On Friday, April 8th the Royal Hashemite Court welcomed a new addition with the birth of the third daughter of Their Royal Highnesses Prince Hamzah Bin Al Hussein and Princess Basma Hamza—Her Royal Highness Princess Badiya bint Hamzah.
Half-brother to King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, Prince Hamzah Bin Al Hussein (b. 1980) is the eldest son of King Hussein bin Talal (b. 1935 – d. 1999) and his American-born fourth wife, Queen Noor of Jordan (b. 1951). Prince Hamzah has four brothers and seven sisters in total from his father’s marriages.
After completing his elementary studies in Jordan the prince followed family tradition and attended secondary school in the UK at Harrow School. He then entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, passing out in 1999 as a commissioned officer in the Arab Jordanian Army before rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Named as Crown Prince by his father, King Hussein, in 1999, this title was rescinded in November 2004 by Prince Hamzah’s half-brother, King Abdullah II. Although the title was not given to anyone else at that point, many believed the King intended to make his eldest son, Hussein bin Abdullah, his successor, which he did in July 2009.
In 2003 Prince Hamzah married Princess Noor bint Asem bin Nayef and the couple welcomed a daughter in 2007—Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Hamzah. The union ended in 2009 when the couple divorced.
On 12 January 2012 Prince Hamzah married Basmah Bani Ahmad (b. 1979). A trained flight instructor, Princess Basma Hamza met Prince Hamzah at the Dubai Air Show in November 2011. Raised in Ontario, Canada, she attended The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada before moving to Jordan in 2005 to pursue her studies in aviation, training with The Middle East Aviation Academy.
The new princess joins elder sisters Her Royal Highness Princess Zein bint Hamzah (b. 3 November 2012) and Her Royal Highness Princess Noor bint Hamzah (b. 5 July 2014).
Located at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe, Jordan (officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) is a constitutional monarchy and a founding member of the Arab League.
The official statement:
“[The] Royal Hashemite Court is pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses Prince Hamzah Bin Al Hussein and Princess Basma Hamza had a baby yesterday, Friday, 30 Jumada II 1437 AH, corresponding to April 8, 2016 AD”
