The spokesperson of the Moroccan Royal Palace announced the passing of Princess Latifa Hammou, the mother of King Mohammed VI, on Saturday.

She was 78 years old and was the widow of the former King of Morocco, Hassan II.

Princess Latifa was also the mother of King Mohammed VI, his sisters Maryam, Asma, and Hasna, as well as Prince Rachid, all members of the Moroccan royal family.

King Mohammed VI had visited his mother in Paris last April, where her health had reportedly deteriorated, as per Moroccan media.

Princess Latifa Hammou hailed from the Amazigh region of Zayan in central Morocco and was the daughter of a prominent elder of the Zayan tribe. Originally named Fatima Hammou, she was given the name "Latifa" by the late King Hassan II upon their marriage in 1961.