The highly anticipated Jordan royal wedding day got underway on Thursday. With the surprise announcement that Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate had arrived to witness the nuptials of Crown Prince Hussein and his Saudi Arabian bride.
The attendance of the British royals had been kept under wraps. It was only confirmed by Jordanian state media a few hours before the start of the palace ceremony.
The royal wedding of 28-year-old heir to the throne of Jordan and Rajwa Alseif, a 29-year-old architect linked to her own country’s monarch, emphasizes continuity in an Arab state prized for its longstanding stability.
The festivities, which are to start Thursday afternoon. It also introduce Hussein to a wider global audience.The celebration buttresses the royal family’s order of succession. Which refreshes its image after a palace feud and may even help resource-poor Jordan forge a strategic bond with its oil-rich neighbor, Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, the union may have the potential to foster a strategic alliance between Jordan. A country with limited resources, and Saudi Arabia, a nation abundant in oil reserves.
Meanwhile, anticipation for the wedding has been steadily growing in Amman, the capital of Jordan. As it is considered the most significant royal event in the country in recent years.
The streets are adorned with congratulatory banners featuring Crown Prince Hussein and his radiant bride, Rajwa Alseif. While shops compete in showcasing royal regalia. Moreover, enthusiasts eagerly speculate about the designer chosen by Alseif for her wedding dress. Although the identity remains undisclosed as an official secret.
A crucial rite of passage
Jordan’s 11 million citizens have watched the young crown prince rise in prominence in recent years. As he increasingly joined his father, King Abdullah II, in public appearances. Hussein has graduated from Georgetown University, joined the military and gained some global recognition speaking at the U.N. General Assembly.
His wedding, experts say, marks his next crucial rite of passage.“It’s not just a marriage, it’s the presentation of the future king of Jordan,” said political analyst Amer Sabaileh. “
The issue of the crown prince has been closed.”Moreover, the wedding may create a brief feel-good moment for Jordanians during tough economic times. Including persistent youth unemployment and an ailing economy.
