The celebration at Zahran Palace in Amman was without a doubt one of the most dazzling royal weddings of the year. The bride, Princess Sara bint Faisal, is the niece of King Abdullah and Queen Rania, and the daughter of Prince Faisal, the King’s brother and one of the most historically influential figures in the Hashemite dynasty. A clear sign of this branch of the family’s importance is that Queen Rania herself announced the engagement and shared the first images from the ceremony.
“Today, alongside His Majesty at Zahran Palace, during the wedding ceremony of Princess Sara bint Faisal bin Al Hussein and Mr. Ali Murabit Al Sawwaf,” Queen Rania wrote in the photo caption, both in Arabic and English. “Congratulations and much love to the happy couple!” In addition, the Hashemite queen, who has just returned from a work trip that took her from France to the Czech Republic and then on to New York for her address at the United Nations, shared some very intimate family photos with the King and their youngest son, Prince Hashem, who, judging by the images, was the only one of their four children able to attend his first cousin’s wedding.
© queenraniaAmong the photos released are several featuring Rania of Jordan, including a standout shot of the front row, where the King and Queen are flanked by two princesses from different generations.
But who are the women holding that place of honor next to the throne?
On the King’s left, wearing spectacular emerald earrings, sits Princess Muna, King Abdullah’s mother. Born in the United Kingdom as Toni Avril Gardiner, she was the second wife of Hussein I and held the title of princess consort during their marriage, from 1961 to 1972. Unlike the late King’s other three wives, Muna was never granted the title of queen. Tradition required that queens be Muslim by birth or of Arab descent; to avoid reopening the debate over British influence in the country, given that she is the daughter of a British Army officer, King Hussein prioritized the stability of the Crown and granted her only the style of Royal Princess or Princess Consort.
© queenraniaThe couple had four children together, including two key figures in shaping the kingdom: the current monarch, Abdullah II, and Prince Faisal, the bride’s father. Faisal has served as the King’s loyal right hand, taking on high State responsibilities, even acting as Regent during his brother’s absences and representing Jordan in important international capacities.
All this took place during the years when Crown Prince Hussein was still a child. In other words, Prince Faisal, educated at top universities in the United Kingdom and the United States, a lieutenant in the Royal Jordanian Air Force and, among other positions, president of the Jordan Olympic Committee, was the man who gave the King peace of mind while his children were growing up.
© queenraniaPrince Faisal has married three times, but his first marriage was to Alia Tabbaa, daughter of the founder and chairman of Royal Jordanian Airlines. She is Princess Alia, the woman in blue seated next to Queen Rania. Faisal and Alia of Jordan had one son and three daughters together, one of whom is Sara, the princess who married Ali Murabit Al Sawwaf on September 30 at Zahran Palace in Amman.
Although Princess Alia and Prince Faisal divorced in 2008 and he went on to marry twice more and have two additional children with his third wife, Princess Alia has always maintained her standing at the Hashemite royal court, both as the mother of his children and as the woman who took on a large part of the diplomatic agenda for many years. Princess Alia, who studied International Relations in the United Kingdom, specifically at the University of Sussex, has long enjoyed excellent contacts and friendships with other royal families. In fact, she is part of Queen Sofía’s inner circle and has often been seen enjoying getaways with her to Mallorca.
© Corte Real HachemitaPrincess Alia also enjoys enormous public recognition for her philanthropic work. At the helm of organizations such as the Promise Welfare Society and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, her efforts range from supporting people with cerebral palsy, an area in which she succeeded Queen Noor, to championing children’s rights by promoting equal opportunities in education.
