Harper’s Bazaar Arabia 200th Anniversary Issue: Khaled Selim And Youssra On Life-Long Love

Introducing the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia x Cartier LOVE cover series, celebrating the 200th April 2025 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia…

Childhood friends whose paths kept crossing became sweethearts who cemented an everlasting love, Egyptian superstar Youssra and her husband Khaled Selim give us a glimpse into their happily ever after.

“It’s a trap. Th is is a trap,” laughs Khaled Selim when prodded as to when he knew he was in love with his wife of 29 years, Youssra. “I think the first day I ever saw her. We were very young, and I had an incredible crush on her.” That’s an understatement; he was just seven. “She was this beautiful little girl, but as devilish and as naughty as I was. She didn’t notice me at all,” he adds ruefully, before looking at his superstar other half. “But here we are…”

Youssra counters, “I never knew that we would create our big love story or marriage, but I always knew that there was something between us since we were kids, playing together.” “That’s new,” Khaled looks visibly taken aback by this revelation. “I never told you. I can’t tell you all my secrets. I can’t,” Youssra smiles.

The couple’s paths constantly crossed. After childhood meetings, there were others as teenagers. “When we were young, it was going to be my first time on a motorcycle.
And she was already a rider,” recalls Khaled. “Her hair was so long… She would blow her hair out on a motorcycle.”

Despite – or perhaps because of – their decades together, there’s a palpable sense of playfulness to this twosome. They tease, they share anecdotes, finish each other’s sentences and, even today, are often caught off guard by each other ensuring a sense of surprise remains in a relationship rooted in “Trust and understanding. I would say he’s my backbone. He’s my best, best friend. He’s my soulmate. He’s my life,” says Youssra.

“Most of the time, we don’t need words. She knows what I feel, what I’m thinking, and I hope I’m the same with her,” notes Khaled. “She’s very affectionate, very intelligent,
and very hard-headed.”

Youssra gives him a look; “He knows when to approach me, when not to approach me, when to talk to me, when not to… We have this mix in our relationship. We are friends. We are a wife and husband. We are lovers. It’s a mix.”

“Love is a whole package. It’s not just one thing, one feeling. It’s just everything. And there are different kinds of love. There are brothers, siblings, parents. And there’s Youssra…” Khaled smiles.

It is clear that this couple is the other’s everything. Youssra confirms saying, “I’m blessed to have him in my life. I have nobody else in my life. He’s not just my husband, he’s my baby. He’s my someone. I feel safe with him. I feel happy with him. And I don’t think I can do without him. At all.”

It might feel like this couple has been together forever, but even though they were childhood friends, their paths diverged along the way. Khaled tells us, “We both had first
marriages, so we did learn a lesson. That helps a lot as well, because especially when you go through a marriage, you start knowing what the things that you really need to find are.” The key? Compromise, and that too, willingly done. “It has to be natural. I want to do that for that person, because otherwise it’s not going to work.”

“When you find someone you really trust and you really love, I think this is the most precious thing anybody can have in this life. More than money,” says Youssra. “We lean on each other. We fight. We laugh. We cry. Everything.”

Theirs feels like a blueprint for a successful relationship. What tips can they give others? “Laughter is the most important. It is an invigorating feeling. We do that a lot. I love to laugh. And I love to be happy with someone. It’s so important isn’t it? Because life is hard… You need to just let your hair down and be you. And with him, I am myself. No retouching,” says Youssra.

This is clearly evident when they joke with each other about their celebrity crushes; a topic that gets complicated given Youssra is one herself. “Michelle Pfeiffer. Jacqueline Bisset. These are the top two,” chuckles Khaled, without hesitation. “Oh, I have a few. She gave me permission anyway, a very long time ago.”

Youssra herself has some ideas, too. “Brad Pitt. There is something about him. I adore Robert De Niro. He’s one of my icons, and I love him. And I love his looks, even though he’s older. Richard Gere, also the same. I have met him many times too, and he is a very genuine person. But Robert De Niro, for me, is a legend by all means, not only as an actor, but as a human being, as a father. Because I’m lucky that I know him in person. This man is really an amazing human soul. Also, one of my close friends, Harvey Keitel. He’s an amazing character, too.”

Given they are on the cusp of celebrating a major milestone – their 30th wedding anniversary – have they thought about how they’ll commemorate this Pearl Anniversary? “He hates celebrating. He hates his birthday. He doesn’t celebrate. He’s a very shy person,” says Youssra.

“My birthdays have passed the celebrating a birthday point. When they say, ‘How do you feel?’ I say, ‘I’m a day older than yesterday. And I hope I’ll be here tomorrow,’” Khaled tells us. “But at some point I think it is a bit fake. It’s pushed. People always push. It always involves a cake and singing. I prefer a more subtle, calm celebration. Going away with a few friends somewhere on the beach.”

But although he says “Quality time is the most important, definitely,” Khaled isn’t averse to being on the receiving side of Youssra’s love language. “She made me an incredible gift for my birthday. And I just loved it. Speakers. I love music, and I’m a bit of a technical freak. I love technology, and I love machines, computers and stuff . So, she got me my speakers that I was thinking of getting for a long time. I was so happy. But the biggest, the best gift… Of course, I have it already,” Khaled says tenderly, clearly referring to his Youssra.

Lead Image Credits: Khaled and Youssra wear Cartier Love Jewellery, all Cartier
Khaled wears: Blazer, Suitsupply. Shirt, Boss. Youssra wears: Vest; Trousers, both Róhe at THAT Concept Store. Shirt, Marina Rinaldi

 Editor-in-Chief: Olivia Phillips. Acting Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Serin. Creative Director: Marne Schwartz, Tamim Mortaza. Vice President: Farrah Taylor. Group Managing Editor & Words: Natasha Faruque. Art Director: Paul Solomons. Photographer: Mattia Guolo, Vladimir Marti. Movement: Jamie Neale, Adrien Galo. Production: Steff Hawker, Jean-Marc Mondelet. Make-up Direction: Anna Sadamori, Raffaele Romagnoli. Set Styling: Camille Rousseau. Videography: Maycon Dehan. Fashion: Gabriela Cambero, Charlotte Marsh-Williams. Hair Direction: Jean-Luc Amarin, Adam Garland. Nail Artist: Nafissa Djabi, Leyla Mistry. Photography Assistants: Alessia Azzolini, Alessio Spanu, Manfredi Prestigiacomo, Macky Navarro; Videography Assistants: Larissy Leandro. Production Manager: Gijo Thomas. Image Editor: Jemima Joy. Production Coordination: Erin Steel, Chloe Christodoulou, Marina Moravenova. Hair Assistants: Tracey Nguyen, Yihan Jen, Ziyan Zhang, Wenting Zhangn, Bella Hudgell. Make-up Assistants: Ismahane Benabbou, Natalia Bokan, Roberto Meloni, Sitara Nash, Gabriel Leggieri. Nail Assistants: Yasmine Hilali. Editorial: Milli Midwood, Meeran Mekkaoui.