Kamel and
Fuad I. The
Royal Edict of 13 April 1922 specifically excluded Abbas Hilmi II from the succession, although it stated that "this exception shall not apply to his sons and their progeny." Had the Ottoman monarchy not been abolished in 1922, Prince Abbas Hilmi would have received, in addition to his Egyptian princely title (), the
Ottoman title of
sultanzade, which was given to the sons of imperial princesses. In July 1952, the
Free Officers launched a revolution that led to the forced abdication of King
Farouk of Egypt in favour of his infant son King
Fuad II. Due to Fuad II's minority,
Prince Muhammad Abdel Moneim was chosen by the
new military rulers to serve as regent, first as head of a temporary
regency body and later as sole
prince regent. However, he did not last long in the position, as the Egyptian monarchy was officially abolished on 18 June 1953. Prince Muhammad Abdel Moneim and his wife Neslişah were arrested in 1957 and accused of taking part in an anti-
Nasser plot. Their souring relations with the new revolutionary regime forced them into exile. As a result, their son Prince Abbas Hilmi spent much of his life in England and France. ==Business activities==