Jordan’s Queen Rania spoke of her admiration for Queen Elizabeth II as she arrived in London on the eve on the monarch’s state funeral.
Queen Elizabeth II dies — follow the latest news as the world mourns
Queen Rania, who has a close relationship with the British royal family, shared her “wonderful memories” of Queen Elizabeth II during an interview with ITV on Sunday.
“Despite being the most important person in the room, she always made you feel like the most important person in the room,” she said. “She just had a very gentle and subtle way about her. Her elegance wasn’t just in her appearance but in the way she lived her life.
“I just have the most wonderful memories of her,” she continued. “Throughout the years, every time I met her, I felt she was warmer and warmer. 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.”
Queen Rania, who wore an elegant black trouser suit for the occasion, featuring a satin bow detail, also described the “humbling” experience of witnessing Britain’s mourning first-hand.
“I don’t think there’s anywhere else you want to be at this point, it’s a monumental event,” she said. “Not only did she have an incredible impact in her lifetime, but in her passing she has unified the country. I have never seen such a sense of unity and community in this country as I see today.
“It has been humbling to see that impact and to see all the people lining up in the streets. It’s been done in such a dignified, elegant and orderly fashion. It’s a sad time but it’s also a time that has given people confidence that the foundations her majesty laid for this country are incredibly strong.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see world leaders arriving in London for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral
Queen Rania also expressed her deep condolences to the royal family, and spoke of her confidence in King Charles III as a leader.
“He has been preparing for this role his whole life,” she said. “We have known King Charles for many years and we know the man that he is. He is incredibly intelligent, very thoughtful, genuine person. Everything he does, he does from the heart. He is the person best suited for this country at this time.”
On Sunday evening, Queen Rania joined her husband, King Abdullah, and son, Crown Prince Hussein, and hundreds of other world leaders, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and US President Joe Biden, for a reception at Buckingham Palace.
Dressed in mourning black, she wore a blazer-style dress, paired with embellished stilettos and a matching clutch bag.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the latest photos from Queen Elizabeth II's funeral
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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.
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