Prince Hussein of Jordan married his great love Rajwa Al Saif on June 1, 2023. An important step in the life of Jordan’s next king, whose life was supposed to be very different.
Jordan in wedding fever! On Thursday, June 1, 2023, Queen Rania, 52, and King Abdullah II, 61, hosted their second wedding this year. After Princess Iman, 26, weds Jameel Alexander Thermiotis in March 2023, Prince Hussein of Jordan, 29, and his fiancee Rajwa Al Saif (since marriage Princess Rajwa), 29, were due to be married earlier this month. A royal mega-event, in which not only many representatives of the international high nobility took part, but also Jill Biden, 72, the First Lady of the USA, traveled to Jordan for Hussein’s wedding.
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After all, one day Hussein will inherit his father and ascend the throne – although he was not intended for this position. A portrait of a crown prince who really shouldn’t be one.
A title withdrawal with consequences
Prince Hussein is the first child of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania. On June 28, 1994 he saw the light of day in Amman and crowned his parents’ love happiness. Although Hussein was the king’s firstborn, he did not automatically become Jordan’s crown prince when his father ascended the throne in February 1999. The reason: At the request of his father, Abdullah decreed at the beginning of his reign that his half-brother Prince Hamzah, 43, – King Hussein, †63, fourth son – should succeed him in the line of succession, rather than his own son.
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Then, six years after his decision, the big bang came: Abdullah revoked his half-brother’s title of crown prince on November 28, 2004, at which point the then ten-year-old Hussein became the first heir to the throne in accordance with Jordan’s constitution. However, Hussein was only officially appointed crown prince shortly after his 15th birthday in 2009.
A step with serious consequences that is likely to have permanently damaged the relationship between Abdullah and Hamzah. The situation escalated in 2021 when King Abdullah placed his half-brother under house arrest and accused him of attempting a coup. A year later, in April 2022, Hamzah finally announced that he wanted to renounce his prince title for good.
After what I’ve been through over the past few years, I’ve come to the conclusion that my personal beliefs and the values that my father instilled in me and that I’ve tried to hold onto throughout my life are not in alignment with the approaches, trends and modern methods of our institution,
he wrote in a public statement, stressing, “From the point of view of allegiance to God and consciousness, I see no choice but to give up and shed the title of Prince.”
A crown prince following in the footsteps of his ancestors
Unlike Hamzah, Hussein is fully committed to the values of his father’s constitutional monarchy, is pro-Western, and after graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, DC with a degree in international history, began his education at the Sandhurst Military Academy – like his father and Grandfather. He successfully completed this in 2017. Since then, Hussein has been a captain in the Jordanian army, likes to appear in uniform and regularly attends appointments with the armed forces.
Crown Prince Hussein meets his colleagues from the Royal Armored Brigade for an evening of celebrations ahead of his wedding on 17 May 2023.
© Royal Hashemite Court/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire / Picture Alliance
More than four million people follow the life of Prince Hussein
In addition to his official duties and appointments, Hussein follows the example of his mother Rania and maintains his own modern Instagram account, which is now followed by over four million people – and the trend is rising. Here the 29-year-old regularly posts photos of his appearances in the service of the crown and encounters with other high-ranking personalities, but also shares private snapshots, which above all underline the good relationship with his parents and three siblings. Hussein recently published a screenshot of a Facetime call with Sister Salma, 22, as she was celebrating her graduation from the University of Southern California and wrote: “Congratulations to the coolest Salma!”
In addition, the crown prince congratulates his family members on every birthday or important phase of life with heartfelt photos and loving lines. Hussein recently shared a heartfelt photo with his brother Prince Hashem, 18, on the occasion of his graduation: “My dearest brother Hashem, I was very proud to see you graduating today! To further success at university and a bright future in the service of Jordan.”
Prince Hussein of Jordan has ambitious goals
Prince Hussein also makes his heart projects recognizable in his story highlights: strengthening Jordan, international relations, technology and the military. His interests are also reflected in his initiatives. In addition to the “Crown Prince Foundation”, according to the palace, Hussein also launched the “Haqiq” initiative and a special initiative in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) for Jordanian youth. Also on his agenda are the “Mazar” initiative to give Jordanian children the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and innovations in the field of space travel, and the “Hearing Without Borders” initiative for deaf children.
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“Volunteering not only creates an active citizen, but also builds a cohesive society, which is a fundamental pillar of unity and solidarity among citizens of all ages,” Prince Hussein was quoted as saying on the Jordanian royal family’s official website. In addition, the palace emphasizes that Hussein is interested in “following everything that has to do with the future of youth in Jordan, their involvement in society and their access to education and economic opportunities.”
Perfect prerequisites for ascending the throne at some point. Prince Hussein has already found a partner for life who will support him in this important task.
Sources used: rhc.jo, jordantimes.com, theage.com.au, instagram.com