Fireworks, air show, concerts and palpable excitement on social networks: Jordan vibrates in a rare festive atmosphere, in anticipation of the Thursday wedding of Crown Prince Hussein ben Abdallah.
‘When I see you, life becomes sweet’: the inscription taken from an Arabic poem was embroidered in gold letters on the white dress of Rajwa al-Saif, the Saudi fiancée of the Prince of Jordan, at his party wedding last week, images of which were widely shared by Jordanians.
On Thursday, the Hashemite royal family’s convoy of red vehicles, reserved for special occasions, will travel through the streets of the capital Amman to accompany the bride and groom, both aged 28.
The ceremony in this western ally country will attract distinguished guests, such as the first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, and the king of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander.
The Royal Court released a video on YouTube showing Hussein’s mother, Queen Rania, and her sisters, Princesses Salma and Iman, singing and dancing with guests at the bridal party.
“Hussein is my first joy, my eldest son. Like any mother, I have long dreamed of his marriage (…) Hussein is your son, you are his family and this is your wedding,” the queen said in a speech, addressing the Jordanians.
Such celebrations, common in Western royal families, are rare in the Arab world, where conservative monarchies share few details of their private lives.
“Everyone took photos and posted them on social media. It might not be possible with other royal families,” Lara al-Laty, who attended the event, told AFP.
“The atmosphere, the decor (…) reflected a Jordanian vibe that made you feel like you were at a family celebration,” adds the 35-year-old travel agency employee.
After the party, the sky of Amman ignited in a symphony of lights, orchestrated by drones drawing a crown.
Hussein bin Abdallah, the eldest son of King Abdullah II, was designated heir to the throne at the age of 15.
The young man, who received a Western education, shares on his Instagram account, followed by four million subscribers, photos of hikes, military training and royal receptions.
On Monday, Arab musicians, including Lebanese star Ragheb Alama and Egyptian singer and actor Tamer Hosny, performed a free concert in Amman in honor of the royal couple, in a country facing economic difficulties.
“We haven’t seen such moments of joy for a long time in Jordan,” said Suhad al-Idrisi, a 45-year-old woman, wearing a t-shirt reading “We are happy for Hussein”.
The Hashemite royal family “is not like other Arab ruling families”, “it has nothing to hide”, she said, judging its activity on social networks and its live appearances as proof of transparency.
Abdallah II of Jordan, 61 years old and became king in 1999, has important prerogatives in this parliamentary monarchy of 11 million inhabitants.
For years, he prepared his son by taking him on important visits and meetings, former information minister Samih Maaytah told AFP.
Hussein followed in his father’s footsteps by joining Sandhurst, Britain’s prestigious Royal Military Academy, before studying history at Georgetown University in Washington.
The future princess, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, a very conservative kingdom, also received a Western education by studying architecture at Syracuse University in New York State.
This marriage “represents a crucial step” for Hussein towards the succession, underlined the analyst Oraib al-Rantawi, director of the Center for political studies of Al-Quds.
It allows him to get closer to his people while establishing links with members of foreign royal families, “thereby strengthening his network of relations”, according to the analyst.
05/31/2023 06:35:44 – Amman (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
