15th Anniversary of King Hussein’s Death

This Friday marks the 15th death anniversary of the late King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan, who passed away on February 7th, 1999.

The late Jordanian monarch was born in Amman on November 14th, 1935 as the eldest child of Crown Prince Talal bin Abdullah and Princess Zein Al Sharaf of Jordan (later the King and Queen). He inherited the throne at the age of 16 after the abdication of his father, King Talal, due to health problems. The young King was then deputized by a Regency Council until he reached the age of majority and took full constitutional powers in May 1953. He ruled Jordan for 47 years, until his death after a long battle with cancer.

King Hussein was married four times. His first wife was Sharifa Dina bint Abdul Hamid, the mother of his eldest daughter, Princess Alia bint Al Hussein. They divorced in 1957. In 1961, the King tied the knot with his second wife, British born Antoinette Avril (Toni) Gardiner, whom he divorced later in 1971. Upon her marriage to the King, Miss Toni styled as Princess Muna Al Hussein. The couple had four children – Prince Abdullah, Prince Feisal and the twin Princesses Aisha & Zein. Shortly after his divorce with Muna, the King married his third wife, Alia Toukan, in 1971, with whom he had two children, Prince Ali and Princess Haya, and one adopted daughter, Abir. Queen Alia died in a helicopter crash few years later. King Hussein’s last marriage was to the American born Lisa Halaby, who is styled as Queen Noor Al-Hussein, and together they had four children: Prince Hamzah, Prince Hashem, Princess Iman and Princess Rayiah.

The late King Hussein was buried at the royal tombs in Amman beside his father and grandfather, former kings of Jordan. He was succeeded by his eldest son, King Abdullah II.

Filed under Jordan
Tagged Anniversary, Biography, Death, King Hussein of Jordan.