1953 — Egypt Becomes a Republic

On June 18, 1953, the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan was abolished and the Republic of Egypt proclaimed, ending the Muhammad Ali dynasty. Cairo celebrated a new republic under the red-white-black flag, as a royal era that had shaped the country for generations formally came to its close in the capital.

The proclamation closed the chapter that began with the Free Officers' revolution of July 1952. A revolution can seize power in days, but this day gave the change its lasting form: no longer a monarchy, Egypt would be a republic. For Egyptians watching the flag, the state itself had been remade before their eyes.