2023-06-01 20:36:37
Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdallah and Saudi architect Rajwa al-Saif got married on Thursday in the presence of guests from all over the world to celebrate this union which might help bring Riyadh and Amman closer together.
King Abdallah II designated his eldest son, Hussein ben Abdallah at the age of 15 as heir to the throne.
The bride was born and raised in a wealthy and influential family in Saudi Arabia, close to the Saudi royal family, before studying in the United States as her husband.
Jordan shares a long border with Saudi Arabia. The two monarchies, close partners, play an important role in Islam: the Saudi kingdom thus hosts the pilgrimage to Mecca each year while Jordan is the guardian of the Muslim sacred places in Jerusalem.
Endowed with relative political stability compared to certain neighboring countries – such as Israel, Lebanon or even Syria – Jordan is however heavily indebted, with a high unemployment rate (23%), according to the World Bank.
The country is highly dependent on international aid, particularly from wealthy Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, an economic and diplomatic heavyweight in the region.
For the Hashemite monarchy, the weddings are also an opportunity to restore its image, following a deep crisis in April 2021.
Hamza, half-brother of King Abdallah II, was then accused of having wanted to destabilize the kingdom, an unprecedented crisis which had shaken the Hashemite monarchy.
The Jordanian authorities had accused a “foreign” hand of being at the origin of the crisis, which had turned all eyes towards Riyadh.
Shortly following, an adviser close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) was arrested in Amman.
The crisis in Jordan had echoed power plays and purges within the royal family in Saudi Arabia, where King Salman dismissed the reigning crown prince in 2017 in favor of his young son, MBS.
Celebrities and royalty
The bride and groom pronounced their vows at Zahran Palace in Amman, in the presence of their families and 140 other guests, including the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, the British princely couple William and Kate, the King of the Netherlands. Bas, Willem-Alexander, or even King Philippe of Belgium.
Princess Beatrice, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, was also present.
Such celebrations are rare in the Arab world, where conservative monarchies share few details of their private lives.
In a festive atmosphere, thousands of Jordanians celebrated the weddings of the spouses in the streets of the capital where their portraits were displayed.
The Jordanian population has also been able to witness fireworks, air shows and concerts over the past few days.
“Hussein is your son, you are his family and this is your wedding,” the groom’s mother, Queen Rania, told Jordanians on May 23 in a YouTube video.
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