Prince Hamzah bin Hussein

Prince Hamzah
Prince Hamzah of Jordan
Born	29 March 1980 Amman, Jordan
Spouse	Princess Noor bint Asem (m. 2003, div. 2009) Basmah Bani-Ahmad (m. 2012)
Issue	Princess Haya Princess Zein Princess Noor Princess Badiya
House	House of Hashim
Father	King Hussein
Mother	Queen Noor

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein (Arabic: حمزة بن الحسين‎‎) (born 29 March 1980)^[1] is the son of King Hussein of Jordan and his American-born fourth wife, Queen Noor. He was named Crown Prince of Jordan in 1999, a position he held until it was rescinded in 2004 by his half-brother, King Abdullah II. Queen Noor states in her autobiography that she and King Hussein named their son after Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib.

Official biography

Born on 29 March 1980, Prince Hamzah ibn Al Hussein claims ancestry with the Islamic Prophet Mohammad through the Hashemite family. King Abdullah II officially named him as Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 7 February 1999, a position he held until 28 November 2004.

Prince Hamzah received his elementary education in Jordan and Amman, and then attended Harrow School in England. He then joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, passing out as a commissioned officer in the Jordan Arab Legion in December 1999, with a number of prizes including the Sandhurst Overseas Sword, granted to the best overseas cadet and the HRH Prince Saud Abdullah Prize, presented to the cadet with the best aggregate mark in academic subjects.

Jordanian Royal Family
HM The King HM The Queen HRH The Crown Prince HRH Princess Iman HRH Princess Salma HRH Prince Hashem HM Queen Noor Extended royal family

Serving then as an officer in the Jordan Arab Army’s 40th Armored Brigade, Prince Hamzah attended a number of military courses and attachments in Jordan, the UK, Poland, Germany and the US. Currently holding the rank of Colonel in the Jordan Arab Army, he served with the Jordan-United Arab Emirates force operating in former Yugoslavia under the umbrella of international peacekeepers. In the year 2006, he graduated from Harvard University.

Prince Hamzah was sworn in as Regent on numerous occasions and deputized for King Abdullah II on a number of missions in the Kingdom and abroad. He heads the Royal Advisory Committee on the Energy Sector. He is also the Honorary President of the Jordan Basketball Federation, and is the Chairman of the board of trustees of the Royal Automobile Museum,^[2] the President of the Royal Aero sports Club of Jordan and the President of Al-Shajarah (Tree) Protection Society.^[3]

Prince Hamzah is a qualified rotor and fixed wing aircraft pilot and enjoys other sports such as Jujitsu and target-shooting.

Education

The prince attended Harrow, UK, and graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He also graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK. He has conducted a variety of courses as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Arab Jordanian Army.

Succession issue

On 28 November 2004, King Abdullah removed the title of Crown Prince from his half-brother. In a letter from Abdullah to Hamzah, read on Jordanian state television, he said, "Your holding this symbolic position has restrained your freedom and hindered our entrusting you with certain responsibilities that you are fully qualified to undertake." No successor to the title was named, but some analysts believed it probable that Abdullah intended to name his own son, Prince Hussein, to succeed him at some point in the future.^[4] On 2 July 2009, the King did so.

Marriage and family

First marriage

Prince Hamzah married his second cousin, Princess Noor bint Asem bin Nayef, at Al Baraka Palace in Amman on 29 August 2003.^[5] The official wedding was held on 27 May 2004. Prince Hamzah and Princess Noor divorced on 9 September 2009. The couple had one daughter:

• Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Hamzah (born 18 April 2007)

Second marriage

On 12 January 2012 Prince Hamzah married Basmah Bani Ahmad. The couple has 3 daughters:

• Her Royal Highness Princess Zein bint Hamzah (born 3 November 2012)^[6][7]
• Her Royal Highness Princess Noor bint Hamzah (born 5 July 2014)^[8]
• Her Royal Highness Princess Badiya bint Hamzah (born 8 April 2016)^[9]

Children and their date of birth

• HRH Princess Haya (born on 18 April 2007) (age 9 years)
• HRH Princess Zein (born on 3 November 2012) (age 4 years)
• HRH Princess Noor (born on 5 July 2014) (age 2 years 5 months)
• HRH Princess Badiya (born on 8 April 2016) (age 8 months 11 days)

Personal interests

Prince Hamzah's interests include piloting helicopters, shooting, parachuting, sky diving, motorcycling, and practicing some water sports. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is among his interests. He also spends time reading, particularly history books and biographies.^[10]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Prince Hamzah bin Hussein

16. Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca               8. Abdullah I of Jordan                       17. Abdiya bin Abdullah               4. Talal of Jordan                             18. Nasser bin 'Ali Pasha, Sharif of Mecca               9. Musbah bint Nasser                       19. Dilber Khanum               2. Hussein of Jordan                                   20. Nasser bin 'Ali Pasha, Sharif of Mecca (= 18)               10. Sharif Jamal 'Ali bin Nasser                       21. Dilber Khanum (= 19)               5. Zein al-Sharaf                             22. Shakir Pasha, Governor of Cyprus               11. Wijdan Shakir Pasha                       1. Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein                                         24. Elias Halaby               12. Najeeb Elias Halaby                       25. Almas               6. Najeeb Elias Halaby                             26. John Thomas Wilkins               13. Laura Wilkins                       27. Mamie P Steele               3. Lisa Halaby                                   28. Karl Johan Carlquist               14. Franklin Elvin Carlquist                       29. Kristina Sofia Ljunggren               7. Doris Carlquist                             30. Eli Ackroyd               15. Mae Ethel Ackroyd                       31. Janet Peddie

Honours

National Honours

•  Jordan : Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (November 1995)^{[11] [12]}
•  Jordan : Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan (November 1995)^{[11] [12]}
•  Jordan : Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence ^[12]
•  Jordan : 4th class of the Al-Hussein Order of Military Merit ^[12]

Foreign Honours

•  United Nations : UN Peacekeeping Medal (2001) ^[12]
•  Bahrain : First class of the Order of Ahmad al-Fateh (8.1999) ^[12]
•  Italy : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (14/02/2001) ^{[13] [12]}
•  Netherlands : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (30.10.2006) ^{[14] [15] [12]}
•  Norway : Knight Grand Cross with collar of the Order of St. Olav ^[12]

References

1. "The Official Site of HRH Prince Hamzah bin al Hussein: Birth". Retrieved 3 January 2009.
2. "Royal Automobile Museum". Retrieved 3 January 2009.
3. "Al-Shajarah". Retrieved 3 January 2009.
4. Jordan crown prince loses title, BBC News, 29 November 2004. Accessed 3 June 2008.
5. "Jordan's Crown Prince Hamzah Weds". Hello Magazine. 2 September 2003. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
6. "صور عقد قران الامير حم& صورة وخبر | وكالة عمون الاخبارية". Ammon news. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
7. "Embassy of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan". Jordan Embassy. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
8. "Prince Hamzah, Princess Basma blessed with a daughter". Jordan News Agency (Petra). Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
9. http://www.petra.gov.jo/Public_News/Nws_NewsDetails.aspx?lang=1&site_id=2&NewsID=247655&CatID=14
10. "The Official Site of HRH Prince Hamzah bin al Hussein: Personal Interests". Retrieved 3 January 2009.
11. Hamzah's Biography, Copyright © 1998, The Royal Hashemite Court
12. Royal Ark, Jordanian genealogy details
13. Italian Presidency Website, S.A.R. Principe Ereditario HAMZAH BIN AL HUSSEIN
14. Group Photo
15. PPE Agency, State visit of Jordan in Netherlands 2006, Group Photo

Queen Noor (2003) Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life, Miramax Books, ISBN 0-7868-6717-5