Jordan Queen Rania of Jordan: ‘A Mum and Wife with a Really Cool Day Job’

August 28, 2015 11 News & Analysis Jordan Queen Rania of Jordan: ‘a mum and wife with a really cool day job’ Jordan’s Queen Rania walks to her car following a state celebration in Amman. Jamal J. Halaby That includes meeting with global said. He claims to have been jailed Rania consoled Kasasbeh’s wife leaders to promote education and a few years ago because he dared to and led a street procession in hon- health initiatives for children in the speak out publicly about the queen our of the slain pilot. Amman developing world. “influencing” policy to allow Pales- A few years ago, Rania and Ab- However, she is frequently seen tinians to take senior government dullah fought a battle in Jordan’s broad, Jordan’s Queen embracing women villagers work- posts. conservative parliament to intro- Rania is an eloquent ing in the field in outlying towns, Nonetheless, many Jordanians fo- duce harsher punishments for men spokeswoman for the cuddling cancer-afflicted children, cus on other qualities of the queen. who kill women relatives under the kingdom. She takes the dropping in on schools to inspect “Queen Rania is very impressive,” pretext of cleansing family honour. international podium the quality of education or walking Ica Wahbeh, a managing editor at Men in such killings used to receive toA daringly discuss taboos, such as in the street, like an ordinary citi- the country’s sole English-language a sentence of just six months in jail. honour killings, in her conserva- zen, chatting with people. daily Jordan Times, said. Under the royal-driven amend- tive society. She’s also not afraid to “She’s intelligent, articulate and ment, punishment was put on par stand up to Muslim militants. She’s active, both in a strong supporter of causes that with other homicides. In New York and Washington, Ra- affect the lives of her citizens, par- nia, 45 years old as of August 31st, the country and ticularly the vulnerable among Jordan’s Queen enjoys celebrity status. She appeals abroad them, like children, women and the Rania is an eloquent to some as a cross between Audrey elderly. Hepburn and Cindy Crawford. She also pops up on social me- “She’s active, both in the country spokeswoman for At home, the Palestinian-born dia, tweeting liberal and moderate and abroad, projecting the striking the kingdom wife of Jordan’s King Abdullah II is views, or posting pictures of her image of a modern queen.” everywhere. four children, including her eldest That’s exactly what Rania is af- Born in Kuwait to a Palestin- She participates in public func- son and heir to the throne, Prince ter: to help King Abdullah II attain ian physician from the West Bank tions, where her royal duties are of- Hussein, on Instagram — where she his goal of creating a model state town of Tulkarm, Rania attended ficially confined to ribbon-cutting has more than 4 million followers. for other Muslim nations, ruled by the New English School in Kuwait ceremonies and social welfare. Recently, she tweeted a descrip- moderate Islam, tolerant of other City. Later she earned a business tion of herself, saying she was “a religions and free of militants. administration degree from the mum and a wife with a really cool Rania has noticeably chosen not American University in Cairo. day job”. to wear the traditional headscarf In 1991, she moved to Amman, Generally, Rania is an idol to Jor- worn by many Muslim women. She where her parents settled after danians. Her countrymen passion- was once quoted by CNN as saying fleeing the Gulf war that liberated ately talk about her intelligence, there “are many women like me Kuwait from Iraq. logic and wisdom and her youth- who do not wear the veil”. She met Abdullah, then a prince, ful good looks. Women specifically at a dinner party in January 1993. Jordan’s Queen Rania participates in an international brag, or wish for her top brand- “Her Palestinian Two months later, they were en- name wardrobe, jewellery and gaged and on June 10, 1993, they gathering abroad. handbags. descent is a weak were married. But to others Rania’s Palestinian link for Jordan” When King Hussein died on Feb- can living in Oregon, said she met roots are troublesome. ruary 7, 1999, Abdullah — his eld- Rania during a visit to the United Critics say her royal status gives “So, as long as it’s a choice, I have est son — ascended to the throne. States. credence to claims by right-wing nothing against the veil,” she said. Six weeks later, he officially pro- “I was intrigued by her wonder- Israelis that Jordan, with a substan- Rania’s popularity grew this year claimed his then 28-year-old wife ful sense of style, which she carries tial Palestinian refugee population, when she visited the village of the as queen. so elegantly to her sense of pride, should be turned into a Palestin- Royal Jordanian Air Force pilot, During her coronation, the king she said. “She is proud to be who ian state — taking in all of the West Lieutenant Muath al-Kasasbeh, declared that his wife’s non-royal she is and makes the people around Bank’s Palestinians to make room who was captured by Islamic State background made her better con- her feel the same.” for Jews in Israel. (ISIS) militants on December 24th nected to “the hopes and outlooks Jordan’s Queen Rania works “Her Palestinian descent is a and burned alive in a cage in a grue- of people” since she “truly believes Jamal J. Halaby, based in Jordan, is on cardboard with a Jordanian weak link for Jordan,” former law- some crime that sent chills across in their causes”. the Levant section editor for The boy. maker Ahmad Oweidi al-Abbadi Jordan. Tamara Ross, a Jordanian Ameri- Arab Weekly.

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