Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia

double or triple their age.
    As Princess Sultana often tells me, there is
much to be done when it comes to the lives of women, not just in
Saudi Arabia, but all over the world. It is up to us, individuals
with the freedom to express our beliefs, to help these women in any
way we can.
    The trilogy about a feisty Saudi princess has
changed lives across the globe in creating awareness and change.
Students have written to tell me that their universities now offer
more courses for women’s issues. Mothers are doing their part by
raising sons to look upon their sisters as equals and to treat all
women with respect. I am overjoyed to see that Princess Sultana’s
life has struck a chord with women of every age and nationality,
stoking the desire for change and transforming that desire into
action.
    Working together, we can make a huge
difference in the role of women worldwide. I urge you to join
Princess Sultana and me in our cherished goal of living in a world
where every female has the right to a life of dignity.
    I would like to tell readers that Princess
Sultana spoke with her publisher and me during the past week. She
is delighted that her story is now going digital.
    As a writer, and as a friend, I am proud to
be the voice for Princess Sultana.
    Jean Sasson
    March 2011
     

 
    The following is a personal letter from
Princess Sultana, translated from French to English
    My dear readers,
    Years have passed since the world learned of
my life. I am humbled by the enormous care and concern you have had
for me and other women like me. I thank you from my whole
heart.
    As I write these words, I am smiling with
contentment that you are about to read the story of my childhood
and early marriage. Since I was a young girl, unloved by my father,
and tortured by a cruel older brother, I longed for the opportunity
to tell the entire world how too many young Saudi girls live lives
clouded by sadness or anger that their brothers are greatly loved
while they, as females, are merely endured.
    Remember this, I have lived my life as a
princess, and still I have had few options. My father only loved
his sons. I wanted to be loved by my father, but nothing I did or
said made the slightest change in his indifference toward me.
    Although uneducated, my parents were of the
royal family, so I was provided with many things, such as
education, and ample food, and beautiful gowns and jewels. I was
surrounded by love given freely by my mother and my older sisters.
The females in my family tried to protect me from my unkindly
father and my cruel brother, but my own mischievous personality
created many problems.
    Although much good is now coming to women in
Saudi Arabia, and for that I am so very happy, there are still
young women in our country who are forced to become the 3rd or 4th
wife of old men. I personally know of young women who have been
instantly divorced after being afflicted by a serious illness. Some
of these women are mothers and their terrorized children are taken
from their arms to be raised by another woman. I know of young
girls who have been put to death by members of their own family,
often for nothing more than perceived misconduct.
    I know too many tragic stories. You will
learn these stories in the three books about my life, and the lives
of the women I know.
    You may ask: How does such cruelty continue
in an oil-rich country so wealthy that every citizen should be
educated and enlightened? I believe that most men in my land want
to rule everyone around them, and in particular, to rule the women
in their lives. Such actions are assisted by men of religion who
purposely twist the words of our beloved prophet, Prophet Muhammad,
(May Allah shower His blessings upon him and grant him salvation)
for the sole purpose of keeping women in a subservient
position.
    I do thank God that that Saudi women are
beginning to see genuine and good change.
    For this we praise Allah and also thank our
wise king, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Finally there is
hope in our land, although there are some uneducated and cruel men
who still treat their daughters and wives as property to dispose of
as they will. As we Saudi women make advances, we need to look out
of our closed world and see what is happening all over the world.
Many women need our help. Our first step is to educate all females,
so that they might take charge of their economic life. Our second
step is help men to see that without strong and independent women,
the world