by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

On June 1, 2023, Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan married Rajwa Al Saif at Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan.

• YouTube: The Wedding Ceremony of Their Royal Highness Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince, and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein
• Unofficial Royalty: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Index

Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan

Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah of Jordan was born at the King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan on June 28, 1994, the eldest child of the then Prince Abdullah bin Hussein and Rania al Yassin. His father was the eldest son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his second wife Princess Muna al-Hussein, born Antoinette Gardiner in the United Kingdom. When King Hussein I died on February 7, 1999, Abdullah became King of Jordan and respected his father’s wishes, appointing his half-brother Hamzah Crown Prince. In 2004, King Abdullah II stripped Hamzah of the Crown Prince title. As he did not name a replacement, this made Hussein his father’s heir-apparent under the existing succession laws. On July 2, 2009, King Abdullah II issued a decree formally granting Hussein the title of Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Hussein has three younger siblings:

• Princess Iman (born 1996), married Jameel Thermiotis, born Dimitrios Alejandro Thermiótis Hernández
• Princess Salma (born 2000)
• Prince Hashem (born 2005)

Crown Prince Hussein completed his secondary education at King’s Academy in Madaba-Manja, Jordan in 2012. In 2016, the Crown Prince graduated from Georgetown University in Washington DC with a degree in international history. In August 2017, Crown Prince Hussein graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, a family tradition.

Crown Prince Hussein often attends state and military functions with his father and takes an active interest in the welfare of the Jordanian people. He has also served as Regent when his father is out of the country.

Rajwa Al Saif

Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 28, 1994, Rajwa Khaled bin Musaed bin Saif bin Abdulaziz Al Saif is the youngest of the four children of Khalid Al Saif and his wife Azza Al Sudairi. Rajwa’s father is the CEO of the Al Saif Group, a privately-owned company with a diverse portfolio of healthcare, construction, and security services businesses. Rajwa is a member of the Al Saif family which dates back to the Subai tribe in the town of Al-Attar in Sudair, Najd, Saudi Arabia, where her ancestors were the sheikhs of the town.

After completing her primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia, Rajwa attended the School of Architecture at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, in the United States, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture. In addition, Rajwa also holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. Rajwa was employed by an architecture firm in Los Angeles, California, and at the time of her engagement, she was employed by Designlab Experience, a design studio in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Engagement

On August 17, 2022, the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan announced the engagement of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif. The engagement ceremony, where Hussein presented Rajwa with a pear-shaped Harry Winston diamond ring, took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at Rajwa’s family home and was attended by members of the Al Saif family and the following members of the Jordanian royal family:

• King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, Crown Prince Hussein’s parents
• Prince Hassan bin Talal, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal great-uncle
• Prince Hashem bin Abdullah, Crown Prince Hussein’s brother
• Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal half-uncle
• Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal half-uncle
• Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal first cousin once removed
• Prince Rashid bin El Hassan, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal first cousin once removed

Pre-Wedding Celebrations

On May 22, 2023, Queen Rania hosted a traditional henna party in honor of Rajwa Al Saif at the
Madareb Bani Hashem, located at Raghadan Palace. A henna party, a significant pre-wedding celebration that many cultures celebrate, is usually held several days before the wedding. The bride, her female relatives, and her friends celebrate the upcoming wedding by having a professional henna artist apply beautiful, elaborate designs on their hands and feet. Older women may offer guidance and wisdom to the bride-to-be as she begins her married life.

Rajwa’s henna party was a joyous affair, with traditional music and dancing. Traditional Jordanian and Saudi songs were performed by Nedaa Shrara, Diana Karazon, and Zain Awad, with performances by the Haleem Musical Group, the Al-Salt Girls Band, and the Misk Dance Company. The henna party was followed by a dinner hosted by Queen Rania, who gave a speech in honor of her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

On May 31, 2023, Hussein’s first cousin Prince Omar bin Faisal, hosted a groom’s shower attended by male relatives and friends. That evening, King Abdullah II hosted a dinner party in honor of the wedding at the Royal Madareb Bani Hashem, located at Raghadan Palace. Over 4,000 male guests attended the dinner party that showcased the culture of Jordan’s Hashemite rulers. The guests included representatives of Jordan’s tribes, Circassian and Chechen communities, members of civil society organizations, businesspeople, youth figures, former and current government officials, and army and security agencies personnel.

Wedding Guests – A Partial List

There were 140 guests at the wedding ceremony and over 1,700 guests at the wedding reception so not all the guests attended the wedding ceremony. The guests in bold below attended the wedding ceremony.

Relatives of the Groom

• King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, the groom’s parents
• Princess Iman bint Abdullah and Jameel Alexander Thermiótis, the groom’s sister and brother-in-law
• Princess Salma bint Abdullah, the groom’s sister
• Prince Hashem bin Abdullah, the groom’s brother
• Princess Muna Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal grandmother
• Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein and Princess Zeina Al Feisal, the groom’s paternal uncle and his wife
• Princess Aisha bint Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal aunt
• Princess Zein bint Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal aunt
• Princess Alia bint Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal half-aunt
• Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym Ali, the groom’s paternal half-uncle and his wife
• Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein and Princess Fahdah Al Hashim, the groom’s paternal half-uncle and his wife
• Princess Raiyah bint Al Hussein and Faris Ned Donovan, the groom’s paternal half-aunt and her husband
• Princess Firyal, the groom’s former paternal great-aunt
• Prince Talal bin Muhammad and Princess Ghida Talal, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed and his wife
• Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad and Princess Miriam Ghazi, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed and his wife
• Princess Taghrid Muhammad, the groom’s paternal great-aunt
• Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath El Hassan, the groom’s paternal great-uncle and his wife
• Princess Rahma bint El Hassan, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed
• Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed
• Prince Rashid bin El Hassan and Princess Zeina Rashid, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed and his wife
• Princess Basma bint Talal, the groom’s paternal great-aunt
• Ilham Al-Yassin, the groom’s maternal grandmother
• Dina Al-Yassin and Sherif Zoubi, the groom’s maternal aunt and her husband
• Majdi Al-Yassin and Rym Haurani, the groom’s maternal uncle and his wife

Relatives of the Bride

• Khaled Al Saif and Azza Al Sudairi, the bride’s parents
• Faisal Al Saif, the bride’s brother
• Nayef Al Saif, the bride’s brother
• Dana Al Saif, the bride’s sister

Foreign Royalty – Current Monarchies

• Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, representing his father Sheikh Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and his brother Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain
• King Philippe of the Belgians and his daughter and heir apparent The Duchess of Brabant
• Queen Jetsun of Bhutan, representing her husband King King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan, and her sister-in-law Princess Euphelma Choden of Bhutan
• Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei and his son Prince ‘Abdul Mateen of Brunei
• Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and his wife Crown Princess Mary, representing his mother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
• Princess Takamado of Japan, representing Emperor Naruhito of Japan, and her daughter Princess Tsuguko of Takamado
• Sheikh Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah of Kuwait and Sheikha Muna Al-Klaib of Kuwait, representing Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait
• Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and his wife Hereditary Princess Sophie, representing his father Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein
• Prince Johann Wenzel of Liechtenstein and his wife Princess Felicitas of Liechtenstein
• Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg, representing his father Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
• The Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and his wife Raja Permaisuri Agong
• King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife Queen Máxima
• The Princess of Orange, daughter and heir apparent of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
• Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, representing his father King Harald V of Norway
• Crown Prince Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said of Oman, representing his father Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman
• Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned of Qatar, representing her son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and her son Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani
• King Juan Carlos I of Spain and his wife Queen Sofía of Spain, representing their son King Felipe VI of Spain
• Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel, representing her father King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
• Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, representing his father Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Emir of Abu Dhabi
• The Prince and Princess of Wales, representing his father King Charles III of the United Kingdom
• Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Mapelli Mozzi, niece of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Foreign Royalty – Former Monarchies

• Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, his wife Tsaritsa Margarita, their son Kyril, Prince of Preslav, and his partner Katharine Butler
• Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece
• Empress Farah of Iran
• Princess Margareta of Romania, Custodian of the Crown of Romania and her husband Prince Radu

Jordan Government Officials

• Bisher Khasawneh, Prime Minister of Jordan and his wife Rana Sultan
• Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Dignitaries

• Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League and his wife Leila Aboul Gheit
• Philippa Karsera, First Lady of Cyprus
• Entissar el-Sisi, First Lady of Egypt and her daughter Aya el-Sisi
• Abdul Latif and Shanaz Rashid, President and First Lady of Iraq
• Barham and Sarbagh Salih, former President and First Lady of Iraq
• Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, former Prime Minister of Iraq
• Masoud Barzani, former President of Iraqi Kurdistan
• Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan
• Matteo Renzi, former Prime Minister of Italy and his wife Agnese Landini
• Najib Mikati, Prime Minister of Lebanon and his wife May Mikati
• Bilawal Bhutto, Foreign Minister of Pakistan
• Paul and Jeannette Kagame, President and First Lady of Rwanda
• David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his wife Samantha Cameron
• Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States and her daughter Ashley Biden
• Nancy Pelosi, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and her husband Paul Pelosi

Other Notable Guests

• Carole Middleton, mother of The Princess of Wales
• Philippa and James Matthews, sister and brother-in-law of The Princess of Wales
• Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner

Wedding Attire

 

Rajwa wore a custom white silk crepe gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab with long sleeves, an asymmetric neckline, and a draped bodice. The curve-hugging dress featured a long train with cut-out flowers and pearl details. Rajwa wore sensible, pointed-toe white flats. Her hair was styled in loose curls, topped with a diamond tiara, holding the flowing veil in place.

Crown Prince Hussein wore a military uniform with black, white, and red military regalia complete with gold embellishments.

The Wedding Ceremony

Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif were married in an Islamic marriage ceremony known as “katb ktab” at the gazebo in the gardens of Zahran Palace. The 140 guests who attended the wedding ceremony were individually welcomed by King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, the groom’s parents, before proceeding to the gazebo in the palace garden.

At the front of the gazebo was a three-sided seating area for the bride and groom, the imam who would preside over the wedding ceremony, the father of the groom, and the father of the bride, who would serve as witnesses. King Abdullah II sat on the right side. Rajwa’s father Khaled Al Saif sat on the left side next to Royal Hashemite Court Imam Dr. Ahmed Al Khalaileh. After the guests were seated, Crown Prince Hussein arrived alone, dressed in a military uniform, and sat in the middle section, near his father, to await the arrival of his bride.

Prince Hashem escorts the bride as his sisters Princess Iman and Princess Salma follow;  Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

Crown Prince Hussein’s three younger siblings accompanied Rajwa to Zahran Palace and walked with her as she made her way to her groom waiting in the gazebo. Prince Hashem (age 18) escorted Rajwa, Princess Iman (age 26) and Princess Salma (age 22) followed behind the bride, fixing her dress train and veil as she made her way through the garden to the gazebo. Rajwa walked down the aisle accompanied by Prince Hashem. Princess Iman and Princess Salma followed behind, adjusting the bride’s train several times. Rajwa sat next to Hussein, close to her father.

Royal Hashemite Court Imam Dr. Ahmed Al Khalaileh, who was appointed to his position in January 2021, presided over the wedding ceremony. Hussein and Rajwa signed the marriage contracts with their fathers acting as their two witnesses. In addition, Prince Hassan, King Hussein’s I’s only surviving brother and Crown Prince Hussein’s great-uncle, signed the marriage contract.

Before exchanging rings, Hussein and Rajwa recited the first verse from the Quran: “In the name of God (Allah), the Compassionate and Merciful. Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, the Compassionate and Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. Thee we worship and from Thee we seek help. Guide us upon the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, not of those who incur wrath, nor of those who are astray.”

When the wedding ceremony was over, a few women performed the Zaghrata, an ululation traditionally used to express happiness at Jordanian and Arab celebrations. The newlyweds kissed each other on the cheeks and exited to the garden where they greeted the wedding guests. Then they traveled in a motorcade, through the streets of Amman, where huge crowds turned out to greet them, ultimately arriving at Al Husseiniya Palace, where their wedding reception took place.

 

The first fifty-five minutes of the YouTube video below show the arrival of the wedding guests, the arrival of the groom and bride, and the wedding ceremony.

• YouTube: The wedding ceremony of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein

The Wedding Reception

The wedding reception was held at Al Husseiniya Palace, which was built in 2006, and houses the offices of King Abdullah II, Queen Rania, and Crown Prince Hussein. Over 1,700 guests attended the wedding reception.

The arrival of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa was announced with the customary zaffa or wedding march played by the Jordan Armed Forces Musical Band, with drums, bagpipes, singing, and clapping. The couple passed below an Arch of Sabers as they made their way to the outdoor reception courtyard. The newlyweds ascended the stage and were joined by King Abdullah II and Queen Rania and Rajwa’s parents Khaled Al Saif and Azza Al Sudairi to greet the over 1,700 guests.

 

The reception included performances from the national orchestra, a choir, local and regional singers, and Jordanian bands and dance troops, one of which performed the Dabkeh, a Levantine Arab folk dance. Tributes were paid to the groom’s military career and the bride’s Saudi Arabian heritage, and of course, there was the cutting of the wedding cake.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• Armani, Syed. (2023) What to know about the Jordanian Crown Prince’s Wedding, Time. Available at: https://time.com/6283682/jordan-hashemite-royal-wedding/ (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
• Inside the Jordanian royal wedding of HRH Crown Prince Hussein and HRH Princess Rajwa al-Saif (2023) Vogue Arabia. Available at: https://en.vogue.me/culture/jordanian-royal-wedding-crown-prince-hussein-rajwa-al-saif-pictures/ (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
• Rajwa al Saif Henna Night: What happens at a Henna Party? (2023) Available at: https://www.harpersbazaararabia.com/culture/royal-watch/royal-henna-party (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
• Queen Rania Hosts Dinner Party in Celebration of Crown Prince Al Hussein and Miss Rajwa’s Upcoming Wedding: Queen Rania (2023) Queen Rania Official Website. Available at: https://www.queenrania.jo/en/media/press-releases/queen-rania-hosts-dinner-party-celebration-crown-prince-al-hussein-and-miss (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
• Statement from the Royal Hashemite Court (2023) Statement from the Royal Hashemite Court | Royal Hashemite Court. Available at: https://rhc.jo/en/media/news/statement-royal-hashemite-court-12 (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
• زفاف الأمير الحسين ورجوة آل سيف (Wedding of Hussein, Crown_Prince of Jordan, and Rajwa Al Saif) (2023) Wikipedia (Arabic). Available at: https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B2%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%81_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86_%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A9_%D8%A2%D9%84_%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%81 (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
• Wedding of Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan, and Rajwa Al Saif (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_of_Hussein,_Crown_Prince_of_Jordan,_and_Rajwa_Al_Saif (Accessed: 05 July 2023).

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Hussein I of Jordan and Lisa Halaby, known as Queen Noor al-Hussein after her marriage, were married on June 15, 1978, at Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan, the home of Queen Mother Zein, the mother of King Hussein, and the traditional site of Jordanian royal marriages.

King Hussein’s Background

Hussein bin Talal was born November 14, 1935, in Amman, Jordan, the eldest son of the future King Talal bin Abdullah and Zein al-Sharaf Talal. At the time, Hussein’s grandfather was the Emir of Transjordan, becoming Abdullah I, the first King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan in 1946 (the name was later changed to simply ‘Jordan’). Hussein began his education in Amman, after which he attended Victoria College in Alexandria, Egypt. He then attended the Harrow School in England before enrolling in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

On July 21, 1951, Prince Hussein was accompanying his grandfather King Abdullah I to a mosque in Jerusalem when the king was killed by an assassin’s bullet. Hussein was at his side and was hit too, but a medal that had been pinned to Hussein’s chest at his grandfather’s insistence deflected the bullet and saved his life.

When his father became King of Jordan, Hussein was named Crown Prince in September 1951. His father King Talal suffered from mental illness and was forced to abdicate just a year later. The 16-year-old Crown Prince became King Hussein I with a regency council established until he reached the age of 18.

King Hussein’s mother Queen Zein played a major role in the early years of her son’s reign, guiding him in political and personal matters. She arranged his first marriage, when Hussein was just 19 years old, to Sharifa Dina bint ‘Abdu’l-Hamid, a third cousin of his father. The couple separated and were divorced in 1957. They had one daughter: Princess Alia (1956).

The King married a second time in 1961 to the British-born Antoinette Gardiner, who took the title HRH Princess Muna al-Hussein. This marriage, too, ended in divorce in 1971. The couple had four children: King Abdullah II (1962), Prince Feisal (1963), and twins Princess Aisha (1968) and Princess Zein (1968)

In December 1972, the King married Alia Baha ad-Din Toukan, the daughter of a Jordanian diplomat. Upon marriage, she became HM Queen Alia al-Hussein. Tragically, Queen Alia was killed in a helicopter crash in 1977. The couple had two children, as well as an adopted daughter: Princess Haya (1974), Prince Ali (1975), and Abir Muhaisen (1972, adopted in 1976).

• Unofficial Royalty: King Hussein I of Jordan

Lisa Halaby’s Background

Lisa Najeeb Halaby was born on August 23, 1951, in Washington DC in the United States, the eldest child of Najeeb Halaby and Doris Carlquist. Her father, of Syrian descent, held several prominent positions including head of the Federal Aviation Administration and CEO of the airline Pan Am. Coming from an affluent family, Lisa attended private schools: The National Cathedral School in Washington DC, The Chapin School in New York City, and Concord Academy in Massachusetts. She attended Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, as a member of the first coeducational class, graduating in 1974 with a degree in architecture and urban planning.

• Unofficial Royalty: Queen Noor of Jordan

The Engagement

In the winter of 1976, Lisa Halaby traveled with her father Najeeb Halaby, then the chairman of the International Advisory Board for Royal Jordanian Airlines, for a ceremony celebrating the purchase of Royal Jordanian Airlines’ first Boeing 747. There she met King Hussein and his wife Queen Alia. Around the time of Queen Alia’s tragic death in a helicopter crash on February 9, 1977, Lisa agreed to fill in for an ill manager of her father’s aviation company in Jordan, Arab Air Services, which provided aviation design, engineering, and technical support to Middle East countries.

By the middle of 1977, the ill employee had returned to work and Lisa had been accepted to Columbia University’s School of Journalism. However, she received an interesting job offer. Ali Ghandour, the founder and chairman of Royal Jordanian Airlines, offered Lisa a job heading up a department within Royal Jordanian Airlines to coordinate the planning, design, and maintenance of the airline’s facilities in Jordan and throughout the world. It would be a challenging job, but Lisa accepted the challenge, a challenge that would change her life.

In the course of her work, Lisa’s path occasionally passed the path of King Hussein. On April 6, 1977, Lisa’s father insisted she accompany him to an audience with King Hussein. At the audience, King Hussein asked Lisa if she could come to his home Hashimaya to look at some construction problems. A lunch appointment was made for the next day. Little did Lisa know that a whirlwind courtship would start. In her autobiography, Queen Noor wrote: “Hash, 12:30 reads my diary entry for April 7. What it does not say is that I did not get home until 7:30 that evening.”

One week after that first lunch, King Hussein invited Lisa for a weekend at Aqaba, a seaport popular with tourists, with his children and a group of friends. After the weekend, Hussein and Lisa had numerous dinners at his home Hashimaya. They watched videos of films, went on motorcycle rides, and Hussein flew her in his helicopter, but most of all they talked and shared their thoughts and feelings.

On April 28, 1978, King Hussein said that he wanted to see Lisa’s father, and Lisa knew what he meant. The next day, King Hussein went out of the country on official business, but when he returned, he mentioned Lisa’s father in every conversation and finally, with a few chosen words, proposed marriage. For eighteen days, Lisa agonized over the decision, but finally, on May 18, 1978, Lisa agreed to marry King Hussein. Hussein called Lisa’s father at his home in Alpine, New Jersey, and said, “I have the honor to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

The Wedding

King Hussein I of Jordan and Lisa Halaby were married on June 15, 1978, at Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan, home of Queen Mother Zein, the mother of King Hussein, and the traditional site of royal marriages. King Hussein wanted the marriage to occur as soon as possible but was persuaded to allow some time for family members to come to Amman. King Hussein gave Lisa a new, Arabic name: Noor al-Hussein, “Light of Hussein.”

King Hussein’s secretary commissioned a wedding dress from the French fashion house Dior. Two Dior designers came to Amman with sketches of elaborate wedding dresses, but Noor did not like the dresses. She wanted a simple dress that would be in line with Islamic ideals, so she showed the designers her favorite dress from her own closet, a Bohemian style Yves Saint Laurent boutique dress, and asked the designers to use that style as a model. The final design was a simple white silk crepe dress with a high neckline, long bell sleeves, and a plain long skirt.

During the brief engagement, Noor studied books on Islam and Jordanian history. Her parents had not brought her up in any particular religion. The Jordanian Constitution does not require that the King’s wife be Muslim, but there was no question in Noor’s mind that she would become Muslim. She became a Muslim on the morning of her wedding by proclaiming the testimony of faith: “I declare there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.” King Hussein decided that Noor would receive the style and title Her Majesty Queen Noor al-Hussein. Only one other of King Hussein’s previous three wives, Queen Alia, had been so honored.

Noor prepared for her wedding in a simple manner. She persuaded the hairdresser to arrange her hair as simply as possible, a band of white flowers holding her long blond hair in place with a simple veil, and she wore no makeup. She partially followed the Western tradition and wore “something blue and something new.” The something blue was a wedding present from her father, a sapphire stick pin from Tiffany. The something new was a pair of diamond drop earrings from a set of jewelry, a gift from Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia. The diamond drop earrings were quite dramatic, so Noor decided to remove the drops and wear only the tops.

While 500 guests waited on the lawn of the Zahran Palace, Hussein and Noor were married in an oriental-style sitting room in the palace. Noor was the only woman allowed, and the witnesses were Noor’s father and brother and the male members of the Jordanian Royal Family. A Muslim wedding ceremony is basically a contract in which the bride and groom agree to the contract and sign it in front of witnesses. Noor and King Hussein sat on a damask settee during the ceremony. They repeated simple marriage vows in Arabic. Noor said: “I have betrothed myself to thee in marriage for the dowry agreed upon.” King Hussein replied: “I have accepted thee as wife, my wife in marriage for the dowry agreed upon.” No rings were exchanged, instead, the vows were sealed by the couple clasping their right hands and looking at each other.

A two-hour reception was held on the lawn of Zahran Palace. The couple emerged from the ceremony to cut the seven-tier, three-foot-high fruitcake wedding cake with a golden Hashemite sword. They then mingled for ten minutes with family members who gathered to congratulate them. Soft drinks were substituted for champagne at the reception as Islamic law prohibits alcohol. The armed forces band played lively music in the background

The guests included the elite of Jordanian society, the diplomatic corps, government officials, and senior officers of the armed forces. There were no foreign guests except the Halaby family, Mrs. Cyrus Vance, the wife of the then-American Secretary of State, and a handful of Noor’s friends from the United States. One of King Hussein’s former wives, the British-born Princess Muna, was also present.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• Khouri, Rami, and Rami Khouri. “Royal Wedding In Amman”. Washington Post. N.p., 2017. Web. 17 May 2017.
• “King Hussein I Of Jordan”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 17 May 2017.
• Queen Noor. Leap Of Faith. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003. Print.
• “Queen Noor Of Jordan”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 17 May 2017.

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Abdullah II of Jordan, then Prince Abdullah of Jordan, and Rania al-Yassin were married on June 10, 1993, at the Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan.

King Abdullah II of Jordan’s Background

King Abdullah II of Jordan was born January 30, 1962, in Amman, Jordan, the eldest son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his second wife, British-born Antoinette Gardiner, known as Princess Muna. Abdullah has eleven siblings from his father’s four marriages. At the time of his birth, Abdullah was Crown Prince and heir-apparent to the Jordanian throne. However, in 1965, due to the political unrest in the region, King Hussein instead named his brother Prince Hassan as Crown Prince. The succession laws in Jordan follow agnatic primogeniture but King Hussein had the constitution changed to allow the reigning King to override the usual line of succession and appoint someone else in the royal family as his heir.

Abdullah began his education at the Islamic Educational College in Amman, Jordan before attending St Edmund’s School in Hindhead, Surrey, England and the Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts in the United States. He then enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in 1981. He served in the British Army in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars Regiment as a reconnaissance troop leader. He returned to Jordan in 1985 and began serving in the Jordanian Armed Forces. By 1993, he had become Commander of the Jordanian Special Forces, and by 1998, had risen to the rank of Major General.

On February 7, 1999, Abdullah became King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan upon the death of his father King Hussein. Just two weeks earlier, King Hussein had stripped his brother Prince Hassan of the title of Crown Prince and named Abdullah as his successor.

Unofficial Royalty: King Abdullah II of Jordan

Rania al-Yassin’s Background

Rania al-Yassin was born on August 31, 1970, in Kuwait, to Faisal Sedki Al-Yassin and his wife Ilham. Following her primary and secondary education at the New English School in Jabriya, Kuwait, Rania attended The American University in Cairo, Egypt, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She then attended The School of Business Studies in Geneva Switzerland, earning a post-graduate diploma in Business Management. She worked for a while at Citibank, before taking a job with Apple, Inc. in Jordan.

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Rania of Jordan

The Engagement

In January 1993, a friend of Rania took her to a dinner party hosted by Prince Abdullah’s sister. “The minute Rania walked in, I knew it right there and then,” said Abdullah in a 2005 interview with People magazine. “It was love at first sight.” A whirlwind courtship began. Abdullah took Rania on motorbike rides across the desert, waterskiing on the Red Sea, and flying in helicopters. After a courtship of just two months, King Hussein reportedly drove his son to the home of Rania’s parents so Abdullah could propose. With King Hussein and her family looking on, Rania accepted.

The Wedding

Abdullah and Rania were married on June 10, 1993, at the Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan. Zahran Palace, built in 1957, has become the headquarters for official events involving the Jordanian Royal Family. The wedding day was a national holiday. At the time, Prince Abdullah was not Jordan’s crown prince. That title was held by King Hussein’s brother Prince Hassan. Still, as the oldest son of King Hussein’s twelve children, Abdullah’s marriage was a grand state occasion and a glittering affair with royalty flying in from around the world to attend.

Rania chose British designer Bruce Oldfield to make her two wedding gowns. During the traditional Muslim ceremony, Rania wore a modest, short-sleeve gown with exaggerated lapels and a large belt. Inspired by Syrian formal dresses at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Oldfield added gold detailing to the gown’s trim, matching hair ornament and gloves. The skirt was voluminous and ended in a train at the back. A long veil covered her face during the Muslim ceremony. Her hairdo was so tall that she had difficulty getting in and out of the car.

Prince Abdullah wore his formal military dress uniform adorned with numerous medals and a ceremonial sword.

Queen Rania had five young girls as attendants. They wore dresses with puffed sleeves in a peachy gold color and carried small bouquets of white and yellow flowers tied with yellow bows. Each girl wore a white hairband with flowers fastened at each end. Several young boys, dressed in sailor suits, served as the pages.

The Muslim wedding ceremony is known as a nikah. On the wedding day, the bride and groom are seated in different rooms accompanied by close friends and family. A nikha namah (marriage contract) is presented containing the conditions of the marriage and the agreed mahr (mandatory gift promised to the bride by the groom). An imam (Muslim worship leader) or any male knowledgeable in Islam is qualified to perform this ceremony, which involves proposing the wedding match to both parties and announcing their acceptance. Abdullah and Rania’s marriage was performed by King Hussein.

After the marriage, the newlyweds toured the streets of Amman in an open convertible decorated with flowers and bows as they waved at cheering crowds.

For the evening reception, the couple changed into less formal attire. Rania wore a less modest, floor-length white sleeveless gown designed by Bruce Oldfield. It featured slender shoulder straps, a V-neck, and a slight plunge in the back. Abdullah wore a short white dinner jacket and dark pants.

The wedding cake, which the newlyweds cut with a sword, was multi-tiered with each tier in the shape of a rectangular room decorated with crowns and lace.

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Works Cited

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• “رانيا العبد الله”. Ar.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.