• 'Royals' Rania of Jordan, from Letizia's model when she was a princess to a shadow that no longer shines so much
  • Fights The secrets Noor told about Rania before the scandal: "He pressed for succession"
  • Royal House The favorite son of King Hussein with whom Letizia premiered as a princess

This Thursday, June 1, Jordan will live a great event: the wedding of its heir to the throne, Prince Hussein (28), eldest son of Kings Abdullah and Rania, with the Saudi architect Rajtwa Al Saif, (29). She is the daughter of wealthy businessman Kahled Al Saif. As a preview of the lavish celebrations, this Monday took place the traditional Henna party of the bride. It was organized by Queen Rania and attended by 600 luxuriously decorated women from all over the country, and this May 29 a massive free concert will be held at the International Stadium.

The link will have two scenarios. One is Zarhan Palace, which will host the ceremony, where Abdullah and Rania were also married in June 2013 and was home to Queen Zain, mother of the late King Hussein. The subsequent banquet will take place at the Al Husseiniya Palace, built in 2006 next to the King Hussein Mosque, built by Abdullah in honor of his father. The wedding, in addition to members of the Hashemite royal family, Jordanian personalities and international leaders, will be attended by a large world representation of royalswith long shots but without tiaras, as mandated by the dress code. The kings of the Netherlands, Máxima and William, are confirmed with Princess Amalia, Frederick and Mary of Denmark, Victoria of Sweden, Haakon of Norway, Prince Sebastian of Luxembourg, Queen Azizah of Malaysia, and Princesses Hisako and Tsuguko of Japan.

On the part of Spain there will be presence, but who will attend is unknown. Don Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía had planned to attend, according to ¡Hola!, and Don Felipe and Doña Letizia have no events on the agenda. In addition, although it does not appear in the forecasts of Zarzuela, as LOC has been able to know, Queen Sofia will be from May 31 to June 3 in Amman.

According to a source close to the Royal Family, "both are invited." Don Juan Carlos will go in a personal capacity, since he is retired from institutional life and does not represent the Crown in any institutional act. Given his close friendship with the late King Hussein, his attendance is quite certain, barring last-minute changes. Also, because of his solitude in Abu Dhabi he is very encouraged by this type of event where he can meet friends.

Juan Carlos I with Queen Sofia at the funeral of ConstantinoGTRES

In addition to Doña Sofía, they may also be accompanied by some of the infantas, Elena or Cristina, who is "a close friend of Princess Alia, Abdalá's sister." The presence of Doña Sofía at the wedding with Don Juan Carlos has surprised. Until now he has tried to safeguard him from the controversies that have surrounded the emeritus, since he maintains an active institutional role. According to this source, to avoid controversies that affect the Crown, Doña Sofía has ruled out visiting her husband in Abu Dhabi as she wished, because she misses him.

Doña Sofía misses Juan Carlos I but rules out visiting him

Their last public appearances together have been at the funeral of Elizabeth II in September and at that of Constantine of Greece, her brother-in-law, in January. In the recent trip of the emeritus to Sanxenxo in April, they have not been able to see, because unlike the previous one, Don Juan Carlos has not stopped in Zarzuela to meet his family, although he has in Vitoria to have a review at Dr. Anitua's clinic.

A close bond

The attendance of Don Juan Carlos to the wedding is fully justified by the very close ties that united him to King Hussein, father of Abdullah. A friendship fostered by Simeon of Bulgaria and Constantine of Greece, which began on their honeymoon, when Franco was still alive and although Don Juan Carlos was only a candidate for the throne, Hussein dispensed him in Jordan honors of head of state.

Later, the Hashemite monarch visited Spain incognito, stayed at the Ritz and enjoyed going to flamenco tablaos, something that strengthened his ties with Don Juan Carlos. Both shared the desire to enjoy life, they even escaped together to ski to Sierra Nevada in a helicopter piloted by the Jordanian. Hussein always turned to his friend in times of trouble, in 23-F he offered to put at his disposal a special unit of his Army and when he fractured his pelvis in a skiing accident in 1991, Hussein, on his way to Brussels, stopped in Madrid to visit him.

The Crown Prince with his future wifeGTRES

He also gave him splendid gifts, including a pistol covered with precious stones, a thoroughbred horse and even a palace, La Mareta, in Lanzarote, which Don Juan Carlos gave to National Heritage and today Pedro Sánchez enjoys on vacation. The emeritus reciprocated, because in 1977, after Alia, third wife of the king, died in a plane crash, he officially traveled with Doña Sofía to Jordan. Something moved Hussein, who addressed them publicly as "Majesty brother, Majesty sister." He was also present when the Jordanian monarch received the Princess of Asturias Award for Concord in Oviedo in 1995 for his peacemaking work in the Middle East. His death in February 1999 from lymphatic cancer greatly affected Don Juan Carlos, who travelled to his funeral in Amman with Don Felipe.

Their friendship extended to the rest of the Royal Family, and Doña Sofía connected especially with Noor, Hussein's fourth wife. "Queen Sofia has been a true sister and friend to me all these years," he said. After the monarch's death, she and her children spent the summer invited by the emeritus in Marivent, and in November 2018, Noor traveled to Madrid to attend her 80th birthday, which brought together family and intimates in Zarzuela.

Queen Sofia has also always traveled to Jordan for special events, such as the wedding of Hamzah, Noor's eldest son and then Jordanian heir, held on May 27, 2004, and she did so accompanied by the Infanta Cristina and Princes Felipe and Letizia. Only five days had passed since their wedding, which was attended by a large representation of the Jordanian royal family headed by Queen Rania, Princess Muna, mother of Abdullah, and Queen Dowager Noor, and the princes decided to start their honeymoon in Jordan to attend the wedding. No one expected the dramatic turn of events that was coming, as King Abdullah, who succeeded Hussein on the throne, broke the promise made to his father that his half-brother Hamzah would be the heir, stripping him to name his firstborn, Hussein, who will marry on June 1, as his successor. In 2021, an alleged plot against Abdullah was discovered for which Hamzah was blamed, who despite pleading not guilty, was placed under house arrest, and caused his definitive fall from grace and that of his mother, Queen Noor, who are not expected to attend this wedding.

Even so, the good relations between the two royal families continued. Although between Don Felipe and King Abdullah there is not a relationship as intimate as that of Don Juan Carlos with Hussein, they have maintained frequent meetings and the Jordanian considers Don Felipe as "my brother and friend". In November 2015 Abdalá and Rania were the first monarchs to officially visit Spain after the proclamation of Don Felipe. Despite the hackneyed "duel of styles" between two glamorous icons such as Doña Letizia and Rania, who are nicknamed "the Letizia of the East", cordiality prevailed and even the Kings had unusual deferences, such as traveling to receive them at Barajas airport and organizing an intimate dinner in El Pardo, which was joined by Don Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía.

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