Jordan King shelves title of crown prince

Jordan’s King Abdullah stripped his half-brother and heir apparent of his title as crown prince yesterday.

Abdullah told Prince Hamza in an emotional televised message that he “decided to relieve you from your responsibility as crown prince to allow you to have more freedom of movement, have more ability to carry out any missions or responsibilities that I assign you”.

Abdullah said he was setting aside the title of crown prince for now. But under the country’s constitution, the king’s eldest son – Hussain, now age 10 – is automatically heir to the throne in the absence of a crown prince.

Crownship is “an honorary position” that does not give its holder any authorities or responsibilities, the king stressed.

Abdullah said he was “assured that your presence in this honorary position is restricting your freedom and limits the possibility of assigning you certain responsibilities”.

Abdullah added: “As for the position of crown prince, I will continue, guided by the constitution and the good of our beloved Jordan and our noble Hashemite message, to give it my sincere attention.”

Hamza has been an undergraduate student in political science at a US university since autumn of 2001, and had returned on Friday to Jordan on a school break.

He was married in August 2003 and his wife, Princess Noor, 22, attends the same American university. The prince went to the college in the United States after serving in Jordan’s military.

In his role as crown prince, he had no political duties. A senior aide to the king downplayed the significance of the move, saying it carried no political ramifications, but aimed at distancing Hamza from his ceremonial role to give him more duties in the country.

“It should not be read in any way other than in the constitutional, brotherly and positive sense,” the official said.

In his unexpected message, read over the state television, Abdullah praised Hamza, describing him as a “sincere soldier of this nation”.

Abdullah had named Hamza crown prince hours after their father King Hussain died on February 7, 1999.

Abdullah himself became crown prince just 12 days before his father’s death, when Hussain stripped the title from his brother, Hassan.

As crown prince, Hamza’s duties have included representing the king at events at home and abroad. He also oversaw several national institutions, including a prominent think-tank.

Hamza is Hussain’s son from his fourth marriage to US-born Queen Noor in 1978.

The king now has two options – either appoint one of his brothers Prince Faisal or Prince Ali or name his son Prince Al Hussain as the crown prince, constitutional experts told Gulf News.

The writer is an Arab journalist based in Amman