Princess Basmah Bani Ahmad
Princess Basmah Bani Ahmad Otoom (Arabic: الأميرة بسمة بني أحمد; born 1979) is the second wife of Prince Hamzah bin Hussein of Jordan.
| Princess Basmah Bani Ahmad | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979 (age 41–42) Stratford, Ontario, Canada |
| Spouse | Prince Hamzah bin Hussein |
| Issue | Princess Zein Princess Noor Princess Badiya Princess Nafisa Prince Hussein |
| House | Hashemite (by marriage) |
| Father | Mahmoud Hassan Bani Ahmad |
| Mother | Halloul |
| Jordanian royal family |
|---|
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| Extended royal family |
Family
Her father is Mahmoud Hassan Bani-Ahmad Otoom, who was born and raised in the town of Kufr Khall north of Jerash, and is now a businessman in Canada. Princess Basmah has three siblings: Bassam Bani-Ahmad, Nader Bani-Ahmad and Yesmeen Bani-Ahmad.
Education and career
Princess Basmah enrolled at Stratford Central Secondary School. She attended Fanshawe College in London, Ontario before enrolling at the University of Western Ontario. She left her studies in Mathematics at the University of Western Ontario to practice the art of aviation as a hobby in Canada, before moving to Jordan in 2005. In Jordan she trained with The Middle East Aviation Academy in Amman to obtain a flight instructor license and after, in 2007, joined Ayla Aviation Academy in Aqaba. She worked as a chief pilot at The Royal Aero Sports Club of Jordan in Aqaba and Wadi Rum, of which Prince Hamzah is President. She was Jordan's first female pilot to obtain a basic aerobatics certificate. She met Prince Hamzah at the Dubai Air Show in November 2011.
Marriage
On 12 January 2012, the Royal Jordanian Court announced Prince Hamzah's marriage to Basmah Bani Ahmad. The marriage ceremony was held at the Amman home of the Princess' grandfather.
The ceremony was attended by King Abdullah II, Queen Rania, Queen Noor, a number of Royal family members, Basmah's father (Mahmoud Hassan Bani Ahmad), Basmah's mother (Halloul Mohammad Bani Ahmad), and other family members.
King Abdullah II held a lunch banquet at Basman Palace on the occasion of the wedding of Prince Hamzah and Princess Basma that was attended by a number of Royal family members, the prime minister, Senate president, Lower House speaker, president of the Judicial Council, Royal Court chief, other senior officials and Members of the Bani-Ahmad Family.
Family
Prince Hamzah bin Hussein and Princess Basmah al-Hamzah welcomed their first daughter, Princess Zein bint Hamzah, on 3 November 2012. Their second daughter, Princess Noor bint Hamzah, was born on 5 July 2014. Their third daughter, Princess Badiya bint Hamzah, on 8 April 2016 and their fourth daughter, Princess Nafisa bint Hamzah, born 7 February 2018. On 8 November 2019, they welcomed their first son, Prince Hussein bin Hamzah.