Harun Osman

Harun Osman Osmanoğlu's father was Şehzade Mehmed Abdülkerim, the only son of Şehzade Mehmed Selim, the eldest son of Abdul Hamid II.[1] In 1924, when members of the Ottoman dynasty were expelled, they left to Beirut. Mehmed Abdülkerim died in 1935 in Damascus and left his two children, born in 1930 and 1932 orphans at a young age. After his grandfather Mehmed Selim died in 1937, Harun Osman Osmanoğlu had nobody left but his mother. The family, who lived abroad during the long years of exile, came to Istanbul from Damascus in 1974, just after the dynasty members were allowed to return to their homeland. He became the Head of the Ottoman Dynasty in 2021 upon the death of his older brother, Dündar Osmanoğlu.[2] He lives in Istanbul and has nine grandchildren including the controversial princess Duru Hamutcu, who currently resides in the United States.[3]

On the death of his brother, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan telephoned Harun Osman to give his condolences to the family. According to TRT's French website, "Osmanoglu thanked President Erdoğan and said he had always prayed for him. The series 'Payitaht Abdulhamit' broadcast on TRT 1 was discussed during the telephone interview. Harun Osmanoglu said he is following the series."[4] The popularity of the television series about the Ottoman Empire has grown significantly in recent years in Turkey, and the Turkish government under Erdoğan has encouraged a nostalgia for the greatness of the former empire, which is sometimes referred to as 'Neo-Ottomanism'.[5][6]

He is married to Farizet Hanım, by whom he has two sons and one daughter:

• Şehzade Orhan Osmanoğlu (born Damascus, 25 August 1963[7]), married on 22 December 1985 to Nuran Yıldız Hanım (born 1967),[7] and has one son and four daughters:
  • Nilhan Osmanoğlu Sultan (born Istanbul, 25 April 1987[7]), married in Istanbul on 22 September 2012 to Damat Mehmet Behlül Vatansever, and has one daughter and one son:
    • Hanzade Vatansever Hanımsultan (born 2 July 2013)[8]
    • Sultanzade Mehmet Vahdettin Vatansever (born 14 October 2014)[9]
  • Şehzade Yavuz Selim Osmanoğlu (born Istanbul, 22 February 1989[7]), married on 4 July 2021 to Damla Işık;[10]
  • Nilüfer Osmanoğlu Sultan (born Istanbul, 5 May 1995[7]), married on 12 June 2021 to Melih Baştuğ;[11]
  • Berna Osmanoğlu Sultan (born Istanbul, 1 October 1998[7])
  • Asyahan Osmanoğlu Sultan (born Istanbul, ... ... 2004)
• Nurhan Osmanoğlu Sultan (born Damascus, 20 November 1973[7]), married firstly in Istanbul on 15 April 1994[7] and later divorced Damat Samir Hashem Bey (born 24 January 1959[7]), without issue, and married secondly to Damat Muhammed Ammar Sagherji Bey (born 1972), and has one son and one daughter:
  • Sultanzade Muhammed Halil Sagherji Bey (born 2002)
  • Sara Sagherji Hanımsultan (born 2004)
• Şehzade Abdulhamid Kayıhan Osmanoğlu Efendi (born 4 August 1979[7]), married Walaa Osmanoğlu,[12] and has two sons:
  • Şehzade Harun Osmanoğlu Efendi (born 1 December 2007)[12]
  • Şehzade Abdülaziz Osmanoğlu Efendi (born 12 August 2016)[13]

• Line of succession to the former Ottoman throne