Hussein bin Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan
Who was Hussein bin Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan?
Crown Prince of Jordan since 2009 and eldest son of King Abdullah II, being groomed as the future monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Hussein bin Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Hussein bin Abdullah al-Hashimi, born on June 28, 1994, in Amman, Jordan, is the eldest son of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania. He belongs to the House of Hashim, which has ruled Jordan since 1921, and is considered a 42nd-generation direct descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In 2009, he was named Crown Prince of Jordan, putting him next in line to become the monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom.
Hussein received his early education in Jordan before studying abroad. In 2016, he graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., with a degree in International History. The next year, he completed military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, where both his father and grandfather also studied. After Sandhurst, he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in September 2017, marking a key moment in his global presence. He currently holds the rank of major in the Jordanian Armed Forces.
As Crown Prince, Hussein has represented Jordan at many important international events, such as the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, and the World Economic Forum. In 2015, at the age of 20, he became the youngest person to ever chair a session of the UN Security Council, highlighting his early involvement in global diplomacy. He has also acted as regent of Jordan several times when King Abdullah II was away and has accompanied his father on many domestic and international trips.
Domestically, Hussein leads the Crown Prince Foundation, which oversees a technical university and various scientific and humanitarian programs aimed at Jordanian youth and development. He also chairs the National Council for Future Technology, focused on boosting Jordan's innovation and technology sectors. His efforts include promoting tourism and improving access to technical education and vocational training within the country, emphasizing economic and human development for Jordan's people.
In June 2023, Hussein married Rajwa Al-Saif, a Saudi architect and designer, who became Princess Rajwa Al Hussein. The couple has one daughter, Princess Iman. As Jordan navigates complex regional issues and ongoing socioeconomic challenges, Hussein continues to prepare for future leadership, balancing military service, diplomatic roles, and domestic development work as he gets ready to possibly lead the Hashemite Kingdom one day.
Before Fame
Hussein bin Abdullah grew up in Amman, Jordan, as the eldest child of King Abdullah II, who became king in 1999, and Queen Rania. From a young age, being the king's firstborn set him on a path to one day becoming king himself. He was officially named Crown Prince at 15 in 2009. His upbringing included Jordanian schooling and the duties that come with being heir to a Middle Eastern kingdom in a turbulent region.
His education showed both the traditions of the Hashemite royal family and a wider international perspective. He attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he studied International History, learning about global matters during a time of great change in the Arab world after the Arab Spring. In 2017, he continued his training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which rounded out his education with the military training that is a traditional part of Hashemite royal preparation.
Key Achievements
- Became the youngest person to chair a UN Security Council session in 2015 at the age of 20.
- Graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in International History in 2016 and completed training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2017.
- Represented Jordan at the UN General Assembly, UN Climate Change Conference, and the World Economic Forum.
- Founded and leads the Crown Prince Foundation, overseeing a technical university and multiple scientific and humanitarian programs in Jordan.
- Served as regent of Jordan on multiple occasions, formally exercising royal authority in the king's absence.
Did You Know?
- 01.In 2015, at just 20 years old, Hussein became the youngest person in history to chair a session of the United Nations Security Council.
- 02.Hussein is considered a 42nd-generation direct descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through the Hashemite lineage.
- 03.He graduated from Georgetown University in 2016 with a degree in International History before completing military training at Sandhurst in 2017.
- 04.His wife, Princess Rajwa Al Hussein, was born Rajwa Al-Saif and worked as an architect and designer in Saudi Arabia before their marriage in 2023.
- 05.Hussein leads the National Council for Future Technology, a Jordanian governmental body specifically focused on positioning the kingdom as a regional leader in technological innovation.