King Hussein and the Journalist

[maryshawn]

I've never gotten a straight answer......prior to his last illness, was he, in fact, going to marry a young journalist/PR person who worked in the Court? Her mother is on the record saying he visited and expressed a real interest in her.....(he wasn't happy about that). The stepchildren--fond or not fond--of Noor, called her and told her he was secretly engaged, had bought a house for her, was planning a divorce while she was out of the country.....Just how serious/credible was this and what is this woman doing now besides staying out of Rania's way. One thump on the head with one of her totes would make an impression to stay away from the King.

[sommone]

Wow...I hadn't heard that many details of the affair he suppose to have had. If he was going to divorce Noor to marry someone else, and unfortunately she isn't one of my favorite people, then I feel sorry for her...even she doesn't deserve to be treated that way. I wonder why he just couldn't be happy be with one woman without having to continue to divorce over and over...In Alia's case, she died too soon...Makes me wonder if she would have been eventually kicked to the curb like the others before her? So, his illness kept him from divorcing Noor to move on to someone else?

[shelley]

Originally Posted by sommone

Wow...I hadn't heard that many details of the affair he suppose to have had. If he was going to divorce Noor to marry someone else, and unfortunately she isn't one of my favorite people, then I feel sorry for her...even she doesn't deserve to be treated that way. I wonder why he just couldn't be happy be with one woman without having to continue to divorce over and over...In Alia's case, she died too soon...Makes me wonder if she would have been eventually kicked to the curb like the others before her? So, his illness kept him from divorcing Noor to move on to someone else?

That is the general impression amongst those that were close to the royal couple but your timing is wrong. The journalist affair was before he fell ill for the first time.

[sommone]

Originally Posted by shelley

That is the general impression amongst those that were close to the royal couple but your timing is wrong. The journalist affair was before he fell ill for the first time.

Oh, thanks for the correction...I assumed she was talking about the final time he got sick.

[maryshawn]

Well, it was in 1991 or so. The King was in Jordan and the Queen was in NYC and London, supposedly caring for a nephew and undergoing a breast biopsy which proved benign. But it was also said she was very angry and during the Holidays, they met to decide "in or out." I guess they decided to stay together but what really cemented that decision seems to be the first bout with cancer when she stayed with him and helped nurse him. After that, they were "inseperable." One journalist said seeing them together, you thought "here is the kind of love we all want just once in our lifetime."

The thing I don't understand is 1991 is about the time of the Gulf War and QN was a tireless advocate for Jordan w/the US and rest of world and worked very hard to provide some relief for the comfort of the refugees........Why would KH decide to cheat on a woman who was such an asset to him and his country? And I'm the first to admit I don't understand the way the male mind works!

[papillon]

Originally Posted by maryshawn

Why would KH decide to cheat on a woman who was such an asset to him and his country? And I'm the first to admit I don't understand the way the male mind works!

Men cheat for all kinds of reasons. Many of those reasons have nothing to do with the partner. In the immortal words of the heart patient/former American President, "I cheated because I could."

KH didn't have a great track record entering into marriage #4 with QN. . .why would anyone think this would change him?

[shelley]

Originally Posted by maryshawn

Why would KH decide to cheat on a woman who was such an asset to him and his country? And I'm the first to admit I don't understand the way the male mind works!

Maybe he knew more than anyone else how much of her public image was 'spin' and how much time she was actually out of the country, which she was. Maybe because their relationship was not what it was, but whatever the reason. Lots of maybes but one given was that he just was not monogamous......before, during or after any marriage. :(

[papillon]

Originally Posted by shelley

Lots of maybes but one given was that he just was not monogamous......before, during or after any marriage. :(

Which supports one of my theories of predicting human behavior. . .that is, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. When someone shows you who he is, believe him the first time (have to attribute that wisdom to Dr. Maya Angelou). Really, you can spare yourself a whole lot of pain in life by mastering that lesson. (Spoken like someone who's still trying.)

I think QN was just entirely naive to assume she might be able to reform her man in that way. So, if anything, given that she was wife #4, it was rather incumbent upon her either to look the other way or to adopt a more European attitude about fidelity.

[shelley]

Originally Posted by papillon

So, if anything, given that she was wife #4, it was rather incumbent upon her either to look the other way or to adopt a more European attitude about fidelity.

Not entirely fair, Papillion - I don't think one can generalise about attitudes based on ethnic groupings. I think it is individual on the whole, I mean whether they believe in fidelity. Of course there are some cultures where things are more relaxed - ie some of the South Sea Islands, Brazil, and some countries where the keeping of concubines is still an accepted practice. I mean, even within the JRF - you have P. Hassan, P. Raad, P. Ali bin Nayef, all first cousins, all by most accounts faithful husbands, and you have K. Hussein who didn't know what the word meant ! But they were all basically the same mix of Arab/Turkish......:p

[papillon]

Originally Posted by shelley

Not entirely fair, Papillion - I don't think one can generalise about attitudes based on ethnic groupings.

Sorry, I didn't mean this as an ethnic smear. Just that QN's particular choice of a spouse was a high risk one if she expected fidelity. Even at 26, she really should've been more aware of and realistic about that.

[shelley]

Originally Posted by papillon

Sorry, I didn't mean this as an ethnic smear. Just that QN's particular choice of a spouse was a high risk one if she expected fidelity. Even at 26, she really should've been more aware of and realistic about that.

I am sure you didn't mean it to sound like an ethnic smear as you obviously know and love Jordan, but someone less informed might have picked up the wrong message . :p But you are so-oo right about a high risk spouse - at any age, who would willingly be anyone's fourth wife !!? :(

[papillon]

Originally Posted by shelley

But you are so-oo right about a high risk spouse - at any age, who would willingly be anyone's fourth wife !!? :(

Well, obviously, not you and not me. I have very high standards, a strict three strikes/marriages, you're out dating policy. (People, you really don't know how funny this is. . .I am one picky woman!!!)

Seriously, I've noticed that it seems very difficult for people who have adopted--whether consciously or not--a pattern of philandering to change their stripes. Not that that's an excuse.

[Ipi Tombe]

ohhh...i know the answer.....oohhhh.....let me say it...i know someone who would willing be someone's 5th wife (while the groom is still married to his first and has been for 25yrs!!!) ....oh come on....let me answer the question.......

ppppuuuuuhhhhhllllllleeeeeaaaaasssssseeeeee

Originally Posted by shelley

who would willingly be anyone's fourth wife !!? :(

[shelley]

Originally Posted by Ipi Tombe

ohhh...i know the answer.....oohhhh.....let me say it...i know someone who would willing be someone's 5th wife (while the groom is still married to his first and has been for 25yrs!!!) ....oh come on....let me answer the question.......

ppppuuuuuhhhhhllllllleeeeeaaaaasssssseeeeee

You have a point but as Papillion says - not you and not me !!! :p ( only fifth !?)

[Ipi Tombe]

5th..that is all i can get dirt on. (and that is not including the 'kept' mistresses that have had children out of wedlock)

Originally Posted by shelley

( only fifth !?)

[maryshawn]

Her own father--a close friend of the King--warned her about him. Her parents were not exactly throwing a party because she chose to marry him and she admits it.

Originally Posted by papillon

Sorry, I didn't mean this as an ethnic smear. Just that QN's particular choice of a spouse was a high risk one if she expected fidelity. Even at 26, she really should've been more aware of and realistic about that.

[maryshawn]

And, if she had read Roland Dallas' flattering bio of KH, he said very clearly even his beloved Alia "suffered from the King's fondness for British nannies....." Good thing Viagra wasn't introduced earlier in his life......

[Ipi Tombe]

didn't they only date for like 2 months before he popped the question? so maybe she was slightly naive to the reality of his tendencies?

Originally Posted by maryshawn

Her own father--a close friend of the King--warned her about him. Her parents were not exactly throwing a party because she chose to marry him and she admits it.

[papillon]

Originally Posted by Ipi Tombe

didn't they only date for like 2 months before he popped the question? so maybe she was slightly naive to the reality of his tendencies?

Oh, but I think you exaggerate by about 33%. I think it was more like six weeks.

[Ipi Tombe]

are the jordanian palaces polluted? does dumb water run through the pipes?? what is wrong with these girls????

the men however are livin' large.