It was a whirlwind romance for Prince Abdullah and Rania Al-Yassin, who were married within a year of meeting, 30 years ago today.
The pair were introduced at a colleague’s dinner party in 1992 and were engaged six months later before exchanging vows on June 10, 1993.
Their lavish ceremony took place at the Zahran Palace in Amman and it made such an impact that it was named a national holiday.
And just a few days ago, they had the joy of seeing their son, Crown Prince Hussein, marry Rajwa al-Saif in a spectacular wedding in Amman attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Prince Abdallah posing with his bride Rania Yassine after their wedding ceremony at the Royal Palace in Amman on June 10, 1993
It was a whirlwind romance for the then Prince Abdullah and Rania Al-Yassin, who were married within a year of meeting and are still in love to this day
King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan pictured with their children, Crown Prince Al Thirty years ago, Rania’s wedding dress had been designed by Bruce Oldfield – a favourite of Princess Diana. It was inspired by the formal Syrian court dresses being displayed at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The elegant full-skirted gown was a simple piece but was complemented by the embellished gold jacket with a statement collar. Hussein (1st from L), Prince Hashem (2nd from R), and Princesses Iman (1st from R), and Salma
Princess Rajwa Al Hussein, Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdulla II and his mother, Queen Rania during the Royal Wedding Banquet in Amman, Jordan earlier this month
It was a truly regal ensemble, although Raina broke royal tradition by not wearing a tiara.
Tradition dictated a royal bride must wear jewels from her own family at her wedding, but born into a modest Palestinian family in Kuwait, Rania did not come from a noble family with an impressive range of jewels at her disposal.
Having been raised alongside her two siblings in the West Bank town of Tulkarm and worked hard for her achievements, her decision made a statement marking that she would not forget her humble beginnings.
Instead, she wore an embellished headband attached to her wedding veil, which was styled around her intricate up-do.
Following their nuptials, the pair became parents to Crown Prince Hussein, 28, Princess Iman, 26, Princess Salma, 22, and Prince Hashem, 18.
And while today we celebrate the anniversary of a royal wedding, the Jordanian royals have also recently celebrated the wedding of their son Prince Hussein to Rajwa Al Saif.
Ahead of their wedding, Queen Rania paid an emotional tribute to the bride, describing Miss Rajwa as ‘the sweetest and most beautiful bride-to-be’, adding that she is as precious to her as her daughters Princesses Iman and Salma.
Back in March, their daughter Princess Iman of Jordan gave a touching nod to her parent’s big day by wearing her mother’s white and gold wedding belt as she took part in her henna ceremony.
Having overcome the test of time and watched their children grow, the royal couple appear to be just as happy as they were three decades ago.
King Abdullah and Queen Rania posing for a picture with the bride and the groom, their eldest daughter Princess Iman and Jameel Alexander Thermiotis in March
Queen of Jordan pictured speaking in a panel discussion during the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York in September 2016
And since then, Queen Rania has become widely admired and renowned for her strong voice and charitable work.
Having been named of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women by Forbes magazine in 2011, she has been known to champion projects across key issues, such as women’s rights, child protection, the environment and youth empowerment.
She is also known for a fine sense of style.
From elegant traditional Jordanian clothing to crisply tailored ensembles, the Queen knows how to make a statement with her wardrobe.
Most recently, the Queen appeared alongside her husband at the Coronation of King Charles in a yellow long-sleeve dress by Tamara Ralph Couture. She paired the tailored pencil number with a coordinating hat and Jimmy Choo heeled pumps.
For a London outing after the Coronation, Rania wore a gradient-effect double-breasted blazer suit by Ermanno Scervino
King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania of Jordan arriving at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023
Having maintained a close relationship with the British Royal Family, the King and Queen were also in attendance at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September last year.
Queen Rania appeared to be fond of the late monarch.
She admitted that she ‘looked up’ to Queen Elizabeth during an interview with ITV News. The Queen said: ‘She didn’t always presume that you wanted her advice but she was very generous when you asked for it. I really looked up to her. To me, she is the queen of the world.’
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