Celebrating Queen Rania’s Birthday

Courtesy of queenrania.jo

Today, Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan celebrates her 46th birthday. The elegant royal dedicated this past year to raising her county’s standing, both within its borders and on an international level.

Passionate about education, Queen Rania prioritizes her commitment to Jordan’s educational development—a field she has championed through The Queen Rania Foundation. Aimed to strengthen the country’s education system, the organization arms Jordanian children with skills and tools to excel in today’s society. Under Edraak (the first Arab non-profit digital platform for massive open online courses) and in collaboration with the German Jordanian University, Queen Rania’s initiative launched a number of accredited online courses this year.

In addition to spearheading her country’s education reform, Queen Rania is known for her humanitarian efforts by working in conjunction with the International Refugee Committee. Earlier this year, she made field visits to the Kara Tepe camp on the Greek Island of Lesbos, and the Ramtha camp in Jordan.

Recently, Queen Rania backed Amman Design Week, which is set to take place from September 1st until September 9th. Yesterday, she inaugurated the opening of the event’s first edition at a reception in downtown Amman. The nine-day platform will serve as a hub to foster design culture in Jordan, and supports both local and regional talents.

In the past year, Queen Rania has been applauded for her humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, as well as her leadership of cross-cultural dialogue. At a gala dinner held in New York, she received the World Childhood Award from Queen Silvia of Sweden for supporting children fleeing from war-torn countries. In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel presented her with the Walther Rathenau Prize, an honor that recognized her efforts to encourage peace. And that’s not all. In December, Queen Rania received an Honorary Doctorate from Sapienza University in Italy; and the Medal of Honor for Women, an award presented by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Global Women’s Forum in Dubai in February.

Whether she’s attending international dinners or making public appearances, the mother-of-four boasts a refined style. On a number of occasions, Queen Rania donned designer pieces with aplomb. During an official state visit to Belgium, Her Majesty opted for a tailored, powder pink coat by Dior to meet with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. She then switched into a black, embellished skirt from the House of Balmain to attend the prestigious banquet dinner. In May, Queen Rania made an appearance at the 2016 Met Gala in a feather-embellished Valentino gown.

Queen Rania’s sartorial choices also represent up-and-coming Middle Eastern talents. She welcomed Germany’s President Joachim Gauck and First Lady Daniela Schadt to Amman in a two-tone, graphic print coat by Jordanian designer and 2015 DDFC – Style.com/Arabia Fashion Prize finalist Nafsika Skourti. Elsewhere, she was spotted in a color block pencil skirt by Lebanese designer (and 2015 Fashion Prize winner) Hussein Bazaza.

Here, we celebrate Queen Rania’s birthday with a look back at her timeless style moments.