The highly anticipated royal wedding in Jordan commenced with an unexpected announcement that Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate were in attendance to witness the nuptials of Crown Prince Hussein and his Saudi Arabian bride.
The presence of the British royals had been kept secret until a few hours before the palace ceremony, as confirmed by Jordanian state media.
This union between Jordan’s 28-year-old heir to the throne and Rajwa al-Saif, a 29-year-old architect connected to her own country’s monarch, signifies continuity in a nation known for its stability.
The wedding festivities, scheduled to begin on Thursday afternoon, also serve as an introduction of Hussein to a wider global audience.
Apart from the Prince and Princess of Wales, the guest list includes a range of foreign dignitaries and aristocrats, including senior royals from Europe and Asia, as well as First Lady Jill Biden and U.S.
Climate Envoy John Kerry.
Notably absent are Meghan and Harry.
Among the likely attendees are Saudi aristocrats, as al-Saif’s mother has ties to the influential wife of Saudi Arabia’s founder, King Abdulaziz al-Saud.
Furthermore, al-Saif’s father is the owner of a major construction firm in the kingdom.
This celebration not only reinforces the royal family’s order of succession but also revitalizes its image following a palace feud.
Additionally, it may help Jordan, a country with limited resources, forge a strategic bond with its oil-rich neighbor, Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday morning, Saudi wedding guests and tourists, dressed in white dishdasha robes and brightly colored abayas, gathered at the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman.
Nur al-Sudairi, a close friend of the bride, expressed her excitement about the union, emphasizing its significance for both families and the relationship between Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Anticipation for the nuptials has been building in Amman, where congratulatory banners featuring Hussein and his radiant bride adorn buses and streets.
Shops proudly display royal regalia, while royal enthusiasts speculate about the designer of al-Saif’s wedding dress, which remains a well-guarded secret.
Nancy Tirana, a 28-year-old law intern, has been closely observing al-Saif’s every move and fashion choice.
She admires her beauty, elegance, and the evident love she shares with Queen Rania, Hussein’s glamorous mother.
Tirana enthusiastically exclaimed that it feels like the entire nation of Jordan is getting married as she enjoyed Mansf, the country’s national dish, before attending a wedding-themed concert.
Over the past few years, Jordan’s 11 million citizens have witnessed the rise of the young crown prince, as he increasingly accompanies his father, King Abdullah II, in public appearances.
Hussein, a Georgetown University graduate and military member, has gained global recognition through his speeches at the UN General Assembly.
Experts view his wedding as a crucial milestone, symbolizing the presentation of the future king of Jordan.
Political analyst Amr Seybele describes it as more than just a marriage; it is the affirmation of the crown prince’s role.
The wedding offers a temporary moment of joy for Jordanians amidst challenging economic times, including high youth unemployment and a struggling economy.
Palace officials have transformed the event, which coincides with Jordan’s 77th birthday, into a PR campaign.
Balancing tradition and modernity, the royal family has introduced a wedding hashtag celebrating Al Hussein, along with a logo that combines the couple’s initials into the Arabic words “We Rejoice.”
State-linked media has extensively covered the couple’s engagement ceremony in Saudi Arabia and Al Saif’s Hanna Party, a traditional pre-wedding celebration with her female friends and relatives.
To accommodate the public’s participation, Thursday has been declared a public holiday.
Crowds will gather after the wedding service to catch a glimpse of the couple’s motorcade, consisting of red Land Rover jeeps—a nod to the traditional procession of horse riders clad in red coats during the reign of King Abdullah I, the country’s founder.
Tens of thousands of well-wishers are expected to attend free concerts and cultural events.
Massive screens have been set up nationwide for the public to witness the unfolding of this grand occasion.
The signing of the marriage contract will take place at Zarin Palace in Amman, which hasn’t witnessed such grandeur since 1993 when King Abdullah married Rania, a Kuwait-born woman of Palestinian descent.
Decades earlier, King Hussein, Abdullah’s father, exchanged vows with his second wife, British citizen Antoinette Gardner, in the same garden.