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The Center East is buzzing with wall-to-wall media protection as Jordan celebrated the lavish royal marriage ceremony of its inheritor to the throne and his fiancée, a Saudi architect.
Crown Prince Hussein, 28 — the son of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania — has wed Saudi aristocrat and New York-qualified architect, Rajwa Al Seif, 29, following a practice of cementing ties between the 2 kingdoms.
The pair are sometimes likened within the press to Britain’s Prince William and his spouse, Catherine, Princess of Wales — who touched down in Amman to attend the Thursday nuptials amongst different world royals and dignitaries. First girl Jill Biden, a pal of Queen Rania, additionally attended the glamorous occasion earlier than touring on to Egypt and Morocco.
Marriage ceremony fever took over the streets of the capital, Amman: Buildings had been adorned with flags and beaming photos of the royal couple, whereas flocks of individuals had been making ready to observe the marriage of the 12 months broadcast reside on giant public screens. Jordanians have been given a two-day vacation, with free public live shows and firework shows to rejoice the event.
“Anybody strolling within the streets or searching social media can witness an unprecedented degree of celebration,” mentioned Mohammad Asfour, who lives in Amman and is a sustainability professional. “To many, the marriage doesn’t solely symbolize a sacred bond between two individuals in love however a bond between two nations that share a protracted border and an extended historical past — to them it symbolizes Jordan’s future.”
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Nevertheless regardless of the glittering affair, Jordan like different Center Japanese nations is weathering a tricky financial local weather. In distinction to a few of its neighbors, the nation is basically devoid of pure sources and depends on tourism and international help. It suffers from rising unemployment, debt, inflation, and hovering meals and vitality costs which have led to protests. It additionally contends with a big refugee inhabitants.
Right here’s what to know concerning the lavish celebration occurring Thursday.
Who’s Crown Prince Hussein?
Hussein has a level from Georgetown College in worldwide historical past and has educated at Britain’s prestigious Sandhurst army academy, marching within the footsteps of different world royals.
He’s a modern-day royal, with over 4 million followers on Instagram, the place he shares behind-the-scenes posts of his mother baking, a state go to to Japan and a FaceTime together with his little sister. In a single put up devoted to his bride-to-be’s birthday, he gushes about how a lot he’s “trying ahead to a lifetime of love, compassion and dedication with you.”
Hussein was confirmed as crown prince at age 15. However in 2021, palace intrigue heightened when the federal government accused Abdullah’s half brother, former crown prince Hamzah bin Hussein, and his associates of sedition, claiming he was cooperating with international entities to pursue a plot to destabilize the dominion.
Abdullah has dominated the nation since 1999 and cultivated robust army and political ties with a number of U.S. administrations which have considered Jordan as a secure ally within the area.
Who’s the bride, Rajwa Al Seif?
Al Seif, in the meantime, has impressed a media frenzy within the Center East, together with her appearances and garments typically dissected and analyzed on-line. She obtained her structure diploma from Syracuse College in New York in 2017. A video exhibits her graduating to loud cheers from the viewers as she crosses the stage in shiny silver sneakers.
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She additionally studied at a vogue institute in Los Angeles, speaks fluent English, Arabic and French, and reportedly enjoys artwork and horseback driving.
At a bridal henna get together earlier this week, Rania referred to as Al Seif “the sweetest and most stunning bride-to-be,” and mentioned she was the reply to her prayers for her son.
“To our total Jordanian household: Our pleasure is one and the identical,” she informed the nation of 11 million. “Hussein is your son as a lot as he’s mine — you’re his household, and that is your celebration.”
The place was Jordan’s royal marriage ceremony?
The pair wed on the historic Zahran Palace in Amman, the place the prince’s dad and mom additionally married, in keeping with the Royal Hashemite Courtroom. After they had been married by a sheikh and signed the papers, ululations flooded the room — a celebratory custom in lots of Center Japanese international locations, particularly at weddings. Then, the royal pair took half in a procession accompanied by a royal motorcade towards the Husseiniya Palace for a banquet reception.
What was Jordan’s royal marriage ceremony day like?
The buzzing marriage ceremony day was full of pomp and ceremony and had its personal official emblem and on-line hashtag, #CelebratingAlHussein. “The land of the Hashemites beams with pleasure,” wrote one excited commentator on-line.
U.S. local weather envoy John F. Kerry additionally attended. Others on the visitor listing included royals from Japan, Belgium and the Netherlands amongst different international dignitaries.
No particulars of how the couple first met have been made public, however they grew to become engaged within the Saudi capital, Riyadh, final August, in keeping with the Related Press, in a ceremony attended by each households.
That is the second royal marriage ceremony in Jordan this 12 months. In March, the prince’s youthful sister, Princess Iman, married Venezuelan financier Jameel Alexander Thermiotis in a ceremony that additionally captured public consideration.
Sarah Dadouch contributed to this report.