Queen Rania on women’s royal empowerment

The Queen of Jordan has described the late Queen Elizabeth II as “public service personified” and a role model “she always looked up to”.

In a special interview with ITV News presenter Mary Nightingale, Queen Rania said the late monarch “really demonstrated what it means to be queen”.
“For all of us – I think she set that bar really high.”
“She experienced so much over her life, that it’s actually hard to believe that one person could have been exposed to so much in one lifetime,” she adds.

Queen Rania of Jordan was born in Kuwait and was forced to flee during the first Gulf War in 1991, Queen Rania’s early life was much like thousands of other Palestinians’. In 1993 she met Prince Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of Jordan at a party, and the two were married six months later.

Rania is seen as a strong progressive female voice in the Arab world and a powerful global advocate for education, health and women’s rights. She told ITV News that she would often turn to the Queen for advice about how to balance her public duties with personal life and “how to keep strong in the face of challenges”.

“She gave me a lot of guidance, just even small tips,” Queen Rania said.

“For that, I’m eternally grateful.”

Queen Rania also spoke of her special bond with the Queen, as King Hussein” – Rania’s father-in-law ascended the throne in Jordan just months after Queen Elizabeth II’s accession in February 1952.

While Rania only met Britain’s longest reigning monarch a few times, she says this made those few occasions “more special”.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II left the kingdom yesterday on a visit to the UK, where he will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in London on Monday. 2,000 people, including hundreds of world leaders and royalty, have been invited to the funeral, including US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Japanese Emperor Naruhito and French President Emmanuel Macron.