He was thus the maternal uncle of Nazli's son King Farouk I, and served on the three-member Regency Council that was formed in 1936-37 during the latter's minority.

Sherif Pasha Sabri was 41 years old at the time, and had previously held the post of Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs.

He was the grandson of the three-time Prime Minister of Egypt, Muhammad Sharif Pasha, and was of Turkish origin as well as the grandson of France’s Napoleon Bonaparte's Colonel Suleiman Suleiman Pasha al-Fransawi.

On 30 September 1946, Sherif Sabri Pasha was asked to become Prime Minister and head a new cabinet.

Sherif Sabri Pasha headed the Royal Egyptian Geographic Society from May 1946 till March 1955.