Jordan鈥檚 royal wedding: Joy, politics, and an eye toward the kingdom鈥檚 future
Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein and Saudi architect Rajwa Alseif wave to well-wishers during their wedding ceremonies in Amman, Jordan, June 1, 2023.
Nasser Nasser/AP
Amman, Jordan
A national holiday, free concerts, air shows, bagpipers, world leaders, a shuttered capital 鈥� the wedding of Jordan鈥檚 Crown Prince Hussein on Thursday was not your typical royal wedding.
More than nuptials with a who鈥檚 who of VIP guests, these public celebrations, according to Jordan鈥檚 royal palace, were 鈥渢he big event.鈥� They鈥檙e the introduction to Jordan鈥檚 next king.
鈥淭oday we are rejoicing for our future,鈥� says Mohammed Sawaya, one of thousands of citizens on Amman鈥檚 streets waiting for the royal procession to pass after today鈥檚 wedding ceremony. Nearby, his car sports a giant decal of the crown prince and his bride.
Why We Wrote This
Royal weddings often highlight tradition and history. In Jordan, celebrations around its crown prince鈥檚 nuptials are all about the future.
鈥淧rince Hussein is our age, he understands youth issues, he can navigate the world, and he is going to lead us into the future,鈥� Mr. Sawaya says. More than half of Jordanians are under the age of 30.
The wedding of the crown prince to Rajwa Alseif,聽a Saudi architect and cousin of the Saudi ruling family, was a break from tradition in Jordan where, unlike the United Kingdom, royal weddings have long been low-key affairs.
They were the largest celebrations the country has seen in two decades.聽The weeklong festivities kicked off on Monday with free concerts and dabkeh line dances at companies and university campuses, and in village squares.
Scarlet banners and electronic billboards dotted across the capital bear the words 鈥渃elebrating Hussein,鈥� 鈥渢he royal wedding,鈥� and, simply, 鈥渨e rejoice.鈥� Even McDonald鈥檚 put up a three-story banner with the crown prince鈥檚 image, announcing that the burger chain was 鈥渞ejoicing in Hussein.鈥�
On Thursday, schools and businesses shuttered, and one-third of the capital鈥檚 streets closed to mark the occasion. In a country whose stability has long been tied to its royal family, the point was clear:聽鈥淭he main message of these celebrations is the presentation of the future king of Jordan,鈥� says Amer Al Sabaileh, a Jordanian geopolitical analyst.聽
Although King Abdullah II has declared no intention of stepping aside, his 28-year-old son, Crown Prince Hussein, has been increasingly assuming official royal duties.
He鈥檚 deputized for his father abroad by addressing the U.N. General Assembly, attending Arab League summits, and being received along with the king by President Joe Biden at the White House in April. Yet, until this week, the heir-in-waiting had not yet stepped into the limelight at home.
In Jordan, the crown prince, a Georgetown graduate, is best known for his Crown Prince Foundation, a nonprofit that runs youth empowerment and employability skills initiatives.聽
Along with the national holiday, this week Crown Prince Hussein was given his own royal flag and emblem, a sign Mr. Sabaileh says means he could soon become a 鈥渃rown prince with a wider portfolio and involvement in day-to-day affairs,鈥� and perhaps 鈥渁 de facto king of Jordan.鈥澛犅�
Thursday was a rare moment of joy for the traditionally stable and steadfast monarchy, a stalwart U.S. ally that has faced geopolitical and internal tumult over the past five years.
King Abdullah resisted pressure by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Trump administration to support a controversial peace plan that would have failed to guarantee Palestinian statehood and would have stripped away Palestinian refugees鈥� right of return.
And Jordan鈥檚 monarch is two years removed from an alleged coup attempt by his half-brother, former Crown Prince Hamzah, in a 鈥渟edition鈥� case that officials claim was orchestrated by foreign powers to replace King Abdullah.
International dignitaries, royalty, and regional leaders were in attendance today for the soft launch of a future monarch, including first lady Jill Biden; Prince William and his wife, Kate; Kuwaiti Crown Prince Mishal Al Sabah; and Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid.聽
The nationwide celebrations were a message to Jordanians as well as neighbors, allies, and foes: The future is secure, and that future is Crown Prince Hussein.聽
鈥淗aving the international community present was a way to close the chapter of the recent disputes and put very clear that this crown prince is the coming king,鈥� says Mr. Sabaileh, the analyst.
In a press release, Jordan鈥檚 Hashemite Royal Court described the wedding as a 鈥渢ouchstone in the country鈥檚 century-long story鈥� providing 鈥渢he Jordanian people with an opportunity to come together around a joyous occasion ... and look to the future of their country with pride.鈥�
The wedding 鈥渓ays the foundation for the next generation of the Royal Family and the perpetuation of the Jordanian Hashemite line,鈥� which traces its roots back to the Prophet Muhammad, the statement added.
It also sealed a match of political expediency.
Through her mother, Ms. Alseif聽is a first cousin twice removed from Saudi Arabia鈥檚 King Salman and a second cousin to the ruling Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
There is hope among some officials and Jordanians that marital ties between the future king and the Saudi royal family will preserve the kingdom鈥檚 place in a region increasingly dominated by rising Saudi leadership and waning American influence.
Watching the wedding on giant screens near the royal palace, Jordanian brothers Mohammed Abu Eid and Omar Abu Eid stand side by side wrapped in Jordanian and Saudi flags.
鈥淲e Jordanians and Saudis are relatives now,鈥� Mohammed says. 鈥淥ur future is together.鈥�