PRINCE HAMZAH, JORDAN’S KING APPEAR IN PUBLIC TOGETHER FOR 1ST TIME SINCE PALACE FEUD

Sun 11 April 2021:

Jordan’s King Abdullah and his half-brother Prince Hamzah have appeared in public for the first time since claims of a royal rift. Prince Hamzah last week said he had been put under house arrest as part of a crackdown on critics. He was accused of plotting to destabilise the kingdom, which he has denied. King Abdullah expressed his “shock” at the alleged plot in a statement. The pair were seen attending a ceremony together on Sunday.

According to the statement, King Abdullah II, his son and Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein, Prince Hamzah and other royal family members attended a laying wreath ceremony in Amman on the occasion of the country’s 100th year of independence.

They joined other members of the royal family commemorating the 100th anniversary of Jordan’s independence. Images posted to social media show members of the royal family laying wreaths at the memorial to the unknown soldier. It is the first time Prince Hamzah has been since the rift erupted a week ago.

The rift opened up in the royal family after several high-level officials were arrested over a security breach earlier in April. Former crown prince, Hamzah bin Al-Hussein, said on April 4 that he was under house arrest, after he was told to stop actions that undermined national stability, as part of a broader security probe.

Jordanian authorities said that Hamzah and two other officials had made contacts with foreign intelligence with a view to destabilize the kingdom.

In the aftermath, the royal Hashemite court said on April 5 that Hamzah had sworn loyalty to King Abdullah II. On Wednesday, the Jordanian ruler said that the situation had been resolved.

The 41-year old prince the elder son of the late King Hussein from his fourth wife, Queen Noor became first in line to the throne after he was named crown prince in 1999. However, the current king removed Hamzah’s title of crown prince in 2004 and conferred it on his son Hussein, who is now 26 years old now.