Morocco: when the condition of a road provoked the anger of Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan

The story dates back to the summer of 2019. Then aged 16, Moulay El Hassan was traveling to Skhirat to visit Princess Lalla Malika, the king Mohammed VI’s aunt, when he reportedly noticed the poor condition of the road leading to the residence.

The roadway was described as severely degraded, with numerous potholes and insufficient lighting. According to accounts relayed at the time by several Moroccan media outlets, this situation had greatly irritated the crown prince.

The information was initially attributed to the local press, notably to Akhbar Al Yaoum and various Moroccan websites. However, no official statement from the Royal Palace confirmed Moulay El Hassan’s anger or provided details on any possible intervention on his part.

What particularly drew attention was the speed of the administrative response. According to the same sources, local authorities and the relevant services intervened shortly after the prince’s passage to rehabilitate the road and improve its lighting.

An intervention that reignited the debate on the state of infrastructure

The episode quickly went beyond a royal anecdote. On social media and in some media outlets, Moroccans mocked the speed with which the work was carried out following the supposed intervention of the prince, while residents had long been using the same degraded road.

For some commentators, the affair illustrated the ability of local authorities to act quickly when an important personality was directly concerned. Others saw it rather as a sign of the crown prince’s attention to infrastructure quality issues.

At that time, Moulay El Hassan was already taking on an increasing number of official representations alongside or on behalf of Mohammed VI. A few months earlier, he had notably represented the Moroccan monarchy at several international ceremonies and participated in welcoming foreign dignitaries.

The Skhirat event thus helped to feed portrayals of an heir gradually being prepared for his future responsibilities. It remains, however, essentially based on press accounts: neither the Royal Palace nor the relevant administrations had then published a detailed version allowing for an exact reconstruction of the events.