Princess Raiyah of Jordan married British journalist Ned Donovan in England, and her American-born mother, Queen Noor, attended the ceremony. At age 27, she married a king and by 47, she was a royal widow. Queen Noor, the longest-standing member of the Board of Commissioners, stepped onto the international stage 43 years ago. She was the last wife of King Hussein of Jordan and married on June 15, 1978, at Zaharan Palace. The American bride wore a bespoke wedding gown by Christian Dior, with a softly-folded asymmetrical neckline and an elaborate veil. The wedding ceremony took place at Zahran Palace, home of King Hussein’s mother, Queen Zein. Queen Noor’s gown was designed by Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab.
The wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif took place on June 1, surrounded by royals from all over the world. Queen Noor was not at the family wedding, but some of her children and grandchildren did attend. The wedding has become the main event of the year in Jordan, with the elite from all over the world gathered there.
📹 Why Jordan’s Royal Family Didn’t Want To See Queen Noor At The Crown Prince’s Wedding
The wedding of the crown prince has become the main event of the year in Jordan. The elite from all over the world gathered there …
Why was Queen Noor not at the wedding?
The wedding was a celebration. It also showed the future king of Jordan. The line of succession excluded Queen Noor’s children from the throne.
What is Queen Noor famous for?
In 2007, KHF US started a program to promote films and media projects that show shared values across cultural and political divides, especially in the Middle East and Muslim world. She also helped start the Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund to promote media that helps people understand each other better. In October 2009, the Alliance merged with Soliya, a nonprofit leader in using new media to foster cross-cultural understanding. Queen Noor is involved in many international organizations that work to make the world a safer and more peaceful place. These include Global Zero, United World Colleges, Refugees International, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. She has published two books: Hussein of Jordan and Leap of Faith. Her 2003 memoir, Memoirs of an Unexpected Life, was a New York Times bestseller. Her Majesty Queen Noor’s great-grandfather, Elias Halaby, came to New York in 1891 as one of the first Syrian immigrants to the United States. A Christian and official in the Ottoman Empire, Halaby left Syria with his two oldest sons. His wife Almas and their five children joined him in 1894. He died three years later, leaving his teenage sons, Habib and Najeeb (Her Majesty’s grandfather), to run the import business. Najeeb moved to Dallas in the 1910s and quickly became American. Her Majesty was born Lisa Najeeb Halaby. She got her Bachelor’s in Architecture and Urban Planning from Princeton and became Queen of Jordan when she married King Hussein in 1978. She has four children and three grandchildren.
How did Queen Noor meet King Hussein?
She was the Director of Facilities Planning and Design for Arab Air Services when she met and became friends with Hussein at the opening of the Queen Alia International Airport. It was named after Hussein’s third wife, Alia Toukan, who died in a helicopter crash. Hussein was still mourning his third wife when he met Lisa. Their relationship quickly became romantic, and the King proposed on May 13, 1978.
Did Queen Noor attend the Princess Wedding?
At Rania’s wedding. Abdullah II and Queen Noor were invited to the ceremony. But when the family photos were taken, the Queen wasn’t included.
Who was King Hussein’s favorite wife?
Love won. In 1978, they got married. And it was the start of the longest.
Do Archie and Lilibet have dual citizenship?
What about royals born with dual citizenship? You probably want to know about Meghan and Harry’s two children, who are citizens of both the UK and the US. When Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were born, they were automatically dual citizens because their parents were citizens of their countries.
Things may change in the future. The National Constitution Center says that other royals, like Prince Albert of Monaco and Queen Noor of Jordan, gave up their American citizenship when they turned 18 to avoid a conflict of interest. It’s unclear what will happen to Archie and Lilibet because they live in the U.S. and their parents are not senior royals. If Archie or Lilibet have children in the U.S., they would have to apply for U.K. citizenship. The UK government says that British citizenship is usually passed down to children born outside the UK. Do royal family members need passports? The royal family website says all members need passports to travel abroad, except the UK monarch.
How is Queen Noor related to Princess Iman?
Iman was born on April 24, 1983, in Jordan. Princess Iman was born on April 24, 1983, in Amman, Jordan. Princess Iman is the daughter of King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan. She is the half-sister of King Abdullah II of Jordan, Princess Alia, Prince Faisal, Princess Aisha, Princess Zein, Princess Haya, Prince Ali, and sister of Prince Hamzah, Prince Hashem, and Princess Raiyah. Princess Iman studied at Garrison Forest School in Baltimore, Maryland, the Fay School in Massachusetts, and the Maret School in Washington, D.C. She joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2002 and finished her training there on August 8, 2003. She enrolled at American University in Washington, D.C. in 2003 and graduated in 2007 with a degree in sociology.
Personal life On December 20, 2012, the Royal Court of Jordan announced Princess Iman’s engagement to businessman Zaid Azmi Mirza. They married on March 22, 2013. She gave birth to a son, Omar, on October 7, 2014. The couple divorced in 2017.
Is Queen Noor still an American citizen?
She is a US citizen of Syrian, English, and Swedish descent. She married and became a Jordanian citizen. Arab Americans. By: Lojain Alahmadi posted: Jun 3, 2015.
Queen Noor of Jordan (born Lisa Najeeb Halaby on August 23, 1951) is the widow of King Hussein. She was his fourth wife and queen between 1978 and 1999. She is also called Noor Al-Hussein. She is a U.S. citizen by birth, of Syrian, English, and Swedish descent. She renounced her American citizenship in favor of Jordanian citizenship at the time of her marriage. As of 2011, she is president of the United World Colleges movement and an anti-nuclear weapons campaigner. In 2015, Queen Noor received the Woodrow Wilson Award for her public service.
Is Queen Noor an American?
Queen Noor (born August 23, 1951, Washington, D.C., U.S.) is an American architect who was the consort of King Hussein of Jordan. Queen Noor’s Britannica essay on land mines. Born into an Arab American family, Halaby was raised in an affluent environment. Queen Noor (born August 23, 1951, Washington, D.C., U.S.) is an American architect who was King Hussein of Jordan’s consort from 1978 to 1999.
(Read Queen Noor’s Britannica essay on land mines.) Born into a wealthy Arab American family, Halaby was raised in an affluent environment. She went to the National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C., then the Chapin School in New York City and the Concord Academy in Boston. In 1969, she graduated from Princeton University with the first coeducational freshman class. She received a bachelor’s degree in architecture and urban planning in 1975. After graduating, Halaby worked in urban design in Philadelphia, Sydney, and Tehran. She went to Jordan while working for Arab Air Services, a company partly owned by her father. In 1977, she became director of facilities design and architecture for Alia, the Royal Jordanian Airline. She met the Jordanian monarch and married him on June 15, 1978. Halaby became a Jordanian citizen, converted to Islam, and took an Arabic name.
Does Queen Noor speak Arabic?
Queen Noor lived in many places before she married. She speaks Arabic, English, and French. She likes skiing, water skiing, tennis, sailing, horseback riding, reading, gardening, and photography. For more info, see Queen Noor’s website.
📹 Queen Noor Of Jordan. Her Touching Love Story With The King
Noor was the most beloved wife of King Hussein of Jordan. She had no royal roots and was born and raised in America. But this …
As a Jordanian, I know Jordanians love both Queen Noor and Queen Rania and the rest of the Royal family. However, it irks me whenever they make it sound like she came from the West and elevated the status of women and the status of Jordanians in general. Whenever they’re a article of her in the West, they only have pictures and articles of her with rural women. Jordan has been in the forefront of Arab and Muslims countries when it comes to women’s rights and advancement
They’re both lovely women. However, they are Queen consorts (not Queen Monarchs). They’re time as a queen lasts so long as their husbands are alive. When the previous King, Noor’s husband, passed, she would have stopped being the queen at that point. That makes the current King’s wife, Rania, the legitimate and current Queen consort of Jordan. Noor is not a monsrch, so she needs to understand and accept this fact and step back. Again, despite how lovely she is. It’s surprising that this has been an issue.
queen Noor …. absolutely amazing woman every which way … i personally have always been a huge admirer and so do millions of professionals here in the US. i don’t know the other members of the royal family of Jordan . in any event > each and every person is unique and not comparable in this world . this is the right philosphy . i extend warmest regards to queen Noor .. sincerely yours,
Queen Noor represented Jordan and the king well. She never put a wrong foot forward. All families have dramas. But this was a very public occasion. For them not to be able to put their differences aside, for the celebration and present a united front, speaks volume about them. I didn’t know that all of that was going on.
King Hussein could not have asked for a better queen than Noor al Hussein. But there is a 20 year difference between the households of Princess Muna (Abdullah’s mother) and Queen Noor. It’s not surprising that there is not a closeness. Naming someone heir and then changing it at the last minute is probably a safe way to go. What I want to know is why was Muna princess and Noor queen?
Really glad to see this article. I was wondering where Queen Noor was at the wedding. You gave a great explanation. I had no idea that was going on, although I did hear about prince who was on house arrest. She has beautiful children. I hope they are all happy. Better not to even be in Jordan, I think.
For 10 years Queen Noor had sponsored a countryman of mine to help Jordanian villages rehabilitate the deserts with permaculture into productive small farms to feed their families. I used to love seeing his articles of the progress they had made. I had wondered who he hadn’t been to Jordan for a few years. No doubt anything that Noor proposed is now hated by the new royal family. My mother used to say what a wonderful Queen Noor was. I think Jordan will be worse off with this new royal family, by the look of them.
Thank you so much for your article. I was looking all over the internet to find out if Queen Noor was at the wedding because I hadn’t seen her. I realized that there was some friction over the years, but did not know that it was this bad. Noor is a terrific Queen. She helped King Hussein in so many ways and helped Jordan so much. She is a remarkable woman and I am glad to see that she still continues her work abroad. Is her son still under house arrest?
I love Queen Noor, maybe because we’re close in age, but I always thought she was amazing to marry King Hussein and take the role of mother to his children and then have 4 more children with him. She’s a very intelligent woman and I wish her well. I hope that the conflict with her son and the current King, will eventually be resolved. I think that she loves Jordan and it’s sad that she no longer is able to live there. But I love seeing that she’s still involved with what is close to her heart. (from Sandi)
Perhaps before his passing, King Hussein promised Queen Noor that her son would be king one day but ultimately he chose King Abdullah as his successor and Hamzah as Crown Prince. However after King Abdullah came to power he had every right to change the Crown Prince role to his own first born son. It might be a little awkward and embarrassing for Queen Noor and Prince Hamzah, but they need to understand and respect his wishes. Honestly being a Prince who won’t ever hold the burden of the crown is the best 😂 Why would you want all that pressure? You can be a rich member of royalty and relax. Just turn up for functions and don’t cause a problem and you’re all good
King Hussein and Queen Noor’s second son prince Hashim, his wife and three daughters attended all the festivities surrounding prince Hussein’s wedding at prominent frontline seats. There must be more to the story than two queens marking their territories… One of them belonging to the past, unfortunately for her.
King Hussain had fewer wives than King Henry VIII. However, he had more children. A primo geniture system gave King Hussain’s firstborn the succession and the fourth wife’s eldest son was way down in line. However, the rules in Jordan were different. Until the very end of King Hussain’s life, his younger brother was the Crown Prince. On his deathbed, the King changed the rule and made Abdulla, his firstborn, his Crown Prince and successor. It is recorded that Queen Noor tried her best to position her firstborn as successor but she lost the battle of succession. It is surprising that King Abdulla did not banish Queen Noor and her children as soon as he became King, and waited until a coup prompted his action to arrest his half-brother. The Dowager Queen still enjoys a comfortable life abroad. Actions have consequences.
Queen Noor, while she was Queen, did an amazing job and she will continue to shine her light through her work and spirit, however, Queen Raina is the current Queen and even in a regular family, responsibilities are distributed according to the birth right as well as the integrity of the child, so in the same manner, King Abdullah was the rightful heir to the throne, by birthright as well as his integrity, which he has clearly demonstrated through his duties as the King of Jordan. To ask which Queen one likes more is irrelevant. They are both good women and good human rings their own way. ❤
I worked for their Majesties and her Majesty Queen Noor, is of noble spirit, she helped his majesty at a very difficult time in Middle East History, He majesty King Hussein, was a peace maker. Her Majesty will be made of the same stuff. Jordan is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. A place of peace prevails. Her Majesty and His Majesty King Abdullah, should know that they are stronger together than on opposite sides. Both should reach out to each other. His Majesty’s legacy was not division but strength in being united.
I have watched with much intense King Hussien life unfold. He visited Williamsburg in 59 60. I worked foe Colonial Williamsburg and he and his Security had drinks in the private Goldenhorseshoe Club. My husband and I were the only ones in the club except for wait staff. It was awesome to observe this young king. I had allso been a part of the hotel staff when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip came for opening. It was q Jamestown . Such great memories to have. Thank for the update on Queen Noor.
What the vast majority of the posters don’t understand is that the tradition in the Middle East is NOT that the eldest son of the current King becomes the next king, as is the case in the west. Often, instead, it is that the crown passes to the brother of the current King, usually a child of another mother. It is done to pacify the families which married into the royal household. Queen Noor’s and her son’s problem is that as an American she had no Jordanian family. That’s why Abdullah felt he could get away with changing the custom.
Abdullah did what any king would do-made his own son the crown prince. I don’t think he did anything wrong and I think Noor probably did make Rania feel like she was not as important as Noor. While Hussein was alive, this was the way it should be but once Abdullah became King, then Noor should have stuck to Charity. I don’t believe Noor wasn’t invited to Abdullah’s wedding. Hussein was King then and I can’t believe that in an Arab Muslim family Abdullah would disrespect his father/ruler in that way no matter WHAT Abdullah and Rania wanted. Perhaps Noor felt she wasn’t wanted or didn’t want to share the spotlight with Queen Muna, Abdullah’s mother and Hussein’s 2nd wife. That makes more sense than ‘she wasn’t invited’.
Sibling rivalry is a tale as old as time. Of course Abdullah wanted his son to succeed him and of course Hamzah was upset to be stripped of his crown prince title. Therefore he retaliated by siding with Abdullah’s critics. In response the king pulled out the big guns and accused Hamzah of staging a coup. Long story short, why would have Noor participated in the royal wedding when king Abdullah had placed her son under house arrest?
History is just repeating itself as King Hussain bypassed his brother, then crown prince, to be the next king and rather chose his son as the crown prince before his death. So there is nothing wrong for King Abdallah to choose his son as heir to the throne. If the Jordanian constitution allows this to be done then Queen Noor should accept it and move on. I admire both Queen Rania and Queen Noor but Queen Noor should accept that Queen Rania is the reigning Queen of Jordan.
Noor needs to know she lost the game. The line of succession must go to the eldest son. If I had five wives and my first two produced only girls but my third wife produced a boy! He obviously gonna be the next king. If my 4th wife produces a boy then he’s not made next in line but 3rd or maybe 4th until my first inline has a son of his own so he’s now 3rd in line. It’s always the eldest son of the eldest son who’s meant to take the throne. Her sons were born after so no claim to throne.
Queen Noor became 4th wife then she wanted her one of her children to take the title throne what about his older 4 children from his second wife .. King Abdullah is the older brother and eligible, it’s only right he became The king… Queen Noor should not be in competition with queen rania. Queen Noor is the problem. She married a older men and wanted to give the throne to her sons, seconds wife’s always do that using the husband in this case king died earlier than she hoped. In doing that she made her children unhappy.. 😢😢
Queen Noor has grievances. Her son Hamzah was Crown Prince, then removed in 2004 for a teenaged Hussein who was Crown Prince only in 2009. Hamzah was later arrested in 2021 for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the current King Abdullah. Neither Queen Noor nor Hamzah attended any wedding event. Hashem and Raiyah (the youngest son and daughter) and their spouses attended the wedding ceremony and reception, as well as the banquet.
Abdullah made a promise to his father that Hamzah will succeed him and then proceeded to break that promise, no wonder Noor was upset. But did she really believe the King would appoint her son instead of his own? She should have just left Jordan after that, there was no way Rania was ever going to share the spotlight with her. I don’t like Rania, she hangs around with the jet set in high end couture while she is the queen of an empoverished country. She should be more mindful.
It’s always sad, or tragic, when this kind of tension, or poor relationship, exists but, unfortunately it’s all too common among families. Additionally, I get what Noor says about ‘not wanting to be anyone’s fourth wife because I certainly wouldn’t like it either. And yes, the competition between past and present spouses can often be toxic. Just look at Ivana Trump (“vell, I vas the firrst vife”). People become very emotional when they are dethroned!!!!
Queen Noor has its own inner and outer beauties and trades and Queen Rania her owns. They are not comparable as each of them are unique in their own ways and have their own values.Queen Noor had her own momentum and magical rise of life and now its Rania’s turn and soon the next one newly bride Rajwa will be, but they each leave their own memories and positive effects for future generations to remember and appriciate….It’s important when their time of fall come they do it Gracefuly and magesticly as it suits a true Queen.
The thing was, Noor’s 1st son Hamza was Crown Prince when King Hussein was still alive but he died unexpectedly and Hamzah still too young so Abdullah was made successor but Hamzah remained crown prince. Until 2004 when King Abdullah decided to make his own son the crown prince instead. So this is where the chaos began.
This problem is due (and it presents itself often in those countries, as far as i noticed) also to the strange way how a prince crown is chosen in those arab monarchies: i mean why not following simply the line of succession? The title goes to the first (presumibly only the male born) of the first marriage and crown prince will be automatically his first male born. The heir would shift in case of death or renounce. Problem solved, there would be no more disputes, drama or even allegded attempted coups. At least it would be way more rare. Same goes for the “queen” title: Rania is the wife of Abdullah who is already king, so she’s the queen, while Noor is the widow of the previous late king. There cannot be two queens, end of story, end of conflicts.
I know nothing of Jordan’s royalty or how they ascend, but it just seems natural for the king’s son to ascend. Queen Noor is doing good things with her life and seems to be graceful and this world needs more like her. I do agree two Queen’s cannot rule. Perhaps Queen Noor should have taken a lessor title but still been relevant to duties. She wasn’t born of royal blood, after all.
I appreciate and like both of them… And I hope media and toxic people don’t pit them against each other… They are both doing the best they can with what life dealt them… They raised their children very well and have been very wise and mature about how they’re dealing with very tough issues… All their children from King Hussein, the wisest of all leaders, who had very tough issues to deal with… pressures from outside Jordan and within and dealt with it very wisely… I salute them all and I hope they don’t fall pray for Outside forces and inside forces that pit them against each other… No government is perfect no leadership is perfect but in my opinion they’re close enough, because what they have to deal with in this world it’s just too much pressure… they’re handling it very elegantly wisely and maturely so I really hope they continue to resolve their conflict with peace love and wisdom because that’s what the loving king Hussein would’ve wanted❤✌️💕
I am interested to know why Princess Haya, the King of Jordan’s sister (not sure if she is a half sister or not) was not at the recent royal wedding. Was it a security issue, was it an issue of not wishing to cause issues between Jordan and the UAE politically, or was it another reason or a combination of reasons? I was saddened for her and her two children that they were not there, but perhaps it was her own decision to keep her children away from that part of the world, that they would have been too close to the UAE? I have no idea but I would be very interested in perusal a article or reading an article on this. Perhaps the reason is obvious to you, and I simply don’t understand the customs of this society. I have been perusal your articles with interest, thank you for your research and work to put these together so that we can learn more about this part of the world. I am very interested in learning about people who live different lives, whether by customs or other reasons because I wish to learn and to understand others better.
If memory serves, Hussein wanted Noor to retain her title as Queen, n to be addressed as such, not dowager etc. Its to secure her position after his death. She was also said to be desperate to secure crown prince status for her son then, bec her children were v young, n their son was thought to be Hussein’s favorite.
Surely the fact that she is not the Queen Mother but just the Dowager Queen would also factor. King Abdullah obviously gives his nother, Princess Muna, a high place at court. Queen Noor is the widow of the previous king but not the mother of the current king so that in itself could cause problems. Princess Muna, while not a queen, is the mother of King Abdullah and the mother-in-law of Queen Rania so it is natural that she is closer to them and there is more distance with Queen Noor, even without all the trouble between the half-brothers.
Many people miss the point: It is not about physical or spiritual beauty of either woman, these attributes are just subjective; it is entirely about the stability of the country of Jordan. Of course Queen Rania HAS to be the queen of Jordan! You CANNOT have two women, or two families, vying for the same space. If Noor’s eldest son had a scrap of concern for his country’s stability he would NOT have begun destabilising it from within the family, which is also the country’s stabilizing factor.
My father, an RAF pilot taught King Hussein to fly Canberras and said the King was an excellent pilot. He was also a keen Radio Ham. Becoming King after his father’s death was Abdullah’s destiny and Queen Noir needs to accept that. And for her detained son’s sake she needs to wrap up her disquiet. She was, after all the Fourth Wife – the least signifiant other. Queen Alia’s untimely death was tragic as I truly believe that would have been a long, lasting marriage of King Hussein to his very popular Queen. Royalty is not organic – is a man-made construct and as such suffers all the intrigues of vested interest. Or so think I.
Queen Noor was her husband’s 4th wife. I believe they had a wonderful marriage & family. He had children with his previous wives with whom would be considered heir apparent? I’m gathering Queen Noor’s son was set to be the next king upon his death. The King changed his mind & made his older son (by previous wife) King. Imo this has a lot to do with Rania. It’s possible she advocated for her husband to be the next king. I’m sure Q. Noor was advocating for her son to be King his entire life upon his fathers death. I’m guessing this is why the two women aren’t fond of each other. Noor’s son is being passed over for King, changes the trajectory of Noors place. The King & Queen are not related to her as she was married to the kings father. It’s kind of an awkward situation tbh. I can only imagine how disappointed, angry, etc.she was that her son was not King. She shouldn’t have been surprised when the next in line would be the King & Queens son, not Noors. Imo when the new King & Queen were announced Q. Noor’s job as Queen ended. Her husband, the king, was the one who made this decision. Her reign was over & time to start a new chapter in her life.
Abdulla is the oldest son, and his father wanted him to rule! since Noor is not his mother, she lost her place in the house. and yes this is because the king kept remarrying and having more and more childrens. best for her to leave, and the brothers from different mothers need to support each other. Abdullah is the right king. hope he keep one wife so the history will not repeat it self.
Queen Noor might be good,intelligent etc but she was the 4th wife of the late king. I personally cannot see how her son will be the next king of Jordan when the late king had three wives before her and they all had children. I believe with time all the issues will be sorted and settled. She must realise that her role as a Queen ended when her husband passed away. I wish her good luck for the future
tbh it makes sense that the king will choose his son as the air, if noors son really would have become king who would have been his air, his children or his brothers? then noor would have been fine with her grandchildren becoming the airs but not her stepkids .. i think it happened as it was supposed to and she was pissed. and i can imagine her son doing what he was acused of, in the end his brother is still on good terms with the now king and queen and if the former crown prince would be innocent, i would assume his brother would not then support that so called cruel king
Well, her husband the late king Hussein himself named his eldest son Abdullah II as his heir to the throne just before his death. This state of kingship and his eldest son Hussein as the heir apparent really shouldn’t be contended by anyone including the previous Queen, for the sake of the kingdom and legitimacy,. King Abdullah II and Queen Raina have proven also to be amazing monarch pair. Interesting history. Thank you for sharing.
I asked about Queen Noor and Hamza in a comment after your article about Abdullah’s wedding the other day. Everyone was commenting about the beautiful and loving royal family of Jordan. I researched what happened. Thank you for making his article to inform everyone of the truth. I wish you had quoted Abdullah’s ridiculous statement. My remaining question is whether King Hussein had authority to choose who would succeed him. Queen Elizabeth certainly did not.
As a 4th wife she was demanding alot and ignoring all hierarchies of the other children. But typical of American citizens expecting privileged and think its okay for her and her kids to do as please without consequences. And why is she called Queen as she is an Ex Queen now. To me she is the problem wanting to remain Queen and upstage Rania.
Queen Rania tops it !!! Nor was ok but not as influential nor has the soul Of Rania for Jordan and it’s region all of Islam ! Nor should accept that her time is over as queen and advise her children to just support the King nd Queen . Same way the brother of King Hussein nd family gave in when He chose his son Abdulla as king . I believe he saw that they are the right couple to lead Jordan and rightly so
Continuation……. Following this, the first son of King Abdullah is next in line. Not Queen Noor’s son. It is beyond me why Queen Noor is causing so much trouble. She is behind her son with this idea that her son has to be KING NEXT IN LINE. These two caused so MANY PROBLEMS by accusing King Abdullah and his ruling filled with corruption. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Noor’s son is not next in line. End of case. Give it up Queen Noor, and stop under estimating the intelligence of the people in the world.
I had no idea about this disagreeable background in the Jordanian royal family. I have liked both queens, but only with superficial knowledge. I will need to become better informed. It is a disappointment to me since I felt admiration for them both. I hope they can mend & set an example of harmony for the sensitive area they represent. Many in the Middle East could look to them for comfort & stability & a blueprint for tolerance. Good wishes to two lovely queens. 👑 💞 👑
I loved King Abdullah butbI think he is paranoid about Prince Hamzah. I hear Hamzah is closer to the peoples heart. Who in this day and age puts their half brother on house arrest. That’s luke Charles putting Anne or Andrew under house arrest. Ridiculous. I feel the King is scared Hamzah would take over, thts what people do when they are frightened.
It has been the tradition since time immemorial that the eldest son is the next in line to the throne and that is indeed Abdullah. Queen Noor should have accepted that fact early on so that her own eldest son would not have expected himself to be the next king. But with Queen Noor’s ambition, she prodded the King to make her own son to be the crown prince. Then the King realized years before his death that Abdullah is the rightful son next in line to the throne, and not his first son with Noor, therefore, Abdullah became the King. And so from there, troubles and resentments started.
It must be very sad for Queen Noor to see her children come to nothing…. She looked after king Hussein very well during his illness . Now, her children are nothing,how disappointed she must be as a mother. But this is the problem for having many children from different mothers, expecially in a RF….. For sure there will be a power struggle for control of the throne.
Whether it is royals or ordinary humans, human relations are the same. The struggle for the throne breeds animosity. I felt sorry for queen noor. She should have been given the due respect and place of the grooms grandmother even if she is step grandmother. She is exceptionally beautiful and dignified woman Yes many children and marriages are likely to result in family fueds
Wow… So that’s the answer to why Queen Noor and her kids weren’t visible in pictures at this wedding!? Also, to put the brother under house arrest and strip his titles is slightly an act of insecurity. I wondered for a long time what was going on. Everytime they made the news there was a lurking shadow. Never did I think these acts would’ve taken place. Too bad. So, even tho they are king & queen… Who’s dictating here. Did they really need to be this insecure and ugly? Paranoia. Watch the players and their faces and mannerisms. It’s there if you look. 🤔😔🙏🤞Release the brother and restore his title. You have the Crown…
I was wondering where Queen Noor was at the wedding. Knew Queen Rania didn’t like her but not this bad after all the Groom is her Grandson to her late husband. Very Catty not to be invited, would have loved to see her. Thank you because I finally got my answer why I didn’t see her at wedding. although I knew Rania didn’t like her.
It’s such a shame that they have no acknowledgment or respect for Queen Noor, the most devoted, beautiful and talented Queen and King Hussein loved her more than any of his previous wife. At least as a curtesy and respect to the late king she should be the first person to be invited, as a matter of fact special invitation. King Abdullah h betrayed and distorted his fathers wish and remove his brother to instate his sone as the next in line, the crown price. Raina is behind everything even his son’s marriage with Rajwa, the king has no say. Respect and her to Queen Noor
Interesting. As a Jordanian, I have my views, but it’s family drama. I read her book, leap of faith, very good book. King Hussein, God rest his soul, didn’t have a choice on his deathbed. King Hussein’s brother would not be suitable as a king. Not going to mention here. Queen Noor mentioned it in her book. So, only option was to choose King Abdullah. I recommend Queen Noor’s book, and King Hussein’s bok. Both very good books.
King Hussein and Noor had a wonderful marriage, she clearly loved and admired him. That she is now in the US and living a worthwhile life is good. We’re glad she is no longer in Jordan. The King–her husband–would be very hurt by the terrible treatment of her by his son. I believe Ranya is a bitter and ungracious queen, but it matters very little.
Having such an appetite for Royal pageantry and self promotion should make you wonder about Queen Noor’s true focus. The old guard is out, the new guard rules, accept it. King Abdullah II isn’t going to forsake his oldest son’s birthright and future to the protesting claim of a “foreign” stepmother. King Hussein’s decision before his death was to keep her relevant for a time and now that time has passed.
King Hussein”s brother was his heir for several years. After the king married Lisa Halaby, he changed. During a 1982 interview Queen Noor said “I cannot say if my son will be king or not.” I knew then that Hussain’s brother would never be king. I always felt Queen Noor would do whatever it took to get her son on the throne. Hussein made his firstborn son Abdullah the king with the promise he would then make Prince Hamzah, Noor’s son, king when he came of age. King Abdullah made the decision to keep the crown. After all, he is the eldest son and more than qualified to be King of Jordan. Hussein had four wives, twelve children, and two adopted children.
Very interesting. Rania is the rightful queen now, but Noor deserves much respect considering how long she and the king’s father were together and all she’s done for her country. I was sad she wasn’t at the wedding too. It would have shown cohesiveness. Sounds like there is jealousy where there needn’t be. So sad.
I am astonished and completely outraged by this type of article, which only pollutes YouTube! Instead of these meaningless polemics, it is important to see the story of Queen Noor! Then give value to the meritorious and dignified work that she performs on behalf of the most needy! This is important and no whether or not she went to a wedding!
Queen Noor is intelligent and worldly so I’m surprised at her unrealistic thinking that her eldest son would inherit the throne. She is the 4th and last wife and her children would be at the end of the pecking order. I also don’t understand why the first-born sons were not automatically named heir to the throne.
Queen Noor represents with grace the spirit of Jordan’s people in the world with her volunteer work and dignity more than any other from that country, and her children are well educated and preparers to help their country, especially prince Hamzak Bin Hussein, well trained by his father and who many Jordan’s people love and respect. Is it Jordan better than before under this new monarch now?
My choice is justice! Queen Noor is right. How can one go around taking away the rights of the right future king, and that is Queen Noor’s son. The British monarchy does the same injustice. After King Hussian, the crown should have gone to Prince Talaal, but his wife is not an Arab, so his title was passed on to the present king.
I remember when the news reports were that she & the King were early in their relationship. As an American, but being unaware of her Syrian roots, it seemed odd. Yet as the years went by it was very evident that it was a love match. It’s too bad that she’s essentially exiled from Jordan, as she could have been a huge asset if not for family infighting.
I was gobsmacked when I read a biography* of King Hussein. He was a fighter pilot who wasn’t just playing pilot. I gained a ton of respect for him after reading the biography. I gained respect for Queen Noor by the way she carried herself and the things she did as the Queen and wife of King Hussein. *(Interviews With History by Oriana Fallaci – incredible compilation of interviews she conducted with various different people such as Golda Meir, Arafat of the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), Henry Kissinger, Indira Ghandi, Libya’s Ghaddafi, etc., and, of course, King Hussein of Jordan. Very well written and an interesting read.)
We are all God’s children. How sad we have all lost the caring we no longer have for each other. It’s sad that our fellow men and women have forgotten when or days are gone your precious things do not help or go with you. We need people who do not have evil in there hearts. We all could be so happy if we cared fir each other. I know I am being a Pollyanna. We are kill each other. We all need to arm ourselves to protect ourselves from each other.
Beautiful story, queen Noor looks very beautiful and charming…her husband seemed like an very romantic person and charmatic…she was very lucky he loved and marry her! But really this is sad for her…she was his fourth wife….so her eldest son could never been the heir!! That is given to the first son from his first wife….so justified and honest! The King of Jordan is the real and justify King married with Queen Rania…and their eldest son is the true heir!!! Justice is been served!
I don’t compare Queen Noor to Queen Ranya…but as a little girl i remember Queen Noor been so beautiful,a real classy Queen…i m sorry she had to leave the Royal palace,when King Hussain passed. Couldn’t they find an agreement ..in memory of King Hussain snd according to his will? The actual King didn’t respect his father’s Will!!!
As an Iranian i must point out that RIP the late King Pahlavi of Iran was extremely kind and generous to this guy hossein ( king) but during his time of turmoil – anguish and hardship, he ( hossein) refused to extend any sympathy and even evaded to have King Pahlavi invite over for a visit to jordan ! unlike the RIP president ANWAR SADAAT a true gentleman a brave respectful human being,that is why we Love Egypt
When she got married she was not a student. It is well known that when he got sick, he already was ready to divorce Noor and marry a Palestinian woman. Then Noor’s mother was half English and half Swedish. Her father was half from Syrian and Lebanon but his mother was from England, they were Arab Orthodox Christian. So Noor out of 4 grandparents, one Arab 1 from Sweden and 2 of England.
My mother and father same age difference…it was a most beautiful marriage for 36yrs. 😊a tradgedy for the husbands to die leaving young widow. They looked happy in love❤ my mother also never remarried and loved my father and missed him from 1985 until she also died many years later in 2018. Same love story.
Queen Noor was separated from the King (silently) and had moved to London when she learned he was an affair with another woman. We never learned the details of the mysterious woman. She only returned when the King was diagnosed with cancer and stayed with him until his death. She cared about him but he had a weakness for blondes. He was a forever eligible married man. The ex queen has been living with one of the world’s richest men, Carlos Slim who lost his wife to cancer for a long time now although she is keeping it under wraps. She is a staunch advocate for Islam although she is of Christian origin. She did not find a Muslim rich man but seems to be content with the Christian man for now. She is intelligent and attractive but she is also a very street wise woman who tried to have her son to be the next king and failed. Rania outsmarted her and with good reason. Her husband,the current King Abdallah is the oldest of the King’s male children.
🤔 Would this explain why Jordan has been receiving about $1.8BILLIONS/annually in economic aid from the US for decades? Or the marriage lasted because Jordan get billions from the US? IMO, a “good” man wouldn’t keep getting younger wives, and if his country constantly needed outside aid, then he’s not really a “good” ruler either. Yeah, Erdogan, I’m talking to you too.