Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, meet King Abdullah and Queen Rania after 19 months. Photo: Instagram.com
British royal couple Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles touched down in Jordan on November 16, after 19 months of holding their overseas tour due to the pandemic. Received at the Queen Alia International Airport by King Abdullah’s cousin and adviser, Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, the couple met Jordan’s King Abdullah and Queen Rania on Tuesday at Al Husseiniya Palace. During their meeting, issues like climate degradation, female rights, and interfaith struggles are among the topics that were touched upon. For those following, the couple plans to spend two days in Jordan before heading to Egypt.
For her first appearance in Jordan, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, opted for a royal blue floral dress by Fiona Clare, embellished with black and white polka dots. The breezy number was further elevated with a delicate frill lining along the bottom. Rarely seen without her nude heels, Camilla strolled down the steps of her plane in her go-to shoes and a classic beige handbag by Bottega Veneta. Queen Rania, who has become a style icon for many in and outside of the region, welcomed the royal couple in an elegant cream white coat dress, which she paired with a gold belt and matching Louis Vuitton handbag. If you follow the royal on Instagram, you may already have noticed a pattern here—Queen Rania often favors classic white ensembles for special occasions.
The Duchess of Cornwall in a Fiona Clare dress, and Queen Rania in Dior. Photo: Instagram.com
Among the most pressing topics expected to be acknowledged during Prince Charles and Camilla’s visit to the country are climate change and Jordan’s water scarcity—an issue that has been of concern to Prince Charles in particular since he participated in the UN’s climate change conference, Cop26. The King claimed there was only “one rain” this year, a situation that is expected to worsen “unless things change”. This drought was claimed to be fueled by the illegal digging of ground wells for agricultural purposes.
Jordan engulfs many religious sites, such as Jesus Christ’s baptism in the Jordan river, where the royal couple were seen dipping their fingers. Prince Charles and Camilla also visited the Roman city of Ghadara for dinner with Jordanian royalty later in the day. During the get-together, the Prince of Wales addressed how special it was to visit such a significant place, saying, “How hugely we all admire Jordan and your Majesty’s efforts on looking after so many refugees coming from all around the area.”
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Established as a British protectorate 100 years ago by Emir Abdullah, Jordan houses Turquoise Mountain, a charity overseen by Prince Charles to preserve carpentry and other crafts in the region. The headquarters of Prince Charles’ enterprise sits embraced by a large white stone villa in Amman, which once belonged to Sheikh Nasser Al Sabah, a late senior member of the Kuwaiti royal family.
