The marriage of Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and his Saudi bride Princess Rajwa on Thursday brought two Arab nations together, and many of the day’s guests looked to regional designers for the occasion.
The bride chose storied Lebanese designer Elie Saab to create her wedding outfit. The custom gown featured a flower print on its full skirt and a wrap effect on the bodice.
Her new mother-in-law, Queen Rania, also turned to the designer to create her look for the reception, opting for an intricately detailed blush Elie Saab dress for the evening’s celebrations. For the day, she wore a glamorous embroidered Dior gown, featuring intricate flower detailing on the arm, collar and back.
Catherine, Princess of Wales wore a soft blush, high-necked embellished gown also by Elie Saab, decorated with tone-on-tone lacework and discreet sheer panels in the skirt.
Jordan's Princess Iman wore a stone-coloured dress with bulbous arm detailing from Ashi Studio, the Beirut label founded by Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi.
US first lady, Jill Biden wore a light purple gown by Lebanese designer Reem Acra, which she also sported in April during a state dinner at the White House.
For the evening reception, Britain’s Princess Beatrice, who for the day wore a long-sleeved sequined dress by British brand Needle & Thread, changed into a champagne satin gown with an embellished bodice by Reem Acra, paired with the York Diamond tiara worn by her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York on her wedding day to Prince Andrew in 1986.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Opening Rugby Championship fixtures:Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
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