Noor was the most beloved wife of King Hussein
of Jordan. She had no royal roots and was born and raised
in America. But this did not prevent her from becoming
Queen of Jordan. After her husband's death, she disappeared
from Jordanian royal life. Why did she have to leave the country? And where is she now? Keep watching to learn this woman's incredible
story. When King Hussein of Jordan married a young
American student, Lisa Najeeb Halaby, in 1978, no one believed the union would last. At that time, the king was 43, and his wife
was 27. Lisa wore a modest white dress during the
wedding ceremony and looked much younger than her age. The king seemed much older than her. He really had more life experience. There have already been three unsuccessful
marriages; this was the fourth wedding. Has he finally found the one? People were skeptical about this relationship. The couple had not only a significant age
difference but also in origin. Lisa did not have royal roots; she was born
and raised in America. As for King Hussein he ruled the country from
the age of 16; he was from the great Hashemite dynasty and was also considered a descendant
of the Prophet Muhammad. How can such different people be together
for a long time? It was hard to believe this sweet American
girl could become a real queen. However, this marriage became the longest
in the king’s life. They lived together for 21 years and could
have lived even longer if the disease had not taken Hussein's life. From a sweet American girl, Lisa became Queen
Noor, a powerful, influential, and respected woman. How did a simple American girl manage to become
the king's wife? Lisa Najeeb Halaby was born in Washington,
D.C., USA to Najeeb Halaby and Doris Carlquist. Her father was of Syrian-Lebanese descent;
her mother was from Sweden. Lisa's great-grandfather Elias Halaby came
to New York around 1891 and was one of the first Syrian-Lebanese emigrants. Lisa's father was a Christian Scientist, a
Navy experimental test pilot, an airline executive, and a government official. He is also known for making the first transcontinental
jet flight in American history and his service as chairman of Pan Am from 1969 to 1972. As you can see, Lisa’s family did not have
royal origins, but they were privileged, wealthy, and respected. They lived in America but remembered their
Arab roots. This would subsequently help Lisa gain respect
in Jordan. Lisa Najeeb Halaby received a bachelor's degree
in architecture and urban planning from Princeton University. Then she moved to Australia, where she worked
for a firm that specialized in planning new towns. Due to her Syrian heritage, Lisa has always
been interested in the Middle East. After a year, she accepted a job offer from
a British architectural and planning firm, which had been employed to design a model
capital city center in Tehran, Iran. She then entered Columbia University's Graduate
School of Journalism while taking a temporary aviation facility research job in Amman. She accepted a position with Alia Airlines
and Eventually became Director of Facilities Planning and Design. At that moment, she met King Hussein of Jordan. They first saw each other in the winter of
1976, when Lisa was traveling with her father, then the chairman of the International Advisory
Board for Royal Jordanian Airlines, for a ceremony celebrating the purchase of Royal
Jordanian Airlines's first Boeing 747. There, she met King Hussein and his wife,
Queen Alia. A great tragedy occurred in the royal Jordanian
family just a year later: Queen Alia died in a helicopter accident. For King Hussein, it was a colossal tragedy. He loved his wife very much and raised three
children with her: two biological and one adopted. Also, the king had already been married twice
before. He married for the first time in his youth
to his father's third cousin, Princess Dina, who bore him a daughter. The second time, he married a girl of British
origin, Toni Gardiner, who became Princess Muna and took him four children. The oldest son in this marriage is the current
King of Jordan, Abdullah II. Therefore, when meeting his future fourth
wife, King Hussein was the father of eight children from three different women. He also had one illegitimate son, Timothy,
from American actress Susan Cabot. In 1977, King Hussein became a widower, but
his heart demanded new love. Lisa Halaby was the woman who helped him forget
about the tragedy and become happy again. Their meeting occurred due to a series of
accidents. By the middle of 1977, Lisa was accepted to
Columbia University’s School of Journalism. However, she received an exciting job offer. The founder and chairman of Royal Jordan Airlines
offered Lisa a job heading up a department within Royal Jordanian Airlines to coordinate
the planning, design, and maintenance of the airline’s facilities in Jordan and throughout
the world. Lisa accepted this offer, and this decision
would change her life. In April 1977, Lisa's father took her to meet
King Hussein. During the audience, the king discussed work
issues with the girl. They liked each other, and they went out to
lunch together the next day. The king began courting Lisa a week later
and invited her to Aqaba for a weekend with his children and friends. After that, they spent time together regularly
at his residence; they watched movies together and rode motorcycles and helicopters, but
most of all, they liked to communicate and share their feelings. Their romance developed rapidly, and even
too quickly, considering that King Hussein had recently lost his beloved wife. Queen Alia died in February 1977, and in April
of the following year, the king made an appointment with Lisa's father, where he openly declared
his intention to marry her. The young American woman was in love with
the king, but it was not easy for her to agree because the king was 16 years older and had
nine children. Also, after the wedding, she had to become
a Muslim and completely change her life. In her 2003 memoir ‘Leap of Faith: Memoirs
of an Unexpected Life,’ she wrote: “I will not deny that the idea of being his fourth
wife, or anybody’s fourth wife, was troubling to me.” However, she agreed, and in June 1978, they
celebrated their wedding. The event took place at the Zahran Palace
in Amman. Before the traditional Islamic ceremony, Lisa
converted to Islam and was named Noor Al-Hussein, which means "the light of Hussein." After the traditional ceremony, a grand celebration
occurred, attended by 500 guests - the elite worldwide. After the holiday, the couple got into a limousine
and went on their honeymoon. Lisa Najeeb Halaby received the title of queen
and became the first American-born queen of an Arab country. For this, she had to renounce her American
citizenship. She was also in constant need of bodyguards
because King Hussein had survived more than 25 assassination attempts. “I had never imagined myself, nor aspired
to be, a member of a royal family. I wanted to be in the Peace Corps, not a princess!” - she said in an interview. The Jordanian people had conflicting feelings
towards the king's new wife. Some people were skeptical of her, believing
that a Western woman would never be able to belong in Jordan. Others knew about her Arab roots and were
glad the king could find new love after losing his previous wife. But young Queen Noor has truly captured the
hearts of many people. Firstly, even at the wedding, she delighted
the guests with her exquisite taste. Her wedding dress and hairstyle amazed everyone. Jordanians also sympathized with Noor when
they learned she had adopted the king's children from his previous marriage. Noor established good relations with the children
of the late Queen Alia and took over the royal house's management. "When I married, I was so touched and moved
and heartened by the fact that I was responded to ... as an Arab returning, rather than as
a foreigner coming in and setting up shop," she said. Queen Noor gave birth to a son, Hamzah, two
years after the wedding. A year later, their second son, Hashim, appeared. Later, two daughters were born into the family:
Princess Iman and Princess Raiyah. Contrary to the fears of many people who believed
that Noor, who grew up Christian, would be an outsider in Jordan, she gained significant
influence. Thanks to her Syrian grandfather, many considered
her not a foreigner but an Arab who had returned home. After the birth of her children, Queen Noor
became actively involved in social work. Thanks to her, innovative programs for women
and youth emerged in Jordan. Back in 1979, she founded the King Hussein
Foundation, which is still involved in such vital issues as education, medicine, culture,
and health care in Jordan. Queen Noor became known for her philanthropic
work, including advocacy for children, promoting peace and the removal of land mines, protecting
the environment from climate change, and advocating for cross-cultural understanding. Queen Noor also accompanied her husband everywhere
and supported him in everything. During their marriage, the king and queen
were nearly inseparable. She stood by his side at ceremonial events
and political activities. They looked so happy together. This marriage was the most joyful and longest
in the life of the King of Jordan. They lived together for 21 years. And they could have lived even longer if a
terrible disease had not taken the king’s life. In 1992, King Hussein was diagnosed with cancer
and underwent surgery at the Clinic in Minnesota to remove the cancer from his ureter and left
kidney. The king struggled with a severe illness for
seven years. All this time, his beloved wife was next to
him, who was a reliable support. The sickness brought them even closer. In 1998, the King was back at the Clinic receiving
treatment for lymphatic cancer. He also received a bone marrow transplant,
but his body rejected the new organ. It was clear that there was no more hope;
the king was gradually fading away. In this regard, the question of succession
to the throne arose. Queen Noor, who by that time had enormous
influence in Jordan, of course, dreamed that her oldest son Hamzah would become the next
heir to the throne or at least the crown prince. This would help her maintain power even after
the death of the king. Indeed, before his death, King Hussein bequeathed
that his oldest son from Queen Noor, Prince Hamzah, should become crown prince, and his
oldest son from Princess Muna, Abdullah II, should become heir to the throne. However, after the king died in 1999, the
position of Queen Noor was shaken. Abdullah II came to power with his wife, Queen
Rania. Five years after his father's death, Abdullah
deprived his brother Hamzah of the title of crown prince under the pretext that this title
allegedly limited his freedom. Of course, it was in Adbullah's interests
to appoint his son as crown prince, which he then did to avoid rivalry with his brother. Queen Noor has lost all hope that her children
will be able to gain power in Jordan. She retained her title of queen, but now Queen
Rania became Jordan's de facto first lady. Two queens could not get along in one palace,
so Noor had to leave the country, although she continued to work on behalf of numerous
international organizations. Queen Noor's position was further shaken after
her oldest son Hamzah was placed under house arrest in 2021 and lost his royal title for
criticizing the Jordanian government. Queen Noor, of course, supported her son and
was sure that these accusations were false. “Praying that truth and justice will prevail
for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe,” - she wrote
on her Twitter. This situation strained Queen Noor's relationship
with the ruling Jordanian royal family. She didn't even attend Crown Prince Hussein's
wedding in 2023. Noor had to leave Jordan, which became her
home country, and now she lives in the USA and the UK. She has accommodation in London and at her
country residence, Buckhurst Park, near Winkfield in Berkshire, and also in Washington. Today, Queen Noor is 72 years old, but she
actively participates in public life despite her age. She is still a global humanitarian and outspoken
advocate for international understanding. Today, she is also the grandmother of 12 grandchildren. After her husband's death, she never remarried. To this day, she continues to cherish the
memory of him. She sometimes publishes photographs of King
Hussein on her social media, which she usually signs with love messages. In her best-selling book, "Leap of Faith:
Memoirs of an Unexpected Life," Queen Noor describes the devotion she and King Hussein
shared as "magic." "You don't look for that (love); it finds
you," she said. "And it found me through him, and I am very
blessed for it." Even 24 years after her husband's death, she
still loves him. Don't you think this is very touching? Thanks for watching. Remember to share your thoughts with me, click
like, and subscribe. See you next time.
