The Wedding Ceremony of the Crown Prince of Jordan Highlights the Country's Role as a Steadfast Ally of the West

Prince Hussein, 28, who was named heir by his father King Abdullah in 2009, married Rajwa Al-Saif, a 29-year-old Saudi architect from a prominent family connected to the ruling dynasty of her country. Jordan, one of the largest per capita recipients of aid from the U.S. and Europe, has long relied on Western support to bolster its economy, and observers hope this wedding will bring it closer to becoming a regional power on its southern border. Jordanian officials say that Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who was supposed to attend the ceremony, was absent. According to Reuters, banquet tables were set with the presence of European and Asian royal family members and senior American figures, including Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, and Prince William, the British heir, along with his wife Kate Middleton. Bin Salman last visited Jordan a year ago after years of tension, raising hopes that warmer relations would lead to more economic support. The wedding is also seen as a milestone in Hussein's path to the throne, with officials and observers stating that King Abdullah feels more confident that the stability of his country is now secured. In 2004, he dismissed his half-brother Hamzah, whom he had designated as heir. Hamzah was later accused of conspiring to overthrow the king in a plot inspired by foreign countries. In recent years, Hussein, a Georgetown University graduate and officer of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, has increasingly taken on future royal duties in the 11 million-strong country and has met with world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden. Last month, he visited Bin Salman alongside his father at the Arab League summit in Jeddah. Jordanians watched as their future king and queen traveled a ten-kilometer route through the city under heavy security measures. A week of celebrations in Jordan for the Crown Prince's wedding; report by Behnam Nateghi. Jordan prepares for a royal wedding celebration. Israel returns detained Jordanian lawmaker to his country.