Hamzah, the son of the late King Hussein, has relinquished the title “amir” (prince) in a short letter that does not mention King Abdullah, his half-brother, at all. Hamzah explains that the Kingdom of Jordan is run in a way that does not conform to the principles of his father, according to which he was educated.
This is the third episode in a series of events that will surely win a film version on Netflix in the future. The first episode occurred a year ago, when the prince and a number of prominent Jordanian figures were accused of undermining the stability of the kingdom. Hamzah was put under house arrest, but Bassem Awadallah, a senior official in King Hussein’s court, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his part in the affair.
In the letter, made public a month ago, Hamzah wrote to his brother, King Abdullah, that he apologized for his mistake and assured his brother of his loyalty. Hamzah also thanked Prince Hassan bin Talal, Hussein’s brother and uncle of Abdullah and Hamzah, for his assistance in bringing peace to the Hashemite royal family. Prince Hassan himself was supposed to assume the throne in place of his dying brother Hussein in 1999, but Hussein decided just hours before his death that his eldest son Abdullah would be his successor.
The immediate and practical significance of Hamzah’s remarks, which were posted on his Twitter account, is not great. Hamzah does not appear much in public, and the king often includes his son Hussein in many state activities in order to position him as his successor. But there is some remorse in Hamzah’s move for agreeing to sign the “letter of submission,” and some outspoken criticism of King Abdullah, although, as stated, he is not mentioned by name.
It is possible that in the future, if Hamzah succeeds in riding a rising wave of protests involving the Bedouin tribes that established the kingdom a century ago – among which Hamzah has some support – he could pose a challenge to King Abdullah and his son Hussein. Until then, we will have to wait for the fourth chapter in the royal saga, in which the king will react, if at all, to the defiance of his half-brother Hamzah.
Hamzah, the son of the late King Hussein, has relinquished the title “amir” (prince) in a short letter that does not mention King Abdullah, his half-brother, at all. Hamzah explains that the Kingdom of Jordan is run in a way that does not conform to the principles of his father, according to which he was educated.
This is the third episode in a series of events that will surely win a film version on Netflix in the future. The first episode occurred a year ago, when the prince and a number of prominent Jordanian figures were accused of undermining the stability of the kingdom. Hamzah was put under house arrest, but Bassem Awadallah, a senior official in King Hussein’s court, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his part in the affair.
In the letter, made public a month ago, Hamzah wrote to his brother, King Abdullah, that he apologized for his mistake and assured his brother of his loyalty. Hamzah also thanked Prince Hassan bin Talal, Hussein’s brother and uncle of Abdullah and Hamzah, for his assistance in bringing peace to the Hashemite royal family. Prince Hassan himself was supposed to assume the throne in place of his dying brother Hussein in 1999, but Hussein decided just hours before his death that his eldest son Abdullah would be his successor.
The immediate and practical significance of Hamzah’s remarks, which were posted on his Twitter account, is not great. Hamzah does not appear much in public, and the king often includes his son Hussein in many state activities in order to position him as his successor. But there is some remorse in Hamzah’s move for agreeing to sign the “letter of submission,” and some outspoken criticism of King Abdullah, although, as stated, he is not mentioned by name.
It is possible that in the future, if Hamzah succeeds in riding a rising wave of protests involving the Bedouin tribes that established the kingdom a century ago – among which Hamzah has some support – he could pose a challenge to King Abdullah and his son Hussein. Until then, we will have to wait for the fourth chapter in the royal saga, in which the king will react, if at all, to the defiance of his half-brother Hamzah.