The Prince and Princess of Wales bowed and curtsied to King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan as they arrived alongside other royals for the lavish banquet at Al Husseiniya Palace, following Crown Prince Hussein’s marriage ceremony

By Stephanie Bridger-Linning

The Prince and Princess of Wales arrive for Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Rajwa Al Saif’s wedding ceremony

 Courtesy of the Royal Hashemite Court
The Princess of Wales was pretty in pink not once, but twice at the Jordanian wedding yesterday. First, she opted for a blush pink Elie Saab creation for Crown Prince Hussein and new Princess Rajwa Al Hussein’s marriage ceremony; before changing into a sequinned Jenny Packham gown for a spectacular banquet hosted by the groom’s parents, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, at Al Husseiniya Palace. The finishing touch? The exquisite Lover’s Knot Tiara and the late Queen’s glittering Greville Chandelier Earrings.

The Prince and Princess of Wales greet King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan on arrival at the royal wedding banquet

 YouTube: @RHCJo (the Royal Hashemite Court)

The Princess of Wales was a vision in a rose pink sequinned Jenny Packham gown and the Lover’s Knot Tiara

 YouTube: @RHCJo (the Royal Hashemite Court)
William and Kate made an elegant entrance as they arrived alongside fellow royals for the royal wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan earlier on Thursday. Resplendent in a dusty pink Elie Saab gown – the same label as the bride, Rajwa Al Saif’s, wedding dress – the Princess of Wales bowed and curtsied to the groom’s parents, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, as she joined attendees at Zahran Palace alongside her husband Prince William for the glittering occasion.

Crown Prince Hussein, son of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, married Rajwa Al Saif in a beautiful ceremony on 1 June 2023. Here, Tatler opens their wedding album in honour of the occasion

 The British royals, who did not announce their attendance in advance, spent time speaking to their Jordanian hosts before making their way to the immaculately manicured gardens, where the ceremony took place. In an exciting turn of events, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi also made an appearance – a delightful surprise for royal watchers. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales speak to Queen Rania of Jordan

 Youtube @Roya News English

Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Raja Al Saif following their royal wedding

 KHALIL MAZRAAWI/Getty Images
The wedding took place at 4pm in the gardens of Zahran Palace, in the capital of Amman – the venue of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania’s wedding in 1993. A structure was erected in the grounds, with international royals from the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain taking their seats alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales and their Jordanian host.  Following the ceremony, William and Kate spent time speaking to the newlyweds. Prince William, 40, and Crown Prince Hussein, 28, are both graduates of Sandhurst and have spent time together over the years – including a relaxed evening watching the World Cup in Amman in 2018. Their close personal relationship was reflected in how they greeted each other with a warm embrace. Bride Rajwa Al Saif, who wore a custom Elie Saab creation, looked animated as she spoke to the Prince and Princess of Wales in the receiving line.

The newlyweds process to their wedding reception

 KHALIL MAZRAAWI/Getty Images

Crown Prince Hussein and his new bride later took part in a procession to the Al Husseiniya Palace for a wedding reception which will include performances that pay tribute to the Crown Prince’s military career and his bride’s Saudi Arabian heritage. The wedding reception, hosted by King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, will be a far grander affair, involving 1,700 guests

Both Prince William and his wife have a particular affection for Jordan, with Kate even having spent some of her childhood there as her father, Michael Middleton, was a British Airways flight dispatcher at the time. The Middletons moved to the country when the princess was two, with the family having once released a sweet photo of Kate and her younger sister, Pippa, with their father there.

The Prince and Princess of Wales speak to Queen Rania

 Youtube @Roya News English

The prince made his first trip to the country in 2018, as part of an official royal visit to Jordan, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In a speech at the time, William stated: ‘My wife Catherine is very sorry she cannot be here with me so soon after the birth of our son Louis, but her family remembers very fondly the almost three years she spent here as a child when her father worked for British Airways in Amman.

‘Catherine’s experience is not unique – the interchange between our two countries is real and deep: work, study, tourism and family links. Our historic ties and friendship are played out in the lives of thousands of people who consider both countries home.’

Kate Middleton (left) with sister Pippa and Father Michael in Jerash, Jordan

 Clarence House / Getty Images
Both William and Kate were clearly so taken with the country that they felt compelled to return with their children in 2021 on a private family holiday. A photograph from the visit was chosen for their family Christmas card that year. Petra, the historic city in southern Jordan where the family photos were taken, is renowned for its beauty and fascinating archaeology, even named one of the seven New Wonders of the World in a 2007 vote.