Jordan’s royal wedding: Joy, politics, and an eye toward the kingdom’s future

June 1, 2023

Amman, Jordan- A national holiday, free concerts, air shows, bagpipers, world leaders, a shuttered capital – the wedding of Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein on Thursday was not your typical royal wedding.

More than nuptials with a who’s who of VIP guests, these public celebrations, according to Jordan’s royal palace, were “the big event.” They’re the introduction to Jordan’s next king.

“Today we are rejoicing for our future,” says Mohammed Sawaya, one of thousands of citizens on Amman’s streets waiting for the royal procession to pass after today’s wedding ceremony. Nearby, his car sports a giant decal of the crown prince and his bride.

“Prince Hussein is our age, he understands youth issues, he can navigate the world, and he is going to lead us into the future,” Mr. Sawaya says. More than half of Jordanians are under the age of 30.

The wedding of the crown prince to Rajwa Alseif, 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. 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 “celebrating Hussein,” “the royal wedding,” and, simply, “we rejoice.” Even McDonald’s put up a three-story banner with the crown prince’s image, announcing that the burger chain was “rejoicing in Hussein.”

On Thursday, schools and businesses shuttered, and one-third of the capital’s streets closed to mark the occasion. In a country whose stability has long been tied to its royal family, the point was clear: “The main message of these celebrations is the presentation of the future king of Jordan,” says Amer Al Sabaileh, a Jordanian geopolitical analyst. 

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’s 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.

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