Cemile Sultan was born on 17 August 1843 in the Old Beylerbeyi Palace. Her father was Sultan Abdulmejid I, and her mother was Düzdidil Kadın, the daughter of Şıhım Bey Dişan. She was the ninth daughter and eleventh child of her father and fourth child of her mother. She had three elder sisters, Mevhibe Sultan three years elder then her, twin elder sisters Neyyire Sultan and Münire Sultan, two years elder then her, and a younger sister Samiye Sultan. In 1845, Düzdidil Kadın, died leaving Cemile Sultan motherless at the age of two. Abdulmejid took her to another of his wives, Perestu Kadın, and entrusted her into the lady's care. She grew up together with her half brother Abdul Hamid II, who was also adopted by Perestu, in the same household and spend their childhoods with one another. In accordance with the custom, Cemile Sultan began to take lessons in the Quran in 1847, together with her half-sisters Fatma Sultan, and Refia Sultan, and brothers Murad and Abdul Hamid.
Marriage
In 1854, at the age of eleven, Abdulmejid betrothed her to Mahmud Celaleddin Pasha, the son of the Imperial son-in-law, Damat Ahmed Fethi Pasha, and his first wife Ayşe Şemsinur Hanım. Fethi Pasha had himself been married to Cemile's aunt, Atiye Sultan. The wedding took place on 17 May 1858, and was consummated on 11 June 1858. The couple were given a palace at Findiklı as their residence. At her marriage, her mother-in-law presented Nazikeda Kadın, who would later become first wife of Sultan Abdul Hamid II to her. The two together had seven children, four sons, Sultanzade Mehmed Celaleddin Bey, Sultanzade Sakıb Bey, Sultanzade Ahmed Fazıl Bey, and Sultanzade Mehmed Kazım Bey, and three daughters, Fethiye Hanımsultan, Fatma Hanımsultan, and Ayşe Sıdıka Hanımsultan. The couple supported Abdul Hamid's accession to the throne, until the new Sultan's mistrust of Mahmud Celaleddin Pasha led to the latter's exile to Arabia in 1881, where he was strangled in 1884. Princess Cemile withdrew from society for some twenty years, afterwards reconciling with her brother and paying calls again at the palace.
Character
On ceremonial occasions Cemile Sultan took precedence as she was the eldest, and always took her place at Abdul Hamid's right. A large armchair was reserved for her on the right-hand side, where she took a seat. In processions she walked at the side of Perestu Kadın, ahead of everyone else. She always wore brown-colored dresses and on her head a hotoz of the same color, fashioned of lace or tulle. She dressed in the Turkish style, with a long train fastened to her waist. Since the sumptuous fabrics she wore were always various shades of brown, this color served as something of a hallmark for her. She wore no jewels whatsoever. Despite this simplicity, her imperial bearing amply conveyed her rank of princess. Those in a position to know said that she looked just like her father, and indeed from the photographs the eyes and the features are the same. Everyone in the palace felt great respect and fondness for Princess Cemile, holding her in affectionate system. She spoke so graciously and intelligently, not laughing when it was not called for, and exhibiting toward everyone the appropriate conduct due him or her.
Death
Cemile Sultan died at Erenköy, Istanbul on 26 February 1915 at the age of seventy one, and was buried in the mausoleum of her father, Sultan Abdulmejid.
Issue
Together with Mahmud Celaleddin, Cemile had seven children:
Fethiye Hanımsultan, married Colonel Hayri Bey. She died in 1884-85, two months into marriage.
Sultanzade Mehmed Celaleddin Bey was born in 1864. He had two wives, Visalinur Hanım and Hayriye Hanım. He had one son, Ziyaeddin Bey, and one daughter, Mevhibe Hanım with Visalinur, and one daughter, Münire Hanım with Hayriye Hanım. He died in 1917.
Sultanzade Sakıb Bey had two wives, Vicdan Hanım and Dilbeşte Hanım, and two daughters, Şehime Hanım with Vicdan and Emine Hanım with Dilbeşte. He died in 1894-95.
Ayşe Sıdıka Hanımsultan, married firstly on 29 January 1891, Hacı Beyefendi, son of Chief of Staff Ferik Edhem Pasha. He dowry was fixed to 250,001 kuruş. She then married Fuad Ürfi Pasha, and had two daughters, Kerime Hanım and Naime Hanım. At the exile of the imperial family in March 1924, she settled in Nice, France. She died in 1938, and was buried in Bobigny cemetery.
Fatma Hanımsultan, had tuberculosis, and during this time Nazikeda Kadın, became her closest companion until she married the then Prince Vahideddin ;
Sultanzade Ahmed Fazıl Bey. He married Hayriye Hanım, and had two sons, Fethi Bey and Refik Bey, and one daughter, Fatma Dürdane Hanım;
