In keeping with with you say here, I feel I have to put forward something that has been discussed by people I know who are interested in what finally precipitated the change, and often end up discussing it, as for them the whole business is one of life's mysteries. The late king was brave, dashing, charismatic, generous, intelligent, wily, street wise, sometimes rash and certainly a risk taker. So there were good and not so good facets to his character, which meant he was human, not a demigod. And so, is it not possible, that underneath his undoubted love and pride in a brother whom for years and years he regarded as the light of his life , his other half etc ( phrases he actually never used about a wife
) there could have also been a teensy weensy bit of pure old sibing jealousy ? Here was a younger brother who had done better educationally ( to be fair, it was Q. Zein who was responsible for this. And she was the wife of choice of K. Talal who believed in education, and was herself educated at a French run convent, unusual for an Arab woman of her time - Hussein had the perhaps questionable privilege of having his educational pattern mapped out by a reactionary grandfather. The minute K. Abdullah I died, Hussein
was sent to school in England, but perhaps too late to really benefit). Hassan had a stable marriage, and 'Alhamdulliah' as the Arabs would say, he had a small, cohesive family, and succesful, non problem children who got on with their lives, all graduates, who made good, normal marriages etc. He was a better sportsman ( the late king enjoyed a lot a machine linked sports - fast cars and motor bikes and go carts, water skiing, but not ones where he himself would have to perform). And although P. Hassan always kept himself out of the limelight, the late king knew almost better than anyone else how much of the sheer grunt work of creating modern Jordan had in fact been achieved through Hassan's efforts ( although no-one should underestimate the wisdom and initital self confidence of the elder brother in recognising the potential of the younger one, and allowing him the freedom and space to do what he did ). So as Liz Taylor once said, 'I never broke up a happy marriage', maybe there was a little chink there that was perhaps was the opening that various interested parties could build on and benefit from. For there is no doubt that had Hassan become king, his many talents would be more generally known, and obviously he would have had a freer hand to build on what he had already achieved the in areas of economy, health, education, and general infra- structure of the country, and peace- building. Combined with his other skills and talents, dare I say it, he might have even better king and role model for a modern country than his predecessor. If Hassan had indeed not had the ability and personality that he has clearly has , there is no way that he would still command the respect and affection he does, and be in such demand world wide, as pure and simple Prince Hassan , not His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. I don't see any other royal family member doing the same. Imagine if those skills were being put to use as a head of state in the made, bad world we live in ? I realise I am saying something very controversial...but then, we are occasionally controversial here in TRF, are we not ? At least, it is food for thought.
And I think I am on topic !