Queen Rania of Jordan has many reasons to celebrate these days.
The wife of King Abdullah is turning 53 on Aug. 31, months after the family enjoyed a whirlwind of new beginnings. Her son, Crown Prince Hussein, is heir to the throne of one of the oldest monarchies in the Middle East and married Princess Rajwa in June. The glitzy event, the biggest royal wedding in years, had more than 1,700 guests.
In March, his sister, Princess Iman, tied the knot with Jameel Alexander Thermiotis, a New York financier.
For the mother of four, it was important to give her two children advice on navigating married life. In June, the king and queen marked their 30th anniversary.
"Marriage is just like any other undertaking in life," the queen told Fox News Digital. "You need to put in the work to make it work. You bring your best self to work at the beginning of each day, so bring that best self to your partner, too … for the sake of the marriage and home you share but also the family you want to grow."
"It’s sometimes easy to fall into the trap of complacency in a marriage, just as it is to become complacent in other areas of life," Rania said. "So, my humble advice is: Show up, do your absolute best and don’t forget to have a little fun while you’re at it."
The matriarch said she's been elated to watch her children find loyal, loving partners.
"It has been more rewarding, emotional and overwhelming than I ever imagined," she said. "As a parent, nothing makes you happier than seeing your children happy, and I’m so thankful that Hussein and Iman have been blessed with partners who do just that."
"Seeing [my daughter] sitting by her father in her white dress … I couldn’t hold back the tears," Rania said. "And just a few months later, we had Hussein’s wedding, which was a memorable day for us and the entire country. The atmosphere in Jordan was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and my family and I owe it all to the Jordanian people."
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"We were so moved to see them break out in celebration all across the country – it really underscored just how close and united our Jordanian family is," the queen continued. "That kind of genuine joy and affection is precious, and it’s something you never forget. I am so grateful to everyone who came together to celebrate Hussein like a son and a brother and welcome Rajwa with open arms."
According to Vogue Arabia, the prince, 29, met his bride, 29, "through an old friend from school." The couple announced their engagement in August 2022.
Their royal wedding represented the pinnacle of the monarchy’s efforts to establish Hussein as the face of Jordan’s next generation – a future king who can modernize the country. Of nearly 10 million people in Jordan, almost two-thirds are under 30.
The queen has previously described her new daughter-in-law, a Saudi architect, as "the perfect answer" to her prayers.
"My son is a good judge of character," Rania said. "So, when he told us he had found the woman he wanted to marry, I knew that I would come to love her as well. Seeing them together, it’s so obvious that they are a perfect match."
"Rajwa has a big heart and a kind soul, but what truly makes her right for Hussein is her genuine concern for others, her warmth and her humility," she added.
Queen Rania noted that the princess immediately immersed herself in her new role as a member of the royal family.
"From the get-go, she embraced Jordan as a home and its people as her family," she said. "A few months ago, Rajwa and Hussein stopped by an initiative that supports aspiring artists with visual impairments, and it was a joy to see her strike up conversations in a manner that seemed second nature to her – not just because of her creative background but because she cared about their stories."
Like a typical mother-in-law, the queen is already anxious for grandchildren. And she hopes to be "a cool grandma."
"I want to have fun and make beautiful memories with them and be there for them in all their important milestones," she said. "I am so excited to read to them, make up stories and take them on adventures. Children always make life brighter, so I can’t imagine how colorful things will be when my husband and I finally have grandchildren of our own."
Amid two royal weddings, the queen’s two other children reached new milestones in their lives. Her daughter, Princess Salma, 22, graduated from the University of Southern California in May. Her youngest child, Prince Hashem, 18, received his high school diploma that same month.
Despite juggling two weddings and two graduations, Rania has followed the royal motto of keep calm and carry on. According to the palace, she spent the year raising awareness on causes related to women and young entrepreneurs. She visited several women-led initiatives and associations that support women’s financial empowerment.
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In February, she met with first lady Jill Biden at the White House while accompanying the king.
While in D.C., Rania delivered the keynote speech at the 2023 National Prayer Breakfast (NPB) International Luncheon on Capitol Hill. It was there where she affirmed that religion is not "a shelter for hiding" but "a launchpad for living."
The first lady, 72, was among numerous high-profile guests to attend Crown Prince Hussein’s wedding.
The queen is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September. In November 2022, she spoke at the Paris Peace Forum and said the world must change how it responds to current crises.
"I would say one of the most pervasive and damaging challenges our world is facing is a lack of trust," Rania said. "Everywhere you go, people have lost faith in their governments, their institutions and their fellow citizens. People don’t believe what they are reading online or hearing in the news. And with advances in AI and the spread of deepfakes, we can’t even trust our own senses. This distrust breeds polarization; it encourages isolationism and eats away at our very social fabric. So, the stakes couldn’t be higher – for our own communities and for our global family as well."
"The only way to restore trust is to give people something to believe in," she continued. "That takes honesty, a well-defined vision and moral clarity. If we want to cover this trust deficit, we need to close the gap between words and deeds. At the same time, we also have to stop the devaluation of truth. Facts no longer speak for themselves; it’s up to us to speak up for them."
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For the queen, her family has only become stronger with its newest members. As she looks forward to what the future holds for them, she can’t help but look back at her past, when she first embarked on her role as queen.
When asked what advice she would give to her younger self, she said, "Never be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve."
"Follow your moral compass, even when it points uphill," Rania said. "And seek out the quiet moments away from the cameras, surrounded by people who won’t hesitate to speak their mind – that’s where you are truly your best self."
