Prince Hamzah bin Hussein

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 He was named Crown Prince of Jordan in 1999, a position he held until his half-brother, King Abdullah II, rescinded it in 2004.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

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein
Born (1980-03-29) 29 March 1980
Amman, Jordan
Spouse
(m. 2003; div. 2009)

(m. 2012)
IssuePrincess Haya
Princess Zein
Princess Noor
Princess Badiya
Princess Nafisa
Prince Hussein
HouseHashemite
FatherHussein of Jordan
MotherQueen Noor of Jordan

Biography

Born on 29 March 1980, Prince Hamzah Bin 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.

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 Brigadier 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 7 February 1999 King Hussein died and his eldest son Prince Abdullah bin Hussein acceded to the throne of Jordan, having two weeks previously been designated to succeed his father as ruler in place of the king's brother, Crown Prince Hassan bin Talal. On the same day, in compliance with his father's wish, King Abdullah II decreed that he, in turn, would be succeeded not by a son of his own but by his half-brother, Prince Hamzah, who was therefore accorded the title of crown prince.[4]

Nearly six years later, on 28 November 2004, King Abdullah removed Hamzah as crown prince.[5] 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."[5]

No successor to the title was named at the time, 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.[5] Article 28(B) of Jordan's constitution provides that the king's eldest son automatically succeeds to the crown upon the monarch's death unless the king has designated one of his brothers to inherit the throne as crown prince,[6] but Abdullah II confirmed that his son Hussein would succeed him by designating him as crown prince on 2 July 2009.[4]

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.[7] The official wedding was held on 27 May 2004. Prince Hamzah and Princess Noor divorced on 9 September 2009. The couple had one daughter:

  • Princess Haya bint Hamzah (born 18 April 2007)[8]

Second marriage

On 12 January 2012, Prince Hamzah married Basmah Bani Ahmad. The couple have 4 daughters and a son:

  • Princess Zein bint Hamzah (born 3 November 2012)[9][10]
  • Princess Noor bint Hamzah (born 5 July 2014)[11]
  • Princess Badiya bint Hamzah (born 8 April 2016)[12]
  • Princess Nafisa bint Hamzah (born 7 February 2018)[13]
  • Prince Hussein bin Hamzah (born 8 November 2019)[14]


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.[15]

Honours

National

Foreign

Award

References

  1. "The Official Site of HRH Prince Hamzah bin al Hussein: Birth". Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  2. "Royal Automobile Museum". Archived from the original on 14 June 2004. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  3. "Al-Shajarah". Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  4. "Jordan's King Abdullah names teenage son as heir". Haaretz. Associated Press. 2 July 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  5. "Jordan crown prince loses title". BBC News. 29 November 2004. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  6. "Constitution: Article 28". The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  7. "Jordan's Crown Prince Hamzah Weds". Hello Magazine. 2 September 2003. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  8. "Third Daughter for Prince Hamzah and Princess Basma Hamzah of Jordan". Royal Central. 10 April 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  9. "صور عقد قران الامير حم& صورة وخبر | وكالة عمون الاخبارية". Ammon news. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  10. "Embassy of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan". Jordan Embassy. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  11. "Prince Hamzah, Princess Basma blessed with a daughter". Jordan News Agency (Petra). Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  12. "Third Daughter for Prince Hamzah and Princess Basma Hamzah of Jordan". 10 April 2016.
  13. "Prince Hamzah and Princess Basma Welcome Fourth Daughter Together". 7 February 2018.
  14. "Jordan News Agency (Petra)". www.petra.gov.jo.
  15. "The Official Site of HRH Prince Hamzah bin al Hussein: Personal Interests". Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  16. Hamzah's Biography, © 1998, The Royal Hashemite Court
  17. http://www.hola.com/imagenes/realeza/2004012723865/casasreales/noticias/casasreales/bodajordania/0-72-672/2004-01-27-a.jpg
  18. Hamzah Wearing all his national honours
  19. Hamzah Wearing the Ribbon Bars of his honours
  20. Hamzah Wearing and Order and Medals
  21. Italian Presidency Website, S.A.R. Principe Ereditario HAMZAH BIN AL HUSSEIN
  22. http://www.who2.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/rainiaalabdullah-16.jpg

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

Royal titles
Preceded by
Abdullah bin Hussein
Crown Prince of Jordan
1999–2004
Succeeded by
Hussein bin Al Abdullah
Lines of succession
Preceded by
Prince Abdullah bin Ali
Line of succession to the Jordanian throne
8th position
Succeeded by
Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein
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