As she celebrates her 70th birthday, we take a look at the romance and wedding of Queen Noor and King Hussein of Jordan.
Queen Noor stepped onto the international stage 43 years ago when she married King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan. Born Lisa Najeeb Halaby, the American-born Princeton graduate, became Hussein’s fourth wife at age 27. Expected to be named a princess, King Hussein declared his new wife queen upon marriage. She became the first American-born queen of an Arab nation and the second of Hussein’s wives to be given the title of queen.
Noor and Hussein met in 1977 while Noor was working as the Director of Facilities Planning and Design for Arab Air Services. They met and became friends at the opening of the Queen Alia International Airport. Their relationship quickly blossomed into a romance, and the King proposed on 13 May 1978.
A month later, on 15 June 1978, they married in a low-key but traditional Islamic wedding. In preparation for the big day, Noor converted to Sunni Islam and changed her name to Noor Al-Hussein, which means “light of Hussein.” The wedding took place in the Zaharan Palace, where royal marriages take place. Following Muslim custom, she was the only woman present. Witnesses included the King’s two brothers and the bride’s father. The ceremony was performed by the chief justice of Jordan’s highest Islamic court. The couple recited vows from the Quran stating that they were being married in accordance with the laws of God, his prophet and the agreements made between each other.
After the vows were exchanged, the happy couple entertained over 500 guests at the reception. Dressed in Dior and diamonds, the Queen had family and a few American friends in attendance. Government officials, diplomats and members of the Jordanian elite were all guests at the wedding, as was Hussein’s ex-wife, Princess Muna. Partygoers enjoyed soft drinks – alcohol is forbidden by Islamic law – and fruitcake. The royal couple celebrated with their guests before leaving in a Mercedes limousine for their honeymoon.
There were mixed feelings among the Jordanian people about their new queen. Some felt she was a western outsider interfering in their country. Others saw her as an Arab returning to her roots due to her Syrian ancestry. King Hussein and Queen Noor went on to have four children. The King succumbed to cancer in 1999. Today, Queen Noor spends her time in the United Kingdom, America and Jordan and is heavily involved in humanitarian and environmental affairs.
