<p>Emma is a high achieving, middle class woman from West London - she’s destined for a successful career and a comfortable British life. But in 2001 she makes a decision that will come to define her - she marries the son of a dictator and becomes Asma al-Assad, the first lady of Syria.</p><br><p>We call her Emma is a 6 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer.</p><br><p>To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, <a href="https://observer.co.uk/subscribe/audio" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to The Observer</a> and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription.</p><br><p>You'll get access to:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>This series and all our podcasts before anyone else</li><li>Ad-free listening</li><li>Premium newsletters</li><li>Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword</li><li>Exclusive offers from our partners including Mubi and iescape</li><li>Tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads.</p><br><p>Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou</p><p>Producer - Gary Marshall</p><p>Sound design - Karla Patella</p><p>Podcast artwork - Lola Williams &amp; Eliza Bourner</p><p>Executive producers - Jasper Corbett and Basia Cummings</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>