Jordanian royal weddings through the years, from Princess Iman to Queen Rania

Following Princess Iman's wedding, we take a look at some of Jordan's most high-profile nuptials in years gone by

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This year is set to be a busy one for the Jordanian royal family, with two weddings taking place.

On Sunday, Princess Iman, 26, wed Jameel Alexander Thermiotis at the family’s palace on the outskirts of Amman, walked down the aisle by her elder brother, Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, 28, who will also tie the knot this year.

Prince Hussein announced his engagement last year to Rajwa Al Saif. The engagement took place at Al Saif's father's home in Riyadh. The news was announced on Twitter with four photos showing the couple together, with Prince Hussein's parents, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, pictured alongside members of Al Saif's family.

The pair will wed on June 1, the Royal Hashemite Court announced.

As the couple prepare for their nuptials, we take a look back at some of the most high-profile Jordanian royal weddings that have come before.

1955: King Hussein and Dina bint Abdul-Hamid

On April 19, 1955, King Hussein of Jordan married his first wife, Dina bint Abdul-Hamid. The pair were distant cousins, and first met in London three years earlier, while Dina was studying at the University of Cambridge.

Their engagement was announced in 1954 by King Hussein’s mother, Queen Zein Al Sharaf. Dina became the Queen of Jordan after the pair’s wedding, and 10 months later, on February, 13, 1956, she gave birth to the king's first child, Princess Alia.

However, the marriage ended in divorce in 1957, after which Dina became known as HRH Princess Dina Abdul-Hamid of Jordan.

1961: King Hussein and Antoinette Gardiner

Four years after the end of his first marriage, King Hussein married second wife, Antoinette Gardiner, on May 29, 1961.

Antoinette, who was born in Britain, is said to have meet King Hussein while working as a secretarial assistant on the set of Lawrence of Arabia.

After the pair married, she changed her name to Princess Muna al-Hussein. Together, the couple had four children, Abdullah II of Jordan, Prince Faisal, and twins Princess Aisha and Princess Zein.

The couple divorced in 1972.

King Hussein was also married to Alia Toukan on December 24, 1972, but she died in a helicopter crash in 1977. He then married Lisa Halaby on June 15, 1978, who became Queen Noor of Jordan.

1970: Princess Basma and Timoor Daghistani

Princess Basma bint Talal of Jordan, sister of King Hussein, married Colonel Timoor Daghistani on April 2, 1970.

Together, the couple had two children: Farah Daghistani and Ghazi Daghistani.

The pair divorced in the late 1970s. Princess Basma is the paternal aunt to current King Abdullah II of Jordan.

1993: King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania

At the time of their marriage in 1993, King Abdullah II was the Jordanian Crown Prince. He first met Rania Al-Abdullah in January 1993 at a dinner party. At the time, she was working in Amman in the marketing department of Apple.

Rania, who was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, had moved to Jordan two years earlier. Five months after first meeting, the pair were married on June 10, 1993. The day was considered a national holiday.

Together, the couple have four children: Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem.

2004: Prince Hamzah and Princess Noor

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, younger brother of King Abdullah II, married his second cousin, Princess Noor bint Asem bin Nayef, at Al Baraka Palace in Amman on August 29, 2003, although an official ceremony was held the following year, on May 27, 2004.

The couple had a daughter, Princess Haya bint Hamzah, born on April 18, 2007.

They divorced in 2009.

2020: Princess Raiyah and Ned Donovan

Princess Raiyah, daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Noor of Jordan, married Roald Dahl's grandson, Ned Donovan, in July 2020.

The couple got engaged on October 26, 2019, and a royal statement at the time read: "The Royal Hashemite Court extends its sincere congratulations to Her Royal Highness Princess Raiyah and to Mr Donovan on this occasion."

The grandson of beloved British children's book author Roald Dahl, Donovan is a freelance journalist, and has contributed to The Spectator, New Statesman and The Telegraph. His mother is Tessa Dahl and his father is an entrepreneur, Patrick Donovan.

Donovan converted to Islam before the wedding, and took the name Faris.

2023: Princess Iman and Jameel Alexander Thermiotis

Princess Iman, the eldest daughter of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, married Jameel Alexander Thermiotis on March 12, 2023.

The couple got engaged in July 2022 in the presence of the monarch and queen, as well as Princess Iman's three siblings and several members of Thermiotis's family.

Thermiotis was born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1994 and is of Greek descent. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and works in finance in New York.

The wedding took place at the family’s palace on the outskirts of Amman in the presence of members of the royal family, friends and dignitaries. Princess Iman's elder brother, Crown Prince Hussein, walked her down the aisle.

She wore a custom Dior white gown with a lace neckline and cuffs, and a trailing veil, paired with a diamond tiara reportedly owned by her grandmother, Princess Muna Al Hussein, the mother of King Abdullah.

A version of this article was first published on July 7, 2022.

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