Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Credit – By The National Churches Trust – Luke March, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, Pippa Jacob, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78033822

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester was born at Hadley Common in Hertfordshire, England on August 26, 1944.  He was the second of the two sons of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and his wife Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch,  and one of the nine grandchildren of King George V of the United Kingdom.

The prince’s christening took place at the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on October 20, 1944. The location of the christening was not announced at the time due to security concerns because of World War II. The names given to the royal baby were Richard Alexander Walter George, three of the names after his three godfathers, and his godparents were:

Prince Richard had one elder brother, Prince William of Gloucester who was killed in an airplane accident at an airshow in 1972 (scroll down).  At that time, Prince Richard became the heir to his father’s titles.

Richard started his education at home. He then attended Wellesley House School in Broadstairs, Kent, England, and Eton College in Eton, Berkshire, England. In 1963, Richard began studying architecture at Magdalene College, Cambridge University where he received a Diploma of Architecture. He was a partner in a London architecture firm and planned to make it his career. However, upon his brother’s death in 1972, when Richard became his father’s heir, he took on increased royal duties and the responsibility for the family estate, so he resigned from his partnership.

First row, seated: Princess Alice of Albany; Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester; The Queen Mother; Vivian van Deurs Second row, standing: Prince Michael of Kent; Princess Margaret; The Prince of Wales; Prince Richard of Gloucester; Birgitte van Deurs; Prince William of Gloucester; two members of Birgitte’s family; Asger Henriksen; Photo Credit – orderofsplendor.blogspot.com

While studying at Cambridge University, Richard met his future wife, the Danish-born Birgitte Eva Henriksen, who was attending the Bell School of Languages in Cambridge, England. Birgitte and Prince Richard became engaged in February 1972 and were married on July 8, 1972, at St. Andrew’s Church in Barnwell, Northamptonshire, England nearby the Gloucester family home Barnwell Manor.  Prince Richard’s father was unable to attend the wedding. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester had suffered his first stroke in 1965 and subsequent strokes required him to use a wheelchair and rendered him unable to speak for his remaining years.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester had three children, all married with their own children:

 

On June 10, 1974, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester died and Prince Richard succeeded his father as Duke of Gloucester. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester’s official residence is at Kensington Palace in London. In 2019, they moved from the large Apartment 1 to the Old Stables, a smaller residence that is also located within the Kensington Palace grounds. They have leased out their private home Barnwell Manor in Northamptonshire, England since 1994.

The Duke of Gloucester in his robes as the Grand Prior of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem; Credit – Wikipedia

In support of his cousin Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Gloucester carried out a significant number of public duties and official engagements in the United Kingdom and overseas, and will continue to do so for his first cousin once removed King Charles III. He is associated with over 150 charities and organizations.  Some of the charities and organizations the Duke of Gloucester is associated with include:

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David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon; Credit – Wikipedia

David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon was born on November 3, 1961, at Clarence House in London, England. He was the first child and only son of Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom and Antony Armstrong-Jones, and one of the six grandchildren of King George VI of the United Kingdom.

 

The month before David was born, his father was created Earl of Snowdon and Viscount Linley due to concerns that a British princess would give birth to a child without a title. The heir of a British peer is allowed to use the second title of the noble parent as a courtesy title, so David was styled Viscount Linley and became the 2nd Earl of Snowdon upon his father’s death on January 13, 2017. Professionally, he is known as David Linley. On December 19, 1961, David was christened in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Michael Ramsey. His godparents were Lady Bruce Dundas, Nigel Harvey, Nick Powell, Orlando Rock, Lucinda Cecil, and Rita Konig.

 

David has one sibling:

When he was five years old, David began his education in the schoolroom at Buckingham Palace with his first cousin Prince Andrew.  David then attended the Gibbs School in Kensington, London, England, and the Ashdown House School in East Sussex, England. Next, he attended the now-closed Millbrook House School, near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. David finished his secondary education at Bedales School in Steep, Hampshire, England where he developed an interest in arts and crafts.

From 1980-1982, David studied the craft of woodworking at Parnham College in Beaminster, Dorset, England. In 1976, furniture maker John Makepeace bought Parnham House and founded the Parnham Trust and the School for Craftsmen in Wood. It later became Parnham College with the goal “to provide integrated courses in design, making and management for aspiring furniture makers, alongside but separately from his own furniture workshops.” In 2000, the school moved to a new campus in Hooke Park, England, and is now known as the Architectural Association School of Architecture.

LINLEY store on Pimlico Road in London

David Linley has had a career as a furniture designer and maker and set up his own company LINLEY in 1985. From his company’s website: “I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by beautiful things. Instead of taking these for granted, I wanted to find out more about the making process, whether a vase, a car, a sculpture or indeed a piece of furniture. When I was a small boy, my grandmother challenged me to find a secret drawer in a bureau that she treasured. I still remember the exhilaration when I eventually found it. I couldn’t understand how it was possible to conceal something so cleverly, so resolved to find out how. This was really when my interest in woodworking began.”

David does not have an official role, but he does take part in Royal Family events, such as Trooping the Color. In 2002, while his grandmother Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was lying in state at Westminster Hall, David, along with his first cousins The Prince of Wales, The Duke of York, and The Earl of Wessex, stood guard around their grandmother’s coffin.

 

David married The Honorable Serena Stanhope, a daughter of Viscount Petersham (now the 12th Earl of Harrington) at St. Margaret’s Church in Westminster, London, England on October 8, 1993. On February 17, 2020, David and Serena announced that they intend to divorce. A spokesperson for the couple said: “The Earl and Countess of Snowdon have amicably agreed that their marriage has come to an end and that they shall be divorced. They ask that the press respect their privacy and that of their family.”

The couple has two children:

In 2012, David’s son Charles was appointed to be the First Page of Honor of his great-aunt, Queen Elizabeth II. This is a ceremonial position granted to teenage sons of the nobility and requires attendance on state occasions when the pages usually carry the long train of the Sovereign’s attire.

Charles Armstrong Jones_Page

The Honorable Charles Patrick Armstrong-Jones (back right) at the State Opening of Parliament in 2013; Photo Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk. (PA)

David’s daughter Lady Margarita Elizabeth Rose Alleyne Armstrong-Jones was born shortly after the deaths of her grandmother Princess Margaret (whose middle name was Rose) and her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and was named after them. She was also a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones on the right

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Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson – photo: Wikipedia

Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson

Princess Christina Louise Helena of Sweden was born at Haga Palace in Solna Municipality, Stockholm, Sweden on August 3, 1943. She is the youngest of four daughters, known as The Haga Princesses, of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Christina is the fourth of the four elder sisters of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

Christina has four siblings:

Christina is the only one of her siblings who pursued higher education. Following her early education privately at home, she attended the École Française, in Stockholm, graduating in 1963. She then attended Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Stockholm University.

 

Princess Christina married Tord Magnuson on June 15, 1974, in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. Like her sisters Margaretha and Désirée, she lost her royal style and title, becoming Her Excellency Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson. The style of ‘Her Excellency’ comes from having been created a Knight of the Danish Order of the Elephant in 1973.

The couple had three sons:

  • Gustaf Magnuson (born 1975), married Vicky Andrén, had one daughter
  • Oscar Magnuson (1977), married Emma Ledent, had one son
  • Victor Magnuson (1980), married Frida Bergström, had two sons

In the early years of her brother’s reign, before his marriage to Queen Silvia, Christina often served as ‘first lady’ as she was the only one of the Swedish princesses living in Sweden. She is one of the godparents of her niece Princess Madeleine.

Princess Christina has remained the most visible of the King’s sisters, typically attending the Nobel Prize ceremonies each year, and occasionally undertaking official engagements. She served as Chairperson of the Swedish Red Cross from 1993-2002.

In late 2010, Princess Christina revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer earlier in the year, and had undergone several operations along with radiation and chemotherapy treatment.  In October 2016, it was announced that Princess Christina had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia which progresses slowly and mostly affects people over the age of 60.  After initial treatment failed, the Princess received a stem cell transplant in 2017 which was successful.

In August 2018, in conjunction with her 75th birthday, Princess Christina announced that she is retiring from her royal duties.  Realizing that “life is not infinite”, she plans to enjoy her retirement with her husband and family.

 

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Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern; Photo: Wikipedia

Princess Birgitta Ingeborg Alice of Sweden was born January 19, 1937, at the Haga Palace in Solna, Sweden, the second daughter of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was the second of the four elder sisters of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Like her sisters, she was educated privately at Haga Palace, where her family lived until moving to the Royal Palace in 1950.

Birgitta had three siblings:

After supposedly having turned down a marriage proposal from the Shah of Iran (citing religious differences as the reason), Princess Birgitta met her future husband, Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern, a fine arts expert, at a cocktail party in Germany in 1959. Their engagement was announced in December 1960.

 

The couple was married in a civil ceremony in Stockholm on May 25, 1961. A religious ceremony followed on May 30, 1961, at the parish church of St John The Evangelist at Sigmaringen Castle, the seat of the Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, in the Swabian Alb region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.  Princess Birgitta applied to convert to Catholicism at the time of her marriage. However, her spiritual commitment to the change was questioned and the application was rejected. Because she married a man of princely status, Birgitta retained her royal style and title as Princess of Sweden and is the only one of her sisters to remain an official member of the Swedish Royal House.

Princess Birgitta and Prince Johann Georg had three children:

  • Prince Carl Christian of Hohenzollern (born 1962), married Nicole Helene Neschitsch, had one son
  • Princess Désirée of Hohenzollern (born 1963), married (1) Heinrich, Count of Ortenburg, had two sons and one daughter, divorced  (2) Eckbert von Bohlen and Halbach
  • Prince Hubertus of Hohenzollern (born 1966), married Uta Maria König, had one son and one daughter

 

Birgitta and her husband separated in 1990 but remained married. Prince Johann Georg lived in Munich, Germany while Princess Birgitta lived on the island of Majorca, in Spain. They were occasionally seen together at family functions, such as the 2010 wedding of Crown Princess Victoria. Princess Birgitta is one of the godparents of her nephew Prince Carl Philip.  Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern died in Munich, Germany on March 2, 2016, following a brief illness at the age of 83.

An avid golfer, Birgitta was an Honorary Board Member of the Royal Swedish Golf Society, and since 1991, hosted her own golf tournament, The Princess Birgitta Trophy, at the Santa Ponsa Golf Club on Majorca.

Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern, died, aged 87, on December 4, 2024, in Mallorca, Spain, where she lived. The funeral of Princess Birgitta of Sweden, sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden was held on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at the Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace followed by the burial at the Royal Burial Ground in Haga Park in Solna, Sweden.

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Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler – photo: Wikipedia

Princess Margaretha, Mrs Ambler is the eldest of the four sisters sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. She was born Princess Margaretha Désirée Victoria of Sweden on October 31, 1934, at Haga Palace, the eldest child of Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Through both of her parents, she is a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Margaretha has three younger siblings:

Princess Margaretha was educated privately at Haga Palace, where she lived with her mother and siblings. Her father had died in a plane crash in Denmark in 1947. She later attended Märthaskolan (Martha School), a dressmaking school in Stockholm. In 1950, her great-grandfather King Gustaf V died and her grandfather became King Gustaf VI Adolf. The family moved from Haga Palace to the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

For many years, Margaretha and her three sisters, known as “The Haga Princesses”, were very prominent in Swedish society. All quite beautiful and sought after, they were often seen in photos at various events. Following a romance with Robert Douglas-Home, a Scottish diplomat (and later paramour of Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom), Princess Margaretha met British businessman John Ambler at a dinner party in England. Their engagement was announced in February 1964.

 

On June 30, 1964, Princess Margaretha and British businessman John Ambler, the son of Captain Charles Ambler and Louise Cullen, were married at the Gärdslösa Church, on the island of Öland in Sweden. Upon marriage, Margaretha lost her royal style and was styled Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler. The couple settled in England, and had three children:

  • Sibylla Louise Ambler (born 1965), married  Baron Cornelius von Dincklage, had one daughter and one son, separated
  • Charles Edward Ambler (born 1966), married to Helen Jane Ross, had two daughters
  • James Patrick Ambler (born 1969), married to Ursula Mary Shipley, had one daughter and one son

Margaretha and her husband separated in 1996 but never divorced. John Ambler suffered from poor health and spent the last ten years of his life in a nursing home in Oxfordshire, England.  He passed away on May 31, 2008.

Princess Margaretha lives near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England. She does not take part in any official functions in Sweden but is typically seen at family events such as the weddings of her brother’s children. She lives a rather quiet life in England, and for many years opened the Swedish Church Christmas Bazaar in London.

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Princess Sarvath El Hassan of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Sarvath in 2015 receiving an honorary doctorate ; By University of Bath – https://www.flickr.com/photos/uniofbath/19116052028/sizes/o/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48394484

Princess Sarvath El Hassan of Jordan is the wife of Prince Hassan of Jordan, the younger brother of King Hussein I of Jordan. She was born Sarvath Ikramullah on July 24, 1947, in Calcutta, India, the daughter of Mohammed Ikramullah and Shaista Suhrawardy.

Sarvath’s father served in the Indian Civil Service and following the partition of India, he became Pakistan’s first Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He also served as Ambassador to Canada, France, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Her mother was one of Pakistan’s first female members of Parliament, Ambassador to Morocco, and served several times as a delegate to the United Nations.  The family moved around quite often. Sarvath received most of her education in the United Kingdom and graduated from The University of Cambridge.

Sarvath married Prince El Hassan on August 28, 1968. The couple first met ten years earlier when they were just eleven years old. They had four children:

Sarvath and her husband served as Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Jordan for 34 years, until 1999 when King Hussein named his eldest son Abdullah to succeed him just days before his death. During this time, Princess Sarvath worked with many organizations and initiatives within Jordan, with much of her focus on education and social welfare. The couple continues to represent Jordan at royal events around the world.

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Prince Hassan of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Hassan of Jordan; Credit –  Wikipedia

Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan was born on March 20, 1947, in Amman, Jordan. He is the third of the four sons and the fourth of the six children of King Talal and Queen Zein.  He had five siblings:

He attended the Summer Fields School and the Harrow School before attending Christ Church, Oxford University, earning his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Oriental Studies.

In 1965, King Hussein named his brother Hassan Crown Prince, and he often served as Regent. He remained Crown Prince until just days before King Hussein died in 1999 when the King named his eldest son Abdullah as Crown Prince.

In 1968, Hassan married Sarvath Ikramullah. The couple had four children:

Prince Hassan is involved with a large number of organizations and charities both within Jordan and around the world. A list of many of them can be found here. He has also written several books and articles and received numerous awards and honorary degrees. In June 2013, he was appointed Chairman of the United Nations Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation. Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath often represent the Jordanian royal family at royal events around the world.

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Hamzah bin Al Hussein, formerly Prince Hamzah of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © 2014

Hamzah bin Al Hussein; Credit – Wikipedia

Born Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein of Jordan on March 29, 1980, in Amman, Jordan, Hamzah is the eldest son of King Hussein of Jordan and his fourth wife, Queen Noor (the former Lisa Halaby). On April 3, 2022, Hamzah renounced his title of Prince of Jordan.

Hamzah has three younger siblings:

  • Prince Hashim (born 1981), married Fahdah Mohammed Abunayyan, had five children
  • Princess Iman (born 1983), married Zaid Azmi Mirza, had one son, divorced
  • Princess Raiyah (born 1986), married Ned Donovan

Hamzah has seven half-siblings from her father’s other three marriages.

From his father’s first marriage to Sharifa Dina bint ‘Abdu’l-Hamid (Queen Dina):

  • Princess Alia (born 1956), married (1) Lieutenant-Colonel Nasser Wasfi Mirza, had one child, divorced  (2) Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh, had two children

From his father’s second marriage to Antoinette Avril Gardiner (Princess Muna):

  • King Abdullah II (born 1962), married Rania al Yassin, had four children
  • Prince Feisal (born 1963), married (1) Alia Tabbaa, had four children, divorced (2) Sara Bassam Qabbani, no children, divorced (3) Zeina Lubbadeh, had two children
  • Princess Aisha (born 1968), married (1) Zeid Saadedine Juma, had two children, divorced  (2) Ashraf Banayoti, divorced
  • Princess Zein (born 1968), married Majdi Farid Al-Saleh, had three children

From his father’s third marriage to Alia Baha ad-Din Toukan (Queen Alia):

Hamzah at his Passing Out Parade at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1999

Hamzah began his education in Jordan and attended the Harrow School in London, England. He then enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England and served with the Jordanian Armed Forces where he held the rank of Colonel. He later graduated, in 2006, from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Upon their father’s death in 1999, Hamzah was named Crown Prince by his elder half-brother, the new King Abdullah II, in accordance with their father’s wishes. He would later serve occasionally as Regent for King Abdullah and often represented him at events both within Jordan and abroad. However, on November 28, 2004, King Abdullah removed the title of Crown Prince. In a public letter, he said that … “Your holding this symbolic position has restrained your freedom and hindered our entrusting you with certain responsibilities that you are fully qualified to undertake.”  A few years later, the King named his son, Hussein, as Crown Prince of Jordan.

In April 2021, Hamzah was accused of trying to mobilize tribal leaders against the government.  He was placed under house arrest and was ordered to stop actions that could be used to target the country’s “security and stability”. In a video released by Hamzah’s lawyer, Hamzah accused the country’s leaders of corruption, harassment, and incompetence. The video and the text of the statement can be seen at BBC: Prince Hamzah bin Hussein of Jordan’s ‘house arrest’ message in full.  Ahmad Hasan al Zoubi, a prominent newspaper columnist, said, “What Prince Hamzah said is repeatedly heard in the homes of every Jordanian.” On April 7, 2021, King Abdullah II said Hamzah’s house arrest was ending and that Hamzah was now “in his palace under my protection.” In March 2022, the Royal Court published an apology purportedly signed by Hamzah and asking his half-brother King Abdullah II for forgiveness.

On April 3, 2022, Hamzah renounced his title of Prince of Jordan. In a statement posted to Twitter, Hamzah said:

“Following what I have witnessed in recent years, I have come to the conclusion that my personal convictions which my father instilled in me, and which I tried hard in my life to adhere to, are not in line with the approaches, trends and modern methods of our institutions. From the matter of honesty to God and conscience, I see nothing but to transcend and abandon the title of prince. I had the great honour of serving my beloved country and my dear people over the years of my life. I will remain as I have always been and as long as I live, loyal to our beloved Jordan.”

Hamzah and his first wife Princess Noor bint Asem bin Nayef

Hamzah has been married twice. He first married his second cousin, Princess Noor bint Asem bin Nayef, on August 29, 2003 (with the official wedding on May 27, 2004). They had one daughter before divorcing in September 2009.

  • Princess Haya bint Hamzah (born 2007)

Hamzah and his second wife Basmah Bani Ahmad in 2011

Hamzah married Basmah Bani Ahmad on January 12, 2012. The couple has four daughters and two sons:

  • Princess Zein bint Hamzah (born 2012)
  • Princess Noor bint Hamzah (born 2014)
  • Princess Badiya bint Hamzah (born 2016)
  • Princess Nafisa bint Hamzah (born 2018)
  • Prince Hussein bin Hamzah (born 2019)
  • Prince Mohammad bin Hamzah (born 2022)

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Prince Ali of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Ali of Jordan; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan was born on December 23, 1975. He is the son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his third wife Queen Alia, the former Alia Baha Ad-Din Touqan.

Prince Ali has an older sister and an older adopted sister:

  • Princess Haya (born 1974), married Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, had one son and one daughter, divorced
  • Abir Muhaisen (born 1972, adopted in 1976), Abir had been orphaned when her mother was killed in a plane crash at a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan

Ali has a number of half-siblings from her father’s other three marriages.

From his father’s first marriage to Sharifa Dina bint ‘Abdu’l-Hamid (Queen Dina):

  • Princess Alia (born 1956), married (1) Lieutenant-Colonel Nasser Wasfi Mirza, had one child, divorced  (2) Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh, had two children

From his father’s second marriage to Antoinette Avril Gardiner (Princess Muna):

  • King Abdullah II (born 1962), married Rania al Yassin, had four children
  • Prince Feisal (born 1963), married (1) Alia Tabbaa, had four children, divorced (2) Sara Bassam Qabbani, no children, divorced (3) Zeina Lubbadeh, had two children
  • Princess Aisha (born 1968), married (1) Zeid Saadedine Juma, had two children, divorced  (2) Ashraf Banayoti, divorced
  • Princess Zein (born 1968), married Majdi Farid Al-Saleh, had three children

From his father’s fourth marriage to Lisa Najeeb Halaby (Queen Noor):

Prince Ali began his education at the American Community School in Amman, Jordan, before attending the Salisbury School in Connecticut, graduating in 1993. He then enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, earning his commission in December 1994. He served in the Jordanian Special Forces and later attended Princeton University in New Jersey, graduating in 1999.

From 1999 until 2008, Prince Ali served as Commander of King Abdullah’s Special Security in The Royal Guards. In 2008, he established the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management and serves as director of the organization.

In addition, he serves as Chairman of the Royal Film Commission, President of the Jordan Football Association, and is Founder and President of the West Asian Football Federation. Since 2011, Prince Ali has also served as Vice President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Prince Ali was married on April 23, 2004, to Rym Brahimi, a former CNN journalist. The wedding was publicly celebrated on September 7, 2004. The couple has two children:

  • Princess Jalila bint Ali (born 2005)
  • Prince Abdullah bin Ali (born 2007)

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Princess Haya of Jordan

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Haya of Jordan; Credit – Wikipedia By Rjohnson2023 – Own work

Princess Haya bint Al Hussein of Jordan was born on May 3, 1974. She is the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and his third wife, Queen Alia (the former Alia Baha Ad-Din Touqan). Just a few months before her third birthday, her mother died in a helicopter crash. Haya and her siblings were raised by her father and his fourth wife, Queen Noor, who were married in 1978.

Haya has a younger brother and an older adopted sister:

  • Prince Ali (born 1975), married Rym Brahimi, a former CNN journalist, had two children
  • Abir Muhaisen (born 1972, adopted in 1976), Abir had been orphaned when her mother was killed in a plane crash at a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan

 

Haya has a number of half-siblings from her father’s other three marriages.

From her father’s first marriage to Sharifa Dina bint ‘Abdu’l-Hamid (Queen Dina):

  • Princess Alia (born 1956), married (1) Lieutenant-Colonel Nasser Wasfi Mirza, had one son, divorced  (2) Sayyid Mohammed Al-Saleh, had two children

From her father’s second marriage to Antoinette Avril Gardiner (Princess Muna):

From her father’s fourth marriage to Lisa Najeeb Halaby (Queen Noor):

Princess Haya was educated in England, attending the Badminton School and the Bryanston School, before enrolling at St Hilda’s College, Oxford University. She graduated with an Honors Degree BA MA, in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).

 

A skilled equestrian, Princess Haya was the first female to represent Jordan internationally in show jumping. She won individual bronze at the 1992 Pan Arab Games (becoming the first female ever to have won a Pan-Arab medal in equestrian sports). She was named Equestrian Personality of the Year in 1996, by the Spanish Equestrian Federation. In 2000, she competed in the Sydney Olympic Games and was also flag-bearer for the Jordanian athletes. In 2002, she became the first Arab woman to qualify and compete in the equestrian world championship when she competed in the FEI World Equestrian Games. During this time, in order to be able to transport her horses herself, she became the first Jordanian woman to obtain a license to drive heavy trucks. She was also the first Jordanian athlete to turn pro, signing a commercial contract with an Italian designer in May 2000.

In 2003, Princess Haya founded and became Chairperson of Tkiyet Um Ali – the first food aid NGO in the Arab World, in honor of her mother, Queen Alia. She also served as World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador from 2005-2007, the first Arab, and the first woman, to serve in this role.

Since 2006, she has served as President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), serving two terms. In August 2014, she announced that she will not seek a third term.

2007 saw the Princess take on several new roles. She was appointed Chairperson of the International Humanitarian City (IHC) and became a member of the International Olympic Committee. In September 2007, she was named a UN Messenger of Peace by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. And the following month, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan chose her to become a founding member of the Global Humanitarian Forum.

Princess Haya also serves as Global Patron for the World Academy of Sport, President of the UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council, Chairperson of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, President of the Princess Haya Biotechnology Center at Jordan University of Science and Technology, and Honorary President of the Queen Alia Foundation for Hearing & Speech. In addition, she works closely with the World Food Programme and UNICEF.

 

Princess Haya became the junior wife of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, on April 10, 2004. The couple had two children:

  • Sheikha Al Jalila bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (born 2007)
  • Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (born 2012)

Sheikh Mohammed divorced Princess Haya under Sharia Law in February 2019 but he did not inform Haya. In the early summer of 2019, Princess Haya took her two children and fled to London where she sought political asylum. Haya now lives in London and as an envoy of the Embassy of Jordan, she is able to remain in the United Kingdom and was granted diplomatic immunity and protection under the Geneva Convention. In March 2020, the High Court in London ruled that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inflicted “exorbitant” domestic abuse on his wife and granted Princess Haya sole custody of their children. In 2021, Haya was granted full custody of her children by a British court.  In March 2022, the British High Court declared that Haya had been a victim of “domestic abuse”, and she was announced as the sole person in charge of the children’s schooling and medical care.

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Princess Haya with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and their two children at Royal Ascot in June 2018

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