# Royal wedding showpiece highlights Jordan’s role as West’s stable ally Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-06-01 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Jordan's Prince Hussein Royal Wedding Showpiece Meta Description: Prince Hussein of Jordan, heir to the throne, will marry Saudi architect Rajwa Al Saif in a ceremony uniting global alliances. Western ties integral to URL: https://financedigest.com/royal-wedding-showpiece-highlights-jordans-role-as-wests-stable-allyhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-06-01t170628z1lynxmpej501qjrtroptp4jordan-royals-wedding-1736813943519-compressed.jpg) By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) -The heir to [Jordan’s](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-national-bank-exploring-ways-to-tokenise-financial-assets.html) throne will marry amid much fanfare on Thursday, in a glittering ceremony that the country’s leaders, long backed by the West as a stabilising influence in a volatile region, hope will reinforce local and global alliances. The 28-year-old [Prince](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-prince-harry-and-wife-meghan-will-attend-celebrations-for-queen-elizabeth.html) Hussein, named as heir by his father [King](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-arabias-king-crown-prince-send-condolences-on-queen-elizabeths-death.html) Abdullah in 2009, will tie the knot with Saudi architect Rajwa Al Saif, 29, who hails from a prominent family with links to her country’s ruling dynasty. [Jordan](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-national-bank-exploring-ways-to-tokenise-financial-assets.html) has long relied on Western support to shore up its economy, one of the world’s biggest per capita recipients of U.S and European aid, and observers hope the wedding will also bring it closer to the regional powerhouse on its southern border. Saudi Crown [Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to attend](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-prince-harry-declines-to-commit-to-attending-king-charles-coronation.html "UK’s Prince Harry declines to commit to attending King Charles’ coronation"), Jordanian officials say, and the banquet tables will be studded with European and Asian royalty and senior U.S. figures too, including U.S. First Lady Jill Biden and [Britain’s Prince](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-prince-william-unveils-finalists-for-earthshot-environmental-prize.html "Britain’s Prince William unveils finalists for Earthshot environmental prize") and Princess of Wales, William and Kate. Prince Mohammed last visited Jordan a year ago following years of tensions, also prompting [hopes then that warmer ties would unlock more fulsome economic](https://www.financedigest.com/gazprom-gas-cut-tempers-economic-hopes-after-ukraine-grain-deal.html "Gazprom gas cut tempers economic hopes after Ukraine grain deal") support. The wedding is also a milestone in Hussein’s path towards the monarchy, with officials and insiders [saying King](https://www.financedigest.com/king-charles-coronation-will-be-an-economic-boost-buckingham-palace-says.html "King Charles’ coronation will be an economic boost, Buckingham Palace says") Abdullah feels more confident that his country’s prized stability will now be cemented. The [King](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-arabias-king-crown-prince-send-condolences-on-queen-elizabeths-death.html) had removed his younger half-brother Hamza as heir-designate in 2004. Hamza was later accused of conspiring to overthrow the monarch in a foreign-inspired plot, but [Jordan](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-national-bank-exploring-ways-to-tokenise-financial-assets.html) has not seen the upheavals that toppled neighbouring leaders and [escaped relatively unscathed from the turmoil witnessed in the region in the last](https://www.financedigest.com/last-chance-to-escape-to-the-country-at-harvard-grange.html "Last Chance To Escape To The Country At Harvard Grange") decade. KING-IN-WAITING In recent years, Hussein, a U.S-educated graduate of Georgetown and a Sandhurst officer, has increasingly taken on the duties of a future [king](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-arabias-king-crown-prince-send-condolences-on-queen-elizabeths-death.html) in the country of 11 million, rubbing shoulders with [world leaders](https://www.financedigest.com/queen-elizabeths-death-reaction-from-world-leaders.html "Queen Elizabeth’s death: Reaction from world leaders") including U.S. [President Joe Biden](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-arrives-in-south-korea-for-talks-with-president-yoon.html "Biden arrives in South Korea for talks with President Yoon"). At the Arab League summit in Jeddah last month, he walked alongside his father to greet Crown [Prince](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-prince-harry-and-wife-meghan-will-attend-celebrations-for-queen-elizabeth.html) Mohammad. The three were photographed together. At home, Hussein is regularly seen chairing meetings of government agencies. In line with the customs of the Hashemite family, who claim descent from the Prophet Mohammed and ruled Mecca for centuries, the public ceremonies will begin as Hussein and his bride tie the knot in Amman’s Zahran palace. Jordanians will get a glimpse of their future [king and queen](https://www.financedigest.com/king-charles-in-parliament-promises-to-follow-queens-example.html "King Charles, in parliament, promises to follow queen’s example") as their convoy takes a ten kilometre (six mile) route through the city streets under heavy security. Despite its imperfections, many Jordanians [say they prefer the continuity of their country’s](https://www.financedigest.com/countries-emissions-pledges-still-fall-short-of-global-climate-goals-un-says.html "Countries’ emissions pledges still fall short of global climate goals, UN says") political system, noting the years of conflict that have ravaged neighbouring Iraq and Syria. For us, the Hashemites are a safety valve,” said Alia Ibrahim, a teacher in a [private school](https://www.financedigest.com/south-korea-to-appeal-court-order-exempting-private-schools-from-vaccine-passes.html "South Korea to appeal court order exempting private schools from vaccine passes") in Amman. Washington’s desire for a stable ally in an otherwise volatile region meant it too has often turned a blind eye to Jordan’s slow democratic reforms and [mixed human rights record](https://www.financedigest.com/fed-chief-powells-record-mixed-think-tank-says.html "Fed chief Powell’s record ‘mixed,’ think tank says"). The U.S. maintains military bases in Jordan and conducts regular joint training exercises. The kingdom is slowly recovering after [years of sluggish growth](https://www.financedigest.com/the-liquid-chromatographymass-spectroscopy-market-is-estimated-to-witness-stupendous-growth-in-the-years-to-come.html "The Liquid Chromatographymass Spectroscopy Market is estimated to witness stupendous growth in the years to come") and high unemployment under the latest of many International Monetary Fund programmes. Still, many have staged protests over a cost-of-living squeeze, including deadly riots last year over [rising fuel prices](https://www.financedigest.com/doncaster-delights-investors-with-cultural-appeal-and-solid-property-price-rises.html "Doncaster delights investors with cultural appeal and solid property price rises"), and some criticise the prince’s wedding as a waste of public resources. “How can we be happy when we are struggling to improve our daily lives? It’s the [prince’s](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-prince-harry-and-wife-meghan-will-attend-celebrations-for-queen-elizabeth.html) wedding, not ours,” said Abdullah al-Fayez, a [retired servicemen living on slim savings](https://www.financedigest.com/saving-for-retirement-for-the-future.html "SAVING For Retirement, For the Future") on the outskirts of Amman. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; editing by John Stonestreet and Maya Gebeily) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---