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.
The bride and groom pronounced their vows at Zahran Palace, 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, but also King Philippe of Belgium and his daughter, Princess Elisabeth. The 21-year-old heiress to the Belgian throne was dressed in a sumptuous fuchsia dress by Essentiel Antwerp. An outfit that puts Belgium in the spotlight and that is accessible, since it is displayed at less than 400 euros.
It was the first major royal wedding that the Duchess of Brabant attended. Queen Mathilde’s daughter also found Princess Beatrice, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, there.
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.
