Prince Hussein was still only 17, so a three-man regency council ruled until he reached 18. In the meantime, he returned to England to take an accelerated military course at Sandhurst. Hussein was an enthusiastic cadet, enduring with good humour the discipline, drill, and the bellowing of drill-sergeants who called him "Mr King Hussein, sir!"
At the time of his coronation, on May 2 1953, King Hussein was just 18 (by the Islamic calendar). His cousin Faisal was also crowned King of Iraq on the same day.
In 1955 King Hussein made the first of his four marriages: he wed a distant Hashemite cousin, Dina Abd al-Hamid al-Awn. Queen Dina was an urbane Egyptian intellectual, with a degree in English from Girton College, Cambridge; King Hussein preferred fast cars. When, after only 18 months of marriage, Dina travelled to Cairo to visit a cousin, Hussein wrote from Amman to tell her that the marriage was over. They had one daughter, Alia.
In 1961, King Hussein married for the second time, Antoinette ("Toni") Gardiner, a 19-year-old English girl from a military family. Unlike Dina, Toni Gardiner was sporty and informal. "It was the Amman Go-Kart Club that really brought us together," Hussein wrote later. His new queen became a Muslim and took the name Muna. They had two sons - the eldest of whom, Abdullah, was eventually named the heir to the throne and twin girls. However, their marriage ended in 1972, when King Hussein divorced her to marry Alia Toukan, a vivacious Palestinian. She bore a son and a daughter and was an active and popular queen until she was killed in a helicopter crash in 1974.
He married, in 1978, as his fourth wife, Lisa Halabi. Queen Noor, as she became, was the daughter of the Arab-American president of Pan American Airways. She quickly assumed a high profile in Jordanian affairs and worked hard to gain the affection of her husband's people. They had two sons and two daughters.
He was happiest when with his family in their small but comfortable compound in Aqaba, where he could water-ski and take meals when he chose. He charmed all who met him with his courtesy and had a disarming habit of addressing men as "Sir", regardless of their rank. He was never a man to spend more time than he had to behind a desk, and the daily routine around him followed an informal pattern. He rose late in the morning, and continued work until late into the night, often keeping visitors awake long past their usual bedtimes by screening films at midnight.
On 7 February 1999, King Hussein died, he was one of the longest-serving leaders in international politics. He had been the King of Jordan for over 46 years. His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal, the father of modern Jordan, will always be remembered as a leader who guided his country through strife and turmoil to become an oasis of peace, stability and moderation in the Middle East. Among Jordanians, his memory is cherished as the inspiration for Jordan's climate of openness, tolerance and compassion. Known to his people as Al-Malik Al-Insan "The Humane King", King Hussein established a legacy which promises to guide Jordan for many years to come !!!!
Height: 0.5 inch or 1.4 cm Height: 0.4 inches or 1 cm Height: 1.75 inches or 4.5 cm
Length: 5.5 inches or 14 cm Length: 5.5 inches or 14.1 cm Length: 6.75 inches or 17 cm
Weight: 1.25 ozs or 36 grams Weight: 1oz or 28 grams Width: 3.5 inches or 9 cm
If you're a silver collector then this box set is a must-have, quality item to add to any collection. Just so impressive and will be a real talking point amongst your friends. This fabulous regal silver pen/pencil are in superb original condition, trust me, whoever purchases this, will not be disappointed.
A very well defined, stunning Jordanian regal silver pen/pencil gift set ..... items this good, don't come up for sale that often. It's certainly one of the best pen sets we've ever seen. Just pure quality and the workmanship in this fabulous pen set is truly exquisite.
Regal silver items with real provenance are appreciating in value and have become so very collectable. (Better than keeping your money in the bank). This stunning silver Waterman pen & pencil, a gift from a king, that would make an ideal gift. What you're purchasing here, is a truly fabulous silver pen & pencil with regal history. This is an extremely rare find indeed, I've only got one, and once it's gone .... it's gone. You'll never find another one of this quality, and if there's one thing I've learned about antiques when items are of quality and extremely rare he who hesitates usually loses out.
This beautiful silver/gilt Waterman gentleman's pen/pencil will be sent out, recorded, special delivery with insurance.
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