Princess Muna Al Hussein[2] (Arabic: منى الحسين, born Toni Avril Gardiner; 25 April 1941) is the mother of Abdullah II of Jordan. She was the second wife of King Hussein; the couple divorced on 21 December 1972. She is British by birth, and changed her name to Muna Al Hussein upon marriage.
| Muna Al Hussein | |
|---|---|
 Princess Muna in 1964 | |
| Princess consort of Jordan | |
| Tenure | 25 May 1961 – 21 December 1972 |
| Born | Toni Avril Gardiner[1] 25 April 1941 Chelmondiston, Suffolk, England |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| Father | Walter Percy Gardiner |
| Mother | Doris Elizabeth Sutton |
Early life
editMuna Al Hussein was born in Chelmondiston, Suffolk, England, the daughter of Doris Elizabeth (née Sutton) and Lieutenant Colonel Walter Percy "Tony" Gardiner. She attended Bourne School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, which was administered by the British Families Education Service for the children of British service personnel stationed overseas, where she was an A-grade field hockey player.
Gardiner's father was a British Army officer who finished his career with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was the son of Arthur Gardiner, a gamekeeper. He joined the Royal Engineers at the age of 17, and was stationed in Mandatory Palestine for 18 months in the 1930s. He later served in France, North Africa, and Italy during World War II.[3][4]
Marriage and children
editGardiner met the King of Jordan, Hussein, while working as a secretarial assistant on the film set of Lawrence of Arabia. The King had allowed his troops to work as extras on this film and would occasionally visit to monitor the production's progress. However, there is another report, stating that Gardiner and the King met when her father began to work as a military adviser in Jordan.[4]
Gardiner married King Hussein in Amman, Jordan, on 25 May 1961. It is believed she was not proclaimed queen because the government disapproved of the marriage because of her foreign origin.[5][6] Together they had four children:
- Abdullah (born 1962; now King Abdullah II of Jordan)
- Faisal (born 1963)
- Aisha and Zein (twins, born 1968)
They were divorced on 21 December 1972.[7] She continues to work and live in Jordan.[citation needed]
Causes and activities
editShe is involved in the development of nursing in Jordan, founding the Princess Muna Scholarship Fund for Nursing.[8] In 1962, she founded the Princess Muna College of Nursing, now the Princess Muna College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions.[9]
Honours
editNational
edit
Jordan:
Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of al-Hussein bin Ali[citation needed]
Grand Cordon with Brilliants of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance
Foreign
edit
Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Beneficence
Iranian Imperial Family: Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of the 2,500 year Celebration of the Persian Empire
Malaysia: Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm[10]
Romanian Royal Family:
- Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Crown[11][12][13]
- Member, Special Class of the Royal Decoration of the Custodian of the Crown of Romania[14]
Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star[15]
Tunisia: Grand Cross of the Order of the Republic[16]
References
edit- ^ "The Hashemite Royal Family". The Office of King Hussein. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Statement from the Royal Hashemite Court". The Royal Hashemite Court. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Lieutenant-Colonel Tony Gardiner". The Telegraph. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ a b Ewing, Richard (5 February 1999). "Prince's secretary mum who married a king". Coventy Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
- ^ "Jordan: King Takes a Wife". Time. 2 June 1961. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Hussein Divorced and Remarried". The New York Times. 25 December 1972. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Hussein's Ex-Wife Is Given Her 4 Children and Palace". The New York Times. 26 December 1972. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Princess Muna Scholarship Fund for Nursing Archived 22 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Kafd.jo. Retrieved on 28 July 2015.
- ^ "Princess Muna College". jrms.gov.jo. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
- ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1965" (PDF).
- ^ Romania Regala
- ^ Romania Regala
- ^ Romania Regala
- ^ Romania Regala
- ^ "State visit to Jordan".
- ^ Order of the Republic
External links
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