Category Archives: Jordanian Royals

Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan; Credit – Royal Hashemite Court 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).

At the time, Prince Abdullah, despite being the eldest son, was not the heir-apparent. The succession laws in Jordan follow agnatic primogeniture (eldest son), but also allow for the reigning King to appoint whomever he wishes as his heir and Crown Prince. King Hussein had named his younger brother, Prince Hassan, as Crown Prince in 1965. This would remain until just days before King Hussein’s death.

On January 24, 1999, just two weeks before his death, King Hussein appointed his son Abdullah as Crown Prince, with the wish that Abdullah would name his younger half-brother Prince Hamzah as his heir. When the King died on February 7, 1999, Abdullah became King and respected his father’s wishes, appointing Hamzah Crown Prince.

However, in 2004, Abdullah stripped Hamzah of the Crown Prince title. As he did not name a replacement, this made the young Prince Hussein his father’s heir-apparent under the existing succession laws. On July 2, 2009, the King issued a decree formally granting Prince Hussein the title of Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Hussein has three younger siblings:

Embed from Getty Images 

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. He holds the rank of Captain in the Jordanian Armed Forces.  In August 2017, Crown Prince Hussein graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, a family tradition.

September 2015: Crown Prince Hussein attends a meeting with his father King Hussein and the American Secretary of State John Kerry; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The Crown Prince often attends state and military functions with his father and takes an active interest in the welfare of the Jordanian people. His first official event was Armed Forces Day in 2010 when he represented his father. He has also served as Regent several times when his father is out of the country. On April 23, 2015, the then-20-year-old Crown Prince Hussein became the youngest person ever to chair a United Nations Security Council session.

Rajwa Al Saif and Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan; Credit – Queen Rania of Jordan Facebook page

On August 17, 2022, the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan announced the engagement of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Khaled bin Musaed bin Saif bin Abdulaziz Al Saif. Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 28, 1994, Rajwa is the youngest of the four children of Khalid Al Saif, the CEO of the Al Saif Group, and his wife Azza Al Sudairi. The couple was married on June 1, 2023, at Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan. About thirty minutes after the wedding ceremony, the Royal Hashemite Court issued a decree elevating Rajwa to a Princess of Jordan with the style and title Her Royal Highness Princess Rajwa Al Hussein. The title Crown Princess is not typically used in Jordan.

Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa have one daughter who is not eligible to be ruler of Jordan. The constitution of Jordan states that only legitimate, male, mentally sound, Muslim, male-line descendants of King Abdullah I are eligible to be King.

  • Princess Iman bint Al Hussein of Jordan (born August 3, 2024)

YouTube:  Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II recites the call to prayer in the ear of his newborn daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Iman bint Al Hussein

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Princess Muna al-Hussein of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo: Jordanian Nursing Council

Princess Muna of Jordan – photo source: Jordanian Nursing Council

Antoinette Avril Gardiner, the daughter of Walter Gardiner and Doris Sutton, was born April 25, 1941 in Chelmondiston, Suffolk, England. Her father was in the British Army, and at one point was stationed in Jordan.

It was in Jordan, while Antoinette was working as a secretary on the production of the film Lawrence of Arabia that she met her future husband, King Hussein I of Jordan.

 

The couple married on May 25, 1961, in Amman, Jordan. Having converted to Islam, she took on the name Muna-al Hussein. The following year, upon the birth of their first child, she was created HRH Princess Muna-al Hussein of Jordan. Unlike Hussein’s other wives, she was never created Queen of Jordan. The couple had four children including twin daughters:

  • King Abdullah II (born 1962), married Rania al Yassin, had four children
  • Prince Feisal (born 1963), married (1) Alia Tabbaa, had four children, divorced (2) Sara Bassam Qabbani, no children, divorced (3) Zeina Lubbadeh, had two children
  • Princess Aisha (born 1968), married (1) Zeid Saadedine Juma, had two children, divorced  (2) Ashraf Banayoti, divorced
  • Princess Zein (born 1968), married Majdi Farid Al-Saleh, had three children

Princess Muna with her two sons Feisal and Abdullah, 1964: Credit – Wikipedia

In 1971, the couple divorced, and she retained her titles. In 1999, upon Hussein’s death, her son Abdullah became King of Jordan. Princess Muna has been very involved in the development of nursing in Jordan and remains active in various organizations related to the field of nursing and healthcare in Jordan. Currently, she serves as President of the Jordanian Nursing Council.

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Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Hussein I of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Hussein of Jordan. Credit : Wikipedia

King Hussein of Jordan was one of the most important figures in the Middle Eastern region. His efforts for peace in the region earned him the respect of millions around the world, regardless of religious or political beliefs.

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 Abdullah I was the Emir of Transjordan. He became the first King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan in 1946. The name was later changed to simply ‘Jordan’.

Hussein had five siblings, but only three survived childhood:

Hussein with his four surviving siblings: Hassan, Hussein, Basma, and Muhammad; Credit – Wikipedia

The young 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 accompanied his grandfather King Abdullah I to a mosque in Jerusalem. Hussein was at his side at his grandfather’s side when an assassin killed him 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.

With his father now becoming King, 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 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 her son was just 19 years old to Sharifa Dina bint ‘Abdu’l-Hamid, a third cousin of his father.  The marriage took place on April 19, 1955. The couple separated and divorced in 1957.  They had one daughter:

  • Princess Alia (born 1956), married (1) Lieutenant-Colonel Nasser Wasfi Mirza, had one child, divorced  (2) Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh, had two children

King Hussein married a second time on May 25, 1961, to Antoinette Avril Gardiner, who took the title HRH Princess Muna al-Hussein. This marriage, too, ended in divorce in 1971.  The couple had  four children including twin daughters:

  • King Abdullah II (born 1962), married Rania al Yassin, had four children
  • Prince Feisal (born 1963), married (1) Alia Tabbaa, had four children, divorced (2) Sara Bassam Qabbani, no children, divorced (3) Zeina Lubbadeh, had two children
  • Princess Aisha (born 1968), married (1) Zeid Saadedine Juma, had two children, divorced  (2) Ashraf Banayoti, divorced
  • Princess Zein (born 1968), married Majdi Farid Al-Saleh, had three children

On December 24, 1972, King Hussein 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:

King Hussien’s fourth marriage was to Lisa Najeeb Halaby, an American, on June 15, 1978. The couple met when she was working on the development of the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, named for the King’s recently deceased wife. Upon marriage, and her conversion to Islam, she became HM Queen Noor al-Hussein.

The couple had four children:

In July 1998, it was revealed that the King was battling lymphatic cancer, and being treated at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. He returned to Jordan in early January 1999, and somewhat unexpectedly designated his eldest son, Abdullah, as his successor. After a brief return to the Mayo Clinic for more treatment, the King returned to Jordan for a final time, being taken immediately to the King Hussein Medical Center. Having suffered significant organ failure, he lapsed into a coma, on life-support systems. The King died on the morning of February 7, 1999, with Queen Noor and some of his children at his side.

His body was taken to Raghadan Palace in Amman, Jordan where the King lay in state, allowing dignitaries and world leaders to come and pay their respects. His remains were transferred to a mosque within the royal compound where prayers were held. Following this, he was taken to the Royal Cemetery at Raghadan Palace where his body was laid to rest.

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Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Queen Noor of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Embed from Getty Images

Lisa Najeeb Halaby was born on August 23, 1951, in Washington DC, 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 PanAm. Coming from an affluent family, Lisa attended private schools for her primary education – The National Cathedral School in Washington DC, The Chapin School in New York City, and Concord Academy in Massachusetts. She attended Princeton University, as a member of the first coed class, graduating in 1974 with a degree in architecture and urban planning.

In 1977, Lisa met her future husband King Hussein of Jordan while working on the development of Queen Alia Airport in Jordan, named for the King’s recently deceased wife. The couple was soon engaged and married on June 15, 1978, in Amman. Upon marriage, Lisa was given the name Noor Al-Hussein and was made Queen of Jordan. Previously, she had converted to Islam and relinquished her American citizenship.

 

Noor and Hussein had four children. In addition, she raised three of her stepchildren, the children of King Hussein and his third wife Queen Alia who died in a helicopter crash.

King Hussein died in 1999 following a battle with cancer. Queen Noor continues her work with many international organizations, including chairing the King Hussein Foundation, serving as president of the United World Colleges, and working with the Global Zero campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons around the world. Queen Noor divides her time between Jordan, Washington, D.C., and the United Kingdom, in London and at her country residence, Buckhurst Park, near Winkfield, Berkshire, England.

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.

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Suggested reading: Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life, (2003) by Queen Noor of Jordan