The Jordanian Monarchy
His Majesty King Abdullah II
His Majesty King Abdullah II lbn Al Hussein is the 43rd generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammed. He took over constitutional powers as King of Jordan on February 7, 1999. This occurred a day after his father, King Hussein, passed away. King Abdullah believes in furthering Jordan’s democratic institution and in working towards peace in the Middle East. He was born in Amman, Jordan, on January 30, 1962, and is the eldest son. He also has 4 brothers and 6 sisters, and he has two sons and two daughters.
He was primarily educated in England, and the United States, and in 1980, he entered the Royal Military Academy in the United Kingdom, and also attended Oxford University, studying International Politics and World Affairs. Upon returning to Jordan after schooling, he became a Captain in the 91st Armored Brigade, and later in the Royal Jordanian Air Force. He has also attended Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. and obtained a Master of Science in the Foreign Service program there.
In 1993, King Abdullah was promoted to a Colonel and took over as the Deputy Commander of the Jordanian Special Forces. In 1997, he was promoted to Major General.
In 1993, King Abdullah II married Queen Rania on June 10, 1993, and they have four children. King Abdullah’s is also a former Jordanian National Rally Racing Champion, and he enjoys water sports, scuba diving, and collecting ancient weapons and artifacts.
Her Majesty Queen Rania
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, is an outspoken philanthropic advocate, and promoter of health and education across the globe. She married King Abdullah II, in 1993, and has focused her energy on improving the livelihood of society in Jordan. She has reached out to the global community for the purposes of cultural dialogue. She has spoken at high profile forums such as the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and the Skoll Foundation in the UK.
Her Majesty spends much of her time raising the awareness about the importance of education, and in youth achievement and in educational opportunities. She also established the country’s first children’s museum in Amman, to encourage lifelong education among children and families. In 1995, The Jordan River Foundation started several local initiatives improving the lives of Jordanians, as Her Majesty chairs the Foundation. She also serves as the head of the National Council for Family Affairs, which works to ensure policies that support the development of the family and unity, and is considered a Jordanian think tank.
Her Majesty received her bachelor’s degree in 1991, in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo, and entered the corporate world in Jordan, briefly. She is of Palestinian descent, born to a Jordanian family on August 31, 1970, and grew up in Kuwait.
She and King Abdullah have four children, HRH Prince Hussein (born 1994), HRH Princess Iman (born 1996), HRH Princess Salma (born 2000), & HRH Prince Hashem (born 2005).
Coat of Arms
This is the Jordanian Coat of Arms. The crown symbolizes the monarchy. The sash underneath the crown symbolizes the Hashemite throne; the scarlet color representing sacrifice, and white representing purity. The two flags are the flags of the Great Arab Revolt. The eagle in the center symbolizes power, might, and loftiness. The eagle is sitting on the globe, and his wings touch the two flags of the Great Arab Revolt. The blue coloring of the globe symbolizes the spread of Islam, while the bronze shield in front of the globe represents defense of truth and what is right in the world. Spears, swords, bows and arrows are standard Arab weapons. Underneath the wheat and palm branch, is the highest Jordanian medal, which is the decorative order of al-Nahda. The yellow cordon hanging from the ribbon of the decorative order of al-Nahda consists of three parts in which this is embroidered:
- On the right: “Abdullah II bin Al Hussein bin Aoun” (Aoun, the great grandfather of Al Sharif Al Hussein bin Ali)
- In the middle: “King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan”
- On the left: “Who seeks support and guidance from God."
