Jordanian Royals Avoid Meeting Sussexes During Controversial Visit
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have experienced a notable absence of royal engagement during their recent humanitarian tour to Jordan, with King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Hussein conspicuously avoiding scheduled meetings with the couple. Harry and Meghan arrived in Amman late on Tuesday night, immediately embarking on a series of charity visits that generated numerous photographic opportunities, yet failed to secure audiences with Jordan's highest-ranking royals.
Diplomatic Protocol Questioned Amid Royal Absences
Royal insiders have described the couple's high-profile Jordan visit as "embarrassing" for King Charles III, particularly given the strong historical bonds between the British and Jordanian royal families. King Abdullah II, who was educated in Britain and served with the British army after graduating from Sandhurst Military Academy, maintains particularly warm relations with King Charles. The Jordanian monarch and his wife Queen Rania were special VVIP guests at the coronation last year, while Queen Rania has held multiple meetings with Queen Camilla to discuss women's issues.
Similarly, Crown Prince Hussein has developed a close friendship with Prince William in recent years, with the pair having spent time together both in Britain and Jordan. Their shared activities have ranged from watching football matches to joint visits to RAF bases, and the Prince and Princess of Wales attended Hussein's wedding in 2023. Despite these established connections, a Jordanian source confirmed to the Daily Mail that "there is no meeting scheduled between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Jordanian Royal Family."
Deliberate Avoidance or Scheduling Conflict?
King Abdullah appears to have deliberately arranged alternative engagements during the Sussexes' visit, including meetings with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Official photographs from the WHO meeting showed King Abdullah and Crown Prince Hussein with a substantial delegation, but Harry and Meghan were notably absent. This omission is particularly striking given that the Sussexes' own charity, Archewell Philanthropies, partners with the WHO.
A Jordanian source observed: "The fact the Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven't met King Abdullah and been given the traditional royal welcome is glaringly obvious. There has been no red carpet treatment, even though King Abdullah has met officials from the World Health Organisation who have been behind this visit."
Historical Royal Relationships Highlight Current Snub
The current situation contrasts sharply with historical royal friendships. King Abdullah's late father, King Hussein, who died in 1999, maintained excellent relations with Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles highlighted this connection during a 2013 visit to Amman, stating: "I feel this friendship in the most personal of ways, as Jordan has always been part of my life. His Majesty King Hussein came to the throne in 1952, the same year as my dear mother, the Queen. They would be of great mutual support to each other through the decades ahead."
The only Jordanian royal Harry and Meghan encountered during their visit was Princess Basma Bint Talal, an aunt of the current king, during a brief appearance at a venture run by the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development.
British Diplomatic Involvement Raises Questions
The couple's activities included an event at the British Ambassador's residence with WHO officials and embassy staff, which former Tory minister Tim Loughton branded "entirely inappropriate." Loughton, who is vying to become mayor of Sussex, questioned why Ambassador Phillip Hall had "rolled out the red carpet" for the couple, given their status as private citizens who have quit royal duties.
"They are not working royals and do not represent the British Government or UK PLC," Loughton told the Daily Mail. "Given their capacity to say unhelpful things which border on political, giving them an official platform could be construed as them saying something that represents official UK policy."
A royal insider described the British diplomatic involvement as "intriguing," suggesting: "Perhaps there's frustration at the Foreign Office at the lack of overseas visits by some members of the family and they see this as a chance to get the UK viewpoint over and showcase what Britain is doing in the region."
Analysis of the Royal Dynamic
Royal commentators have characterized the Sussexes' Jordan visit as a "pseudo royal tour," mimicking activities that working royals would typically undertake but lacking the ceremonial aspects. One insider noted: "It's a pseudo royal visit, mimicking many of the things they or William and Kate would have done when they were part of the Firm but it seems to be lacking in the ceremonial side of things."
Regarding whether tensions between the Sussexes and the wider Royal Family influenced the Jordanian response, a source added: "William's certainly close to the Crown Prince. They watched England beat Panama in a World Cup game together on TV in the Crown Prince's 'man cave' in the basement of the King and Queen's palace in Amman in 2018. William and Kate went to the Crown Prince's wedding to Rajwa in June 2023. In October last year William and the Crown Prince went on a joint visit to RAF Benson. Charles and the King are also pretty close."
The insider concluded: "Is it a snub? Harry and Meghan have met heads of state or other dignitaries on previous trips so you might expect it on this one. But it may never be known if this was a deliberate snub or a diary clash, for example."
