Queen Rania of Jordan has released a new portrait to mark her 56th birthday on Monday, August 31, weeks after welcoming two new members to the royal family.
The image shows the Jordanian royal in a relaxed setting, sitting on brick steps surrounded by greenery and looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a white, short-sleeved top and wide-leg blue jeans, accessorised with an Apple Watch and star-shaped drop earrings. Her hair is swept into a loose updo, with strands framing her face.
No details have been released about where the portrait was taken or who took it.
The understated portrait is in keeping with Queen Rania's reputation for mixing polished royal dressing with a more relaxed, contemporary style.
Style leader
Fashion has long been an important part of her public image. Her wardrobe ranges from international luxury labels and sharply tailored pieces to designs by Arab creatives and clothing that draws on Jordanian heritage.
She has also consistently championed Middle Eastern talent, particularly Jordanian and Palestinian designers, and has used national occasions to highlight traditional craftsmanship and motifs. For Jordan's 80th Independence Day in May, she wore a silvery-blue gown decorated with geometric embroidery inspired by classical Arab designs.
Her approach to dressing has made her one of the world's most closely watched royal style figures, with her wardrobe evolving over nearly three decades in the public eye.
Grandma duties
Her birthday this year comes at a particularly joyful time for her family.
This month, Queen Rania's eldest daughter, Princess Iman, and her husband Jameel Alexander Thermiotis welcomed twin daughters, Talia and Rania. The girls were born on August 14.
Days later, Queen Rania shared the first photographs of the newborns, including images of herself and King Abdullah II cradling them.
“Healthy, happy and finally here. We’ve been waiting so long to meet you, Talia and Rania,” she wrote on social media.
The twins are Princess Iman and Thermiotis's second and third children. Their first daughter, Amina, was born in February 2025.
Their arrival means Queen Rania and King Abdullah are now grandparents of four. Their first grandchild, Princess Iman bint Al Hussein, was born to Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa in August 2024.
Queen Rania has increasingly shared glimpses of her role as a grandmother on social media. When revealing Princess Iman's second pregnancy in July, she celebrated the news by saying “the grandchildren club is growing”.
The expanding family marks a new chapter for the royal.
A life of public service
Born Rania Al Yassin on August 31, 1970, Queen Rania studied business administration at the American University in Cairo before working in banking and information technology.
She married then-Prince Abdullah bin Hussein in 1993. He became King Abdullah II of Jordan in February 1999, with Rania becoming queen a month later.
The couple have four children – Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem.
In her time as queen, she has developed an international profile through her work on education, children, young people and women's empowerment.
She is founder and chairwoman of the Queen Rania Foundation for Education and Development, which works to address educational challenges in Jordan and the wider region. Her initiatives have also included programmes focused on teacher training, online learning and improving opportunities for young people.
Queen Rania also established the Jordan River Foundation in 1995. The non-profit focuses on community empowerment and child safety, including programmes supporting women and families.
Two other initiatives associated with the queen, Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans and the Royal Health Awareness Society, mark their 20th anniversaries this year.
Queen Rania's international influence
Queen Rania has also developed a prominent international platform, regularly speaking on humanitarian issues, education, women's rights and the effect of conflict on children and families.
Over the past year, her engagements have taken her from New York and Mexico City to New Delhi, where she has addressed subjects including the war in Gaza, emerging technology and leadership.
At the 2025 Mexico Siglo XXI Conference in Mexico City, she said Israel's war in Gaza, then nearing its two-year mark, was “challenging perspectives and fundamental assumptions” around the world, while warning about the ability of narratives to dehumanise entire populations.
“Such a moral collapse emphasises that tech without humanity is hollow – capable of moving us faster, but not forward,” she said.
Her public work has continued alongside King Abdullah's efforts to promote Jordan's regional and international role, while at home she remains involved in programmes supporting education, women and young people, child protection and local development.
Her 56th birthday comes at a time of change both personally and publicly – marking another year of royal duties while celebrating a growing family and her new role as a grandmother of four.
