The birth of Iman bint Al Hussein was announced by the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan on social media, as the Royal Family shared a sweet video of the new arrival.
Royal friends of the Prince and Princess of Wales have shared their joy over the latest addition to the Jordanian Royal Family.
Princess Rajwa of Jordan, who is married to Crown Prince Hussein, delighted royal watchers with the news of their new bundle of joy.
A charming Instagram video uploaded to the Royal Family of Jordan’s official account showed an elated Crown Prince Hussein gently cradling his newborn daughter named Iman, marking her as the cherubic first grandchild for King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan.
The couple married just over a year ago in a lavish affair that drew an international crowd of royalty. Among the esteemed guests were British royals like William and Kate and other dignitaries including Princess Beatrice and the Middleton family, represented by Carole and Pippa.
The palace issued a warm statement revealing the birth of the royal infant stating: “The Royal Hashemite Court is pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II and Princess Rajwa Al Hussein were blessed, on 3 August 2024, with a baby girl they named Iman.”
To accompany the heartfelt announcement, additional wishes were expressed: “The Royal Hashemite Court extends its sincere congratulations and best wishes to Their Royal Highnesses and to Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah on this happy occasion.
“Their Royal Highnesses are immensely overjoyed and thankful on welcoming their firstborn, and call on well-wishers to consider donating to Al-Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans in lieu of sending gifts or flowers.”
William is known to share a close bond with Hussein, and last June, he and Kate attended their first significant royal international event as guests at Hussein’s wedding.
Kate dazzled in a flowing dusky pink Elie Saab dress for the ceremony at Zahran Palace before changing into a glittering Jenny Packham gown and the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara for the glamorous evening celebrations.
Hussein, a graduate of the UK’s Sandhurst Military Academy, also shares a close relationship with Beatrice, in addition to William. In 2018, during a solo trip to Jordan, the Prince of Wales was hosted by Hussein and visited his then-luxurious bachelor pad at the King’s residence of Beit al Urdun to watch a football match.
William had missed England’s emphatic victory over Panama in that year’s World Cup while travelling to the country – so the Crown Prince recorded it for him. Kensington Palace later shared a picture of William watching the rerun on a large screen alongside Hussein as they relaxed on a huge grey corner sofa.
Furthermore, Hussein’s mother Queen Rania is a member of William’s Earthshot Prize Council.
Meanwhile, Jordan holds a special place in Kate’s heart, having lived there for three years as a young child when her father Michael was relocated there while working for British Airways – and both Kate and her sister Pippa attended a nursery there.
In 2021, the couple whisked their children away to Jordan for a private holiday. A family photo taken at the ancient city of Petra during this trip was featured on their Christmas card that year.
This followed William’s promise to take his family to Jordan after his visit there in 2018. Hussein, the heir to the Jordanian throne, announced his engagement to Rajwa in August 2022, although the details of when they began dating or how they met remain unknown.
Rajwa, originally from Saudi Arabia, is a qualified architect, having studied at Syracuse University in New York.
Before her engagement, she spent some time working in Los Angeles. The engagement was confirmed in a special ceremony.
As per Prince Hussein’s website, he popped the question at Rajwa’s family home in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the presence of Royal Family members, including Hussein’s parents, Queen Rania and King Abdullah.
At her wedding last year, Rajwa dazzled in two stunning wedding gowns, one of which was designed by Elie Saab. Among the guests were King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark, Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, and US First Lady Jill Biden with her daughter Ashley.
