Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein

Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein of Jordan (حمزة بن الحسين) (born 29 March 1980) is the son of the late King Hussein of Jordan from his American-born fourth wife, Queen Noor al-Hussein. He was named Crown Prince of Jordan in 1999, a position he held until it was rescinded in 2004 by his half-brother, King Abdullah II of Jordan. Queen Noor states in her autobiography that she and King Hussein named their son after Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib.

Official biography
Born on 29 March 1980, Prince Hamzah ibn Al Hussein claims ancestry with the Islamic Prophet Mohammad through the Hashemite family. King Abdullah II officially named him as Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 7 February 1999, a position he held until 28 November 2004.

Prince Hamzah received his elementary education in Jordan and Amman, and then attended Harrow School in England. He then joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, passing out as a commissioned officer in the Jordan Arab Legion in December 1999, with a number of prizes including the Sandhurst Overseas Sword, granted to the best overseas cadet and the HRH Prince Saud Abdullah Prize, presented to the cadet with the best aggregate mark in academic subjects.

Serving then as an officer in the Jordan Arab Army’s 40th Armored Brigade, Prince Hamzah attended a number of military courses and attachments in Jordan, the UK, Poland, Germany and the US. Currently holding the rank of Colonel in the Jordan Arab Army, he served with the Jordan-United Arab Emirates force operating in former Yugoslavia under the umbrella of international peacekeepers. In the year 2006, he graduated from Harvard University.

Prince Hamzah was sworn in as Regent on numerous occasions and deputized for King Abdullah II on a number of missions in the Kingdom and abroad. He heads the Royal Advisory Committee on the Energy Sector. He is also the Honorary President of the Jordan Basketball Federation, and is the Chairman of the board of trustees of the Royal Automobile Museum, the President of the Royal Aero sports Club of Jordan and the President of Al-Shajarah (Tree) Protection Society.

Prince Hamzah is a qualified rotor and fixed wing aircraft pilot and enjoys other sports such as Jujitsu and target-shooting.

Education
The prince attended Harrow, UK, and graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He also graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK. He has conducted a variety of courses as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Arab Jordanian Army.

Succession issue
On 28 November 2004, King Abdullah removed the title of Crown Prince from his half-brother. In a letter from Abdullah to Hamzah, read on Jordanian state television, he said, "Your holding this symbolic position has restrained your freedom and hindered our entrusting you with certain responsibilities that you are fully qualified to undertake." No successor to the title was named, but some analysts believed it probable that Abdullah intended to name his own son, Prince Hussein, to succeed him at some point in the future. On 2 July 2009, the King did so.

As a consequence of the Arab Spring, discontent with the King's reign is growing and the monarchy is losing support. Some royalists demand the deposition of Abdullah II, and wish him to be replaced by Hamzah.

First marriage
Prince Hamzah married his second cousin, Princess Noor bint Asem bin Nayef, at Al Baraka Palace in Amman on 29 August 2003. The official wedding was held on 27 May 2004. Prince Hamzah and Princess Noor divorced on 9 September 2009. The couple had one daughter:


 * Princess Haya bint Hamzah (born 18 April 2007)

Second marriage
On 12 January 2012 Prince Hamzah married Basmah Bani Ahmad. The couple has one daughter:
 * Princess Zein bint Hamzah (born 3 November 2012)

Personal interests
Prince Hamzah's interests include piloting helicopters, shooting, parachuting, sky diving, motorcycling, and practicing some water sports. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is among his interests. He also spends time reading, particularly history books and biographies.

National Honours

 * 🇯🇴 Jordan : Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (November 1995)
 * 🇯🇴 Jordan : Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan (November 1995)
 * 🇯🇴 Jordan : Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence
 * 🇯🇴 Jordan : 4th class of the Al-Hussein Order of Military Merit

Foreign Honours

 * 🇺🇳 United Nations : UN Peacekeeping Medal (2001)
 * 🇧🇭 Bahrain : First class of the Order of Ahmad al-Fateh (8.1999)
 * 🇮🇹 Italy : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (14/02/2001)
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands : Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (30.10.2006)
 * 🇳🇴 Norway : Knight Grand Cross with collar of the Order of St. Olav