King Hussein, his wives & children: their relationships with each other

[zento]

Months later, bin Laden is said to have sent terrorists after King Abdullah and his family as they vacationed on a yacht in the Mediterranean off the coast of Greece.
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:ABpKnSa...lah+yacht&hl=en

[maryshawn]

I didn't know there had been attempts on KA's life? When?

Two years ago, when KA and family were on a yacht in the Mediterranian, I believe, a small boat filled with explosives was seized as it raced right toward their vessel. Their yacht took evasive actions and the small boat was intercepted and blown up before reaching its target. It was believed to be the work of al Quaeda. This was written about in a profile of KA in "Hello" magazine a few months later. Also, the fairly recent attempt to use poisonous chemicals in Amman to kill thousands targeted KA's home, too. I read that in one of the American magazines like Time or Newsweek.

[sommone]

I also wonder if the older kids disliked QA?

[paloma]

The real problem was the late King Hussein. One can't father a tribe of kids and pay no attention to them and then hope that one day they will all get along. I personally think that yes, Haya is a mess and takes her destruction where ever she goes. She and Ali do probably only care about themselves, but who really cares about them? In my book, they are lost souls. They have had no strong family structure. For them it is about survival. I have actually seen this a lot from friends who have been shipped off to boarding school without adequate parental attention.
As for Noor's role, she is educated and worldly but I do not think that being step mommy to HM kids appealed to her. It is normal to want your husband to yourself and to have YOUR OWN family. I don't think that she realized what she was really getting into when she married the late king. Even her parents had warned her. I can definately see her trying to sideline HM other kids. It is VERY normal to want the most for your own kids. She is a shrewd woman.
People talk of Muna and her not really getting along. Well mothers remember very well what their own children have gone through with the ex husbands new wife. I'm sure Muna never forgot. All of this familial turmoil is normal with so many kids and spouses. For as many people who adore the intelligent and articulate Noor, there are also just as many who do not feel an ounce of sadness for her and her ex CP son.

[Reina]

I think QN looks like she was dedicated to her job and to adjusting to it. I feel she was more legit than Rania is.

[maryshawn]

I don't know. Who does? Stepparenting is or can be a challenge. At least, Muna was there for her kids and she was "held in highest regard" by KH--likely for not making an embarrassing fuss about QA but also because I think they genuinely had a friendship. I think if Muna felt her kids were really getting poorly treated, she would've said something. I feel, too, all these kids went to boarding schools, far away from their parents. I understand some of rationale: safety, not being seen as son or daughter of King and given a lot of special treatment BUT I do not think this divorce/boarding school cocktail mix was healthy for kids craving some stability. My opinion. My ex- never forgave his parents in a way for sending him off to boarding school; they are not close now. He felt/feels it was a convenient way to dispose of him so they could attend to their own priorities--and he felt he obviously wasn't one of them.

Originally Posted by paloma

The real problem was the late King Hussein. One can't father a tribe of kids and pay no attention to them and then hope that one day they will all get along. I personally think that yes, Haya is a mess and takes her destruction where ever she goes. She and Ali do probably only care about themselves, but who really cares about them? In my book, they are lost souls. They have had no strong family structure. For them it is about survival. I have actually seen this a lot from friends who have been shipped off to boarding school without adequate parental attention.
As for Noor's role, she is educated and worldly but I do not think that being step mommy to HM kids appealed to her. It is normal to want your husband to yourself and to have YOUR OWN family. I don't think that she realized what she was really getting into when she married the late king. Even her parents had warned her. I can definately see her trying to sideline HM other kids. It is VERY normal to want the most for your own kids. She is a shrewd woman.
People talk of Muna and her not really getting along. Well mothers remember very well what their own children have gone through with the ex husbands new wife. I'm sure Muna never forgot. All of this familial turmoil is normal with so many kids and spouses. For as many people who adore the intelligent and articulate Noor, there are also just as many who do not feel an ounce of sadness for her and her ex CP son.

[tipper]

I've always thought it is so odd KA, Feisal and the twins loving so much Ali and Hayah, who are QA's kids, what's the relationship btw Muna, Ali and Hayah? Muna's kids love more QA's kids than QN's.....

[suria]

i don't think that QN was a good stepmother as many said if she was how come she couldn't raisethem like her own son or even close to them i mean if she was beside them nothing would happen to them at least PA wouldn't say in one of his interview that ( i was a child who needed his mother love) i think things are more than that QN did more for her own kids a gainst QA's kids and i don't want to say more she didn't care a bout them and whats gonna happen to them and if she has no relation in the horrible things that they faced t so she did nothing to prevent that i mean ALI was two years old he don't even know how his mother looks like how come he rejected her this is odd i think the ball was in her court

[Ipi Tombe]

it is my understanding that all these problems started fermenting when ali+haya were in their teens-not as little kids. and come on...we all know how rationale & sensible teenagers are. so i think these kids had a few problems as teenagers and never dealt with it properly and to this day they are still seeking to make things 'right'.

also this isn't all qn's fault. kh could've stopped chasing the nanny, the reporter and whoever else and paid a little attention to his kids. generally kh comes across as an out of touch father who spoils his children to make up for his emotional detachment and generally a husband from hell.

[tipper]

Originally Posted by suria

i don't think that QN was a good stepmother as many said if she was how come she couldn't raisethem like her own son or even close to them i mean if she was beside them nothing would happen to them at least PA wouldn't say in one of his interview that ( i was a child who needed his mother love) i think things are more than that QN did more for her own kids a gainst QA's kids and i don't want to say more she didn't care a bout them and whats gonna happen to them and if she has no relation in the horrible things that they faced t so she did nothing to prevent that i mean ALI was two years old he don't even know how his mother looks like how come he rejected her this is odd i think the ball was in her court

it can be that KH told QN not to bother about his own kids as that was his own business and not hers, we don't know if she was able to do something for Ali and Hayah or not, don't think KH was a man who did whatever his wife told him to do, after all, they were his kids, not hers, maybe she also had no say in her own kids' education.... who knows....

[Bubbette]

Originally Posted by tipper

I've always thought it is so odd KA, Feisal and the twins loving so much Ali and Hayah, who are QA's kids, what's the relationship btw Muna, Ali and Hayah? Muna's kids love more QA's kids than QN's.....

That's because QA is dead, and QN isn't.

[maryshawn]

Interesting point! Yes, it takes time to run a country AND chase women. He really didn't hold his wives in very high regard it seems......or his kids either or else he didn't know the difference. I need to learn more about his upbringing. Father had schizophrenia so his mother ran the home......they lived comparatively poorly. I know he was a party animal in college in UK.....but that's not so odd. Yes, all this--it was this wife or that wife is pointless. He was the head of 4 households essentially and He was responsible for family unity. Notice how we always look at the women and point the finger in their direction? I'm guilty of it too......but it isn't right.

Originally Posted by Ipi Tombe

it is my understanding that all these problems started fermenting when ali+haya were in their teens-not as little kids. and come on...we all know how rationale & sensible teenagers are. so i think these kids had a few problems as teenagers and never dealt with it properly and to this day they are still seeking to make things 'right'.

also this isn't all qn's fault. kh could've stopped chasing the nanny, the reporter and whoever else and paid a little attention to his kids. generally kh comes across as an out of touch father who spoils his children to make up for his emotional detachment and generally a husband from hell.

[sommone]

Originally Posted by maryshawn

Notice how we always look at the women and point the finger in their direction? I'm guilty of it too......but it isn't right.

That's why I said that I couldn't understand how women always get blamed for things...why isn't the man at fault too?

[suria]

Originally Posted by tipper

it can be that KH told QN not to bother about his own kids as that was his own business and not hers, we don't know if she was able to do something for Ali and Hayah or not, don't think KH was a man who did whatever his wife told him to do, after all, they were his kids, not hers, maybe she also had no say in her own kids' education.... who knows....

yes Tipper you are right its not only QN faults KH and PA +pH Also made things even worse what i am saying is QN didn't stop as a stepmother for them she wasn't only watching she contributed very strongly in their miserable future and i dont want to say more you know i want to live its obvious just compare PA life and PH and PHashim life you will see the difference

[maryshawn]

I have NEVER understood that either. I know he was the direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed and perhaps that puts him and how he lived personally on a different level.....I do know that even in Jordan it is considered a crime to criticize the King so people criticize the Queen instead. No repercussions there. Could be one explanation.........?

Originally Posted by sommone

That's why I said that I couldn't understand how women always get blamed for things...why isn't the man at fault too?

[tipper]

Originally Posted by suria

yes Tipper you are right its not only QN faults KH and PA +pH Also made things even worse what i am saying is QN didn't stop as a stepmother for them she wasn't only watching she contributed very strongly in their miserable future and i dont want to say more you know i want to live its obvious just compare PA life and PH and PHashim life you will see the difference

well, yes, but I can't believe QN meant to make their lives miserable- as far as we know, she tried hard at first to be their step-mum, but something went wrong, what ? we don't know, only JRF family know about it, and of course, every1 will take sides and blame QN or KH or even Hayah and Ali ,anyway, if 1's life is miserable, it's only his/her own fault.... don't u agree ? only we ourselves can make our lives miserable, no1 else can do it-Ali has had so many chances in life, he could have done better, but he chose to play the rebel poor orphan guy, just to get attention by his father, maybe.... and he chose to blame QN for it all, so did Hayah-

[tipper]

Originally Posted by maryshawn

I have NEVER understood that either. I know he was the direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed and perhaps that puts him and how he lived personally on a different level.....I do know that even in Jordan it is considered a crime to criticize the King so people criticize the Queen instead. No repercussions there. Could be one explanation.........?

Mary, as u have read the G. Brooks book, u sure remeber that KH himself told the author that ppl in Jordan blamed his wife for everything as they could not blame him who was their King.

[maryshawn]

Dear Tipper, Yes, KH did say that! They blamed QN...and apparently QA took a few hits too from what she wrote to Margaret Trudeau. I asked a friend who "inherited two stepchildren" when she married a widower and then they had twins of their own, too. She said it is very difficult as she is always walking that fine line--making sure the two eldest feel included and receive attention and sometimes she feels she goes overboard by trying too hard and neglects the twins in the process. She also described her husband as "oblivious" and "always assuming kids will be kids and not to take them too seriously" when the eldest two or the twins feel bad. She said, while dating, she loved his two and they seemed to love having a "mom" type in their lives again. But they became more possessive and harder to please once they got married and, with the arrival of the twins, it was very difficult as this was her first pregnancy and she was excited but felt "guilty" about talking about it. So, this whole thing with QN and the stepkids--particularly Haya and Ali--is not an uncommon phenomenon. Although, while they were growing up, I really had high hopes for them as they seemed like fine people; not spiteful. While Haya has gone on record saying QN was great, they are doing that thing Princess Diana perfected--sending messages via actions and photos to "tell all" their true feelings are not positive. Apparently, of the QA trio QN inherited, the only one who remains close is Abir. Wonder why she is so loving of QN as she was raised just like Ali and Haya? Also, Haya, on Team Harmony site, speaks so lovingly of Abir.....but they seem to differ on this point. By the way, does Abir appear in Jordan often and was she at weddings of Haya and Ali? I did not see her.

[tipper]

Originally Posted by maryshawn

Dear Tipper, Yes, KH did say that! They blamed QN...and apparently QA took a few hits too from what she wrote to Margaret Trudeau. I asked a friend who "inherited two stepchildren" when she married a widower and then they had twins of their own, too. She said it is very difficult as she is always walking that fine line--making sure the two eldest feel included and receive attention and sometimes she feels she goes overboard by trying too hard and neglects the twins in the process. She also described her husband as "oblivious" and "always assuming kids will be kids and not to take them too seriously" when the eldest two or the twins feel bad. She said, while dating, she loved his two and they seemed to love having a "mom" type in their lives again. But they became more possessive and harder to please once they got married and, with the arrival of the twins, it was very difficult as this was her first pregnancy and she was excited but felt "guilty" about talking about it. So, this whole thing with QN and the stepkids--particularly Haya and Ali--is not an uncommon phenomenon. Although, while they were growing up, I really had high hopes for them as they seemed like fine people; not spiteful. While Haya has gone on record saying QN was great, they are doing that thing Princess Diana perfected--sending messages via actions and photos to "tell all" their true feelings are not positive. Apparently, of the QA trio QN inherited, the only one who remains close is Abir. Wonder why she is so loving of QN as she was raised just like Ali and Haya? Also, Haya, on Team Harmony site, speaks so lovingly of Abir.....but they seem to differ on this point. By the way, does Abir appear in Jordan often and was she at weddings of Haya and Ali? I did not see her.

Last time I saw her was at KH's Memorial in London, back in '99- what happened btw Abir and Ali and Hayah ?

[Reina]

These are great pics Tipper!