The Jordanian Royal Family had two things to celebrate this year with the announcement of the engagements of both Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Iman. Wedding announcements weren’t all that happened this year, so let’s take a look at Jordan’s 2022.
The year began with Queen Rania making a visit to Al-Salt before King Abdullah celebrated his 60th birthday.
Queen Rania called for unity for climate change, while Crown Prince Hussein requested more political participation in February.
March was a bit busier for the Jordanian royals. The King and Queen released a joint statement in support of International Women’s Day a few days before King Abdullah visited Norway and met with the Norwegian Royal Family.
That same month saw Prince Hamzah pen an apology to his brother, the King, for the attempted coup that took place in 2021. Princess Haya was vindicated when a judge ruled that she was a victim of domestic abuse. She later released a statement after the judge granted her full custody of her two children with Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed.
By April, Prince Hamzah had changed his tune and renounced his royal titles. King Abdullah also had a successful back surgery. That same month, Princess Basma was named FAO Goodwill Ambassador for her role in the fight for the conservation of her country’s native flora.
The royals had joy and mourning in May. King Abdullah and Queen Rania were announced as the recipients of a prize from the Vatican; King Abdullah also released a scathing letter about his wayward younger brother, Prince Hamzah, after the alleged 2021 coup. Queen Rania was crushed later in the month when her father died, and the Royal Hashemite Court entered into seven days of mourning.
July saw joy for the family as the engagement of Princess Iman was announced to Jameel Alexander Thermiotis. The following month, the engagement of her older brother, Crown Prince Hussein, was announced to Saudi-born Rajwa Khaled bin Musaed bin Saif bin Abdulaziz Al Saif. Both weddings are set to take place in 2023.
September saw a royal wedding take place when Prince Ghazi married Princess Miriam on 3 September.
Soon, the sad news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death would reach Jordan, and Queen Rania called her “the Queen of the World.” The King and Queen travelled to London for her State Funeral.
However, Queen Rania revealed her future hopes in an interview that month, saying she wants to be a “fun grandma.”
In October, Crown Prince Hussein took Rajwa to learn more about the Hashemite legacy ahead of her joining the family in 2023.
King Abdullah met King Charles III in London in November, and the Jordanian royals welcomed King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden on a State Visit.
Several members of the family also travelled to Qatar for the beginning of the World Cup. Queen Rania returned to London for the UN’s 16 Days of Activism campaign and joined Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Queen Camilla and the Countess of Wessex for the event.
The Queen also took part in a special tradition in the lighting of the Christmas tree in the Christian-majority town of Fuheis.
While we don’t know for sure what each year will bring, we know the Jordanian Royal Family will have at least two reasons to celebrate come 2023!
