ROYAL WEDDING ROCKS AMMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 004581

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2014
TAGS: PGOV PINR JO
SUBJECT: ROYAL WEDDING ROCKS AMMAN

Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b)(d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (U) Jordan -- or at least part of it -- was swept up in
elaborate festivities May 26-28 marking the wedding of Crown
Prince Hamza to his 22-year old distant cousin, Princess Noor
Bint Assem, despite the prince's reported desire for a
low-key event. The widely-publicized celebration makes
official the private wedding ceremony held in August 2003
uniting the pair, who apparently courted while studying at
separate universities in Boston. Most Jordanian appeared
pleased with the union, but the event brought to the fore
long-standing family rivalries, providing fodder for gossip
about the royal family. It also was another opportunity for
the world's diminishing breed of royalty to gather and
celebrate their collective persistence. The presence of
Farah Diba, widow of the Shah of Iran, was notable, and
prompted a protest from Tehran. Meanwhile, Amman once again
took on the outward appearance of a police state as heavily
armed elite forces lined the streets and snipers adorned
rooftops. The massive security presence snarled traffic, but
did not deter some locals from cheering the couple as they
cruised the streets of Amman in the same well-worn Lincoln
convertible used by King Hussein on each of his nuptials
since the 1960s. Most, however, preferred to critique the
affair (carried live on state-run TV) in the privacy of their
own homes. End Summary.

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ROYAL WEDDING MADE IN HARVARD YARD?
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2. (U) Although 24-year-old Jordanian Crown Prince Hamza,
eldest son of King Hussein and Queen Noor, reportedly
preferred a low-key wedding celebration due to regional
tensions, Jordan witnessed lavish events steeped in tradition
marking Crown Prince's marriage to his 22-year old distant
cousin Princess Noor Bint Assem. A traditional Jordanian
meal of mansef for 4,000 men (although some women were
reportedly invited) in Bedouin tents on May 26 kicked off the
festivities. King Abdullah hosted a garden reception on May
27 for more than 2,000 in Amman honoring his half-brother and
new bride. Another lavish dinner party was held in Aqaba on
May 28 for mostly foreign dignitaries. The celebration
followed a private ceremony to sign the wedding contract in
August 2003 before the couple returned to U.S. universities
in the fall.


3. (C) The CP's office director assures us that this
marriage was not arranged, claiming that the two met and
courted while studying in the United States. Noor is the
youngest daughter of Prince Assem Bin Nayef, a cousin of the
late King Hussein, and Princess Fairouza. Assem's father,
Prince Nayef, was exiled to Spain for trying to depose his
half-brother, Talal, King Hussein's father, who ruled Jordan
from 1951-52. Although born in Amman, Princess Noor
apparently spent a good deal of her time growing up in Spain.
According to our contacts, she is pious.

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BOUNTIFUL REMINDERS OF ROYAL WEDDINGS PAST
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4. (U) The wedding celebration conjured up images
reminiscent of royal weddings past. On the evening of May
27, hundreds of Jordanians lined the streets to cheer the
royal couple as their motorcade rolled from the Royal Court
to Zahran Palace -- home to King Hussein's late mother Zein
and the site of King Hussein's 1978 marriage to Hamza's
mother, Queen Noor. They rode in a cream-colored 1961
Lincoln Continental convertible that had been used for both
King Hussein and King Abdullah's wedding cruises through
town. The car was brought from its resting place at the
Royal Automobile Museum for the occasion. Accompanied by a
fleet of shiny red Jeeps carrying heavily armed security
guards, the couple waved cheerfully to the crowd who threw
candy and flowers. Enhancing his striking resemblance to his
late father in voice and appearance, Hamza donned his
well-appointed olive drab military uniform (replete with
medals from campaigns unknown) and red and white checkered
keffiyah for the occasion, while Noor wore a conservative
white lace dress and veil.


5. (U) The procession shut down parts of the city, blocking
roads and closing traffic circles, for a few hours Thursday
evening, much to the chagrin of residents eager to start
their weekend but caught in traffic jams. Thousands of elite
special forces lined the streets of major thoroughfares,
snipers adorned rooftops, and security reinforced already
tight security at hotels and government buildings.
Limousines appointed with state flags whisked dignitaries
through security for direct deposit at the Palace; most other
guests reported dutifully to King Hussein Sports City to
catch special buses for the Palace reception. The British
Ambassador won a hard-fought battle for permission to walk
across the street from his home to attend the reception,
however.
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FOREIGN ROYALS DESCEND ON AMMAN, IRANIANS LODGE A PROTEST
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6. (U) European and Arab diplomatic missions (not to
mention the five-star hotels that housed them) were in a
frenzy all week answering the whims of their respective
dignitaries. European royalty was well represented: Queen
Fabiola of Belgium, Queen Sophia of Spain, King Carl XVI
Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, and Britain's Prince
Andrew joined the festivities. The Sultan of Brunei,
Bahraini Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Saudi
Prince Salman Bin Abdel Aziz, and Egypt's first lady Suzanne
Mubarak also attended. Spanish newlyweds Crown Prince Filipe
and Princess Letizia attended the festivities, and reportedly
planned to continue their honeymoon in Jordan. As part of
the Hashemites' careful effort to repair relations with the
Al-Saud, Prince Salman received particular attention, with
the King hosting a lunch in his honor, despite the other
distractions.


7. (U) The presence of Farah Diba, the wife of the late
Shah of Iran, for the festivities sparked a protest from
Iran, as an Iranian MFA official told a reporter that
Iranian-Jordanian relations could suffer because of it. GOJ
spokesperson Asma Khader acknowledged the complaint, saying
only that Diba visited Jordan to attend a social event, and
that it should not have bearing on political relations.

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MANY JORDANIANS (PRIVATELY) SNIPE AT THE AFFAIR
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8. (C) Most Jordanians watched the wedding live via
state-run Jordan TV Thursday evening (and rebroadcast the
next day),free to critique the event in the comfort (and
privacy) of their own homes. Several Jordanians confided to
Poloff that they believed the reception was a poorly
organized event, unbefitting a favorite son of King Hussein.
The Jordanian rumor mill also went into high gear during the
weekend, most of which could not be independently confirmed.


9. (C) Many Jordanian guests were annoyed at the poor
planning of the outdoor garden reception. While dignitaries
were whisked past security directly into the palace, most
others were told to report to Hussein Sport City by five in
the evening to catch buses to the Palace. Wilted hair,
sweaty collars, and sore feet prompted several to complain
about being left to cool their heels in the hot sun for hours
(chairs apparently were in short supply). The royal couple
finally arrived around eight, and guests stood for another
two hours in line as each and every guests made their way
through the receiving line.


10. (C) According to at least two anonymous sources, the
receiving line was not a happy scene. The divorced parents
of the bride stood side by side but reportedly did not speak
the entire time. Her father supposedly was still miffed that
CP Hamza overruled his demand to include his new wife (his
former secretary and allegedly the reason for the divorce) in
the receiving line. Inevitable tensions between Queen Noor
and Queen Rania were palpable, according to others. A
contact reported rumors that former Crown Prince Hassan was a
no-show at the Amman reception (but reportedly attended the
party in Aqaba),noting his son, Prince Rashid appeared
uncomfortable in the family wedding portrait.


11. (C) Of course, no Jordanian social event would be
complete without intense analysis of the (female)
participants' attire. The bride's simple (and conservative)
dress surprised many Jordanians used to elaborate hair dos,
stylish gowns and heavy makeup that usually adorn Jordanian
brides. However, many women appreciated her natural look,
long put off by the pretentiousness of some other royals.
That said, many noted that Princess Noor's (perhaps U.S.
college student-inspired) "natural" look paled in comparison
to her glamorous mother-in-law, Queen Noor, and the stylish
(outlandish in the minds of some conservative Jordanians)
Queen Rania.


12. (C) On a more serious note, EmbOffs heard repeated
criticism about the lavishness of the weekend's events at a
time of great suffering and upheaval in the region. One
Jordanian teacher noted that the crowds lining the streets
were smaller than past royal weddings, indicative of the
non-celebratory mood of the people. Another complained that
the hor d'oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages served at the
Amman reception were "chickenfeed" compared to the lavish
party and sitdown dinner offered to mostly foreign
dignitaries the next night in Aqaba.
COMMENT

13. (C) Another royal wedding has come and gone, but
Jordanians continue to (quietly) gossip about the extravagant
lifestyles of their royals and the future of the monarchy.
Most Jordanians appear pleased with the marriage -- the
bride's Jordanian nationality may be a significant factor --
but the event was clouded by family rivalries and gossip
about the royal family. Perhaps in part due to his striking
resemblance to his father, many Jordanians hold young Prince
Hamza in high regard. However, they also fully expect that
once King Abdullah's nine-year-old son, Prince Hussein, comes
of age, he will replace Hamza as Crown Prince.

Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman or access the site
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page.
GNEHM