Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein | |
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Prince Hamzah of Jordan | |
Spouse | Princess Noor bint Asem (m. 2003 – 2009) Divorced |
Issue | |
Princess Haya | |
House | Hashemite |
Father | King Hussein |
Mother | Queen Noor |
Born | 29 March 1980 Amman, Jordan |
Styles of HRH Prince Hamzah of Jordan |
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Reference style | His Royal Highness |
Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Alternative style | Sir |
Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein of Jordan (Arabic: حمزة بن الحسين) (born 29 March 1980[1]) is the son of the late King Hussein of Jordan from his American-born fourth wife, Queen Noor al-Hussein. He was named Crown Prince of Jordan in 1999, a position he held until it was rescinded in 2004 by his half-brother, King Abdullah II of Jordan. Queen Noor states in her autobiography that she and King Hussein named their son after Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib.
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Born on 29 March 1980, His Royal Highness Prince Hamzah ibn Al Hussein is the 41st generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad. His Majesty 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 Army 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.
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Extended royal family
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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 Lieutenant 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 has also served his country in a number of other capacities; he was sworn in as Regent on numerous occasions and deputized for His Majesty King Abdullah II on a number of missions in the Kingdom and abroad. Prince Hamzah heads the Royal Advisory Committee on the Energy Sector. He is also the Honorary President of the Jordan Basketball Federation. HRH, who received a number of high decorations from Jordan and other countries, including Bahrain, Italy and the Netherlands, is also 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 & fixed wing aircraft pilot and enjoys other sports such as Jujitsu and target-shooting.
The prince attended Harrow, a British independent school, and graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England. He is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Arab Jordanian Army.
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.
Prince Hamzah married his 2nd cousin, Princess Noor bint Asem bin Nayef, at Al Baraka Palace in Amman on 29 August 2003. The official wedding was held on 27 May 2004. On 18 April 2007, the then Princess Noor Hamzah gave birth to the couple's only child, Princess Hayah bint Hamzah, in Amman, Jordan. Prince Hamzah and Princess Noor divorced on 9 September 2009.
He is of Jordanian descent on his father's side and Scottish, English, Syrian, Lebanese, Swedish, and American descent on his mother's side.
Prince Hamzah's schedule of study, official duties, and military service leaves him little time for leisure activities. However, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as 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.
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Queen Noor (2003) Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life, Miramax Books, ISBN 0-7868-6717-5
Royal titles | ||
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Preceded by Prince Abdullah bin Ali |
Line of succession to the Jordanian throne 7th position |
Succeeded by Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein |
Preceded by Abdullah bin Hussein |
Heir to the throne of Jordan 1999–2004 |
Succeeded by Hussein bin Al Abdullah |