The Arab world’s longest-ruling monarch at the time of his death, King Hassan II survived several coup attempts during his reign. By far the strangest occurred in the middle of his forty-second birthday party. The King had provoked strong opposition, protest demonstrations, and riots in response to his centrally controlled rule. He had dissolved Parliament in 1965 and was accused of rigging elections to favor loyal parties. On July 10, 1971, King Hassan held a large party at his seaside palace in Skhirat to celebrate his birthday. About a thousand soldiers from the nearby cadet training school stormed the palace and fired on the guests. They killed Belgian Ambassador Marcel Dupret along with 91 others and injured 133, including the King’s brother.
Meanwhile, a group of the rebels in Rabat fought for control of the radio, Army headquarters, and Interior Ministry. The rebels announced on the radio that they had successfully assassinated the King and established a republic. However, the King’s forces led by General Oufkir retained control and shortly thereafter court-martialed and executed by firing squad the leaders of the coup. The next month, General Oufkir led an unsuccessful coup against the King himself. Ambassador Stuart W. Rockwell, who served in Morocco from 1970-1974, was a guest at the ill-fated birthday party. He was interviewed by Charles Stuart Kennedy beginning in October 1988.
