Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan

Ahmad Shah, Crown Prince of Afghanistan (Dari: احمد شاه خان, Pashto: احمد شاه خان; born 23 September 1934) is the second son of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the former King of Afghanistan.

However, following the death of his brother on 26 November 1942, he became first in the line of succession and the heir apparent and Crown Prince.

He was educated first at Esteqlal High School, and College of Military Science, in Kabul.

Later he attended the University of Oxford, the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (IEP) and later spent time working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

He was married at Chilstoon Palace in Kabul on 22 November 1961 to Princess Khatul Begum (born 1940), daughter of Sardar Muhammad Umar Khan Zikeria, by his wife, Princess Sultana Begum, fourth daughter of Mohammed Nadir Shah, King of Afghanistan (d. 1933).

He has two sons and one daughter:

His father's reign ended on 17 July 1973, when he was ousted by a coup with Afghanistan being declared a republic by Mohammad Daoud Khan, a member of the royal family.

The Crown Prince was one of fourteen members of the royal family arrested following the coup.

He was allowed to leave the country for Rome on 26 July.

Following the overthrow of the monarchy, the Crown Prince settled in the state of Virginia, United States, and took to writing poetry.

He currently writes poetry in Alexandria, Virginia.

He holds the title of Head of the House of Barakzai since his father's death in July 2007.

At the time of his birth he was second in the line of succession to the throne after his older brother Muhammed Akbar Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan.

Since the death of his father on 23 July 2007, he is the oldest surviving male heir of the last reigning King of Afghanistan.

Unlike his father, he does not possess the official title Baba-e-Melat-e-Afghanistan (Father of the Nation of Afghanistan).