Celebrations have begun across Jordan for the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif, ahead of the ceremony at Zahran Palace on Thursday.
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The intimate Islamic ceremony will be followed by a motorcade procession from Zahran Palace to Al Husseiniya Palace, where the reception will take place. More than 1,700 guests from around the world are set to attend, including the UK's Prince William and his wife Kate who have already arrived.
The reception will feature a variety of performances by local and regional singers, a choir group, Jordanian bands, the national orchestra and folk dance troupes. It will conclude with the bride and groom cutting the wedding cake at 11pm UAE time.
Here is a summary of the wedding programme.
Islamic marriage ceremony at Zahran Palace
Prince Hussein and Al Saif will be married at Zahran Palace in an Islamic marriage ceremony known as a katb ktab. It will be attended by about 140 guests, including members of Jordan's ruling Hashemite family, invited royals and heads of state.
The event will begin at 5pm UAE time, with the arrival of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania who receive and greet guests, while the Jordanian Armed Forces Musical Band performs. This will be followed by the arrival of Prince Hussein, who will join his parents and guests at a gazebo in the palace’s garden, where the ceremony will take place.
Al Saif will arrive next escorted by the prince’s younger brother, Prince Hashem, and younger sister, Princess Salma. Prince Hashem will walk Al Saif to the gazebo.
During the ceremony, the bride and groom will sign the marriage contract, as well as two witnesses. Royal Hashemite Court imam Dr Ahmed Al Khalaileh, who was appointed to this position in January 2021, will preside over the ceremony.
Once the ceremony concludes, several women will perform zaghrata or ululation, a joyous sound commonly used to express happiness at Jordanian and Arab celebrations, and the newlyweds will then greet the attending guests.
Zahran Palace has served as the venue for a number of royal weddings, including the marriage of King Abdullah and Queen Rania.
The motorcade procession
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds will travel from Zahran Palace to Al Husseiniya Palace as part of the Red Motorcade.
The Red Motorcade has its roots in the era of King Abdullah I, the country’s founder, who arrived at significant national events on top of one of a procession of white horses, accompanied by riders dressed in dark blue trousers and red blazers. Today, the Red Motorcade is used on occasions of national importance, including the opening of parliament, Army Day, Independence Day and during official visits by heads of state.
On these occasions, motorcade members and riders don full Jordanian military regalia and the national red-and-white checkered headdress, known in Arabic as the shemagh. The Motorcade consists of eight bright red, armed Land Rover vehicles and 11 motorcycles, but on special occasions, horse and camel riders join the line-up and the Jordan Armed Forces Musical Band plays military music on bagpipes.
Wedding reception at Al Husseiniya Palace
The Red Motorcade will then arrive at Al Husseiniya Palace. As is customary, the arrival of the bride and groom is announced with a zaffeh, a lively musical procession featuring drums, bagpipes, singing and clapping.
The newlyweds will then be led to the outdoor reception courtyard by a military zaffeh performed by the Jordan Armed Forces Musical Band, renowned for its rousing performances. All band members also wear the shemagh in addition to their full-dress uniform.
After passing through an honorary Arch of Sabers, the couple will proceed toward the greeting stage. There, they will be joined by King Abdullah and Queen Rania, as well as the bride's parents, to greet more than 1,700 guests.
The remainder of the evening will feature a variety of performances with the reception concluding with the cutting of the wedding cake.
Guests who have arrived for the reception include Kuwait's Crown Prince Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Prince William and the Princess of Wales, Malaysia's king and US first lady Jill Biden.
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Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
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ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
