Zahran Palace

A landmark steeped in history opens its doors for Royal wedding

Zahran Main Door  Zahran Palace royal court
(File photo: Jordan News)
AMMAN — With less than a week to go, the highly anticipated wedding ceremony of HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II and Miss Rajwa Khaled Al-Saif is set to take place on June 1, 2023 at the iconic Zahran Palace, a landmark filled with Royal history.اضافة اعلان


Built in 1957, the palace is known for hosting previous Royal weddings, including His Majesty King Abdullah II, and the late His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal. 

The word zahran, which translates to blooming flower encompasses the palace’s green ground and overlooks one of Amman’s oldest neighborhoods, Jabal Amman. 


June 10, 1993The last time the palace hosted a wedding was June 10, 1993, when His Majesty married Her Majesty. 

They will celebrate their 30th anniversary this year. 

During their ceremony, masses of Jordanians gathered in the streets, waving to the couple, and scattering flowers. 

His Majesty wore black military clothing, while Her Majesty wore a white satin dress with edges embroidered in gold. 

HRH Prince Iman wore her mother’s bridal belt from that day during her henna ceremony in March. 


The palace’s residentsThe palace was used as a residence for Her Majesty Queen Zein al-Sharaf, who is the grandmother of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the mother of the late His Majesty King Hussein and the wife of His Majesty King Talal. She resided there until her death on April 24, 1994.

The palace interestingly was the first to be built outside the Royal Court compound, and was intended as a diplomatic neighborhood in West Amman.


The palace todayToday, the palace has remained the Hashemite headquarters for official ceremonies and a home for the Hashemite family when celebrating social and private occasions. 

The neighborhood surrounding the iconic palace is a mix of modern buildings and embassy headquarters. 

It is also used to welcome ambassadors to the Kingdom during meetings and gatherings.


Celebrations underwayOn Monday, Her Majesty Queen Rania hosted a dinner party at the Royal Hashemite Court’s Madarab Bani Hashem where performances of traditional Jordanian and Saudi songs by local artists were featured.

The celebrations will round off a bumper year for the family, who in March gathered to celebrate the wedding of HRH Prince Iman to Mr. Jameel Alexander Thermiotis. 

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