Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad attends an Arab women and war conference in March 2004 in Beirut, Lebanon.
Syria's first lady —
Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad attends an Arab women and war conference in March 2004 in Beirut, Lebanon.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, left, and Asma al-Assad visit the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, in December 2003.
Syria's first lady —
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, left, and Asma al-Assad visit the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, in December 2003.
Asma al-Assad at the Bristol hotel in Paris on December 11, 2010.
Syria's first lady —
Asma al-Assad at the Bristol hotel in Paris on December 11, 2010.
AFP/Getty Images/file
Asma al-Assad visits her former school, Queens College in central London, on December 17, 2002.
Syria's first lady —
Asma al-Assad visits her former school, Queens College in central London, on December 17, 2002.
Asma al-Assad gets an honorary doctorate from Roberto Antonelli, the president of Rome's La Sapienza University, October 20, 2004, in the Syrian city of Ebla.
Syria's first lady —
Asma al-Assad gets an honorary doctorate from Roberto Antonelli, the president of Rome's La Sapienza University, October 20, 2004, in the Syrian city of Ebla.
Asma al-Assad, right, leads a pack of female bicyclists in a ride for peace in the Ras Shamra area of Latakia in Syria.
Syria's first lady —
Asma al-Assad, right, leads a pack of female bicyclists in a ride for peace in the Ras Shamra area of Latakia in Syria.
The Syrian first couple plant a jasmine bush in old Damascus in Syria in April 2007.
Syria's first lady —
The Syrian first couple plant a jasmine bush in old Damascus in Syria in April 2007.
Asma al-Assad, left, chats with French Culture Minister Christine Albanel and Syrian artist Mustafa Ali in July 2008 in Paris.
Syria's first lady —
Asma al-Assad, left, chats with French Culture Minister Christine Albanel and Syrian artist Mustafa Ali in July 2008 in Paris.
The Syrian first couple visit Paris in December 2010.
Syria's first lady —
The Syrian first couple visit Paris in December 2010.
Asma al-Assad attends the opening of the Syrian abstract art exhibition in Damascus on July 21, 2008.
Syria's first lady —
Asma al-Assad attends the opening of the Syrian abstract art exhibition in Damascus on July 21, 2008.
Asma Al-Assad meets Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in London in December 2002.
Syria's first lady —
Asma Al-Assad meets Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in London in December 2002.
AFP/Getty Images/file
Bashar al-Assad and Asma al-Assad depart the Claude Monet exhibition in December 2010 in Paris.
Syria's first lady —
Bashar al-Assad and Asma al-Assad depart the Claude Monet exhibition in December 2010 in Paris.
Bashar al-Assad and Asma al-Assad visit the December 2010 Monet exhibit in Paris.
Syria's first lady —
Bashar al-Assad and Asma al-Assad visit the December 2010 Monet exhibit in Paris.