Queen Alia Al Hussein (1948-1977): Information and Pictures
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Laura Lovec
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Indeed Salma ! , Queen Alia was a beautiful queen.It's a true tragedy that she died. 
I think that king Hussein and queen Alia were very happy together.He did cheat while he was married to queen Muna,but I don't know if he cheat to Alia,when they were married.Princess Haya looks like her mother,the same smile and the same expression. Queen Noor was a good queen, but I think that if Alia didn't die that she would be the best queen that Jordan ever had.
I think that king Hussein and queen Alia were very happy together.He did cheat while he was married to queen Muna,but I don't know if he cheat to Alia,when they were married.Princess Haya looks like her mother,the same smile and the same expression. Queen Noor was a good queen, but I think that if Alia didn't die that she would be the best queen that Jordan ever had.Thank you Salma for posting this! I'm not sure how true this is but I've heard that King Hussein was very much in love with Queen Alia and that he built a castle where he put her to rest after she passed on. Maybe we could try and find a good biography of hers to put in here
Humera
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I had no idea King Hussein cheated on his wife. Did he cheat on all four of them?
Were these just rumours or was there substantial proof that he was unfaithful?
I suppose thats why the first two of his marriages ended in divorce
Were these just rumours or was there substantial proof that he was unfaithful?
I suppose thats why the first two of his marriages ended in divorce
salma
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It was in Cairo on the 25th of December 1948 that Alia Baha Uddin Toukan was born, her father being the Jordanian Ambassador to Egypt. Alia was one year old when King Hussein first saw her. The King was thirteen years old and was on his way to attend Victoria College in Egypt. He used to spend the school holidays and most of the weekends at the Ambassador’s residence where, as he told me later, he used to play with my mother and help my Grandmother Hanan Toukan babysitting her!
Alia moved with her family from one country to another as her father changed his Diplomatic appointments throughout her childhood. She attended different schools and consequently learned several languages and made many friends. As the Toukan family settled in Rome for five years, she attended the University of Loyola in Rome where she studied Political Science and graduated with a degree before moving back to Jordan. There, at a wedding of the “Maadi” family, my Father saw my Mother again after many years. She and her family arrived late at the wedding. My Father was already seated, next to His Royal Highness Sharif Zeid Bin Shaker. As she came in, he turned to ask him who she was. Sharif Zeid answered him, “That’s Alia Toukan! Baha’s daughter.” He went over to her and told her that just the thought he was, not long ago, playing with her when she was only one year old at the Jordanian Embassy in Cairo made him feel so old! As they were chatting, he was asked to open the buffet. He asked her, in turn, if she would join him. She agreed and they opened the buffet together. That incident was the start of their re-aquaintence. They kept in touch and their friendship developed throughout her father’s next appointment to New York. In NY, she attended Hunter College and graduated with a Masters Degree in Business and Public Relations, and a minor degree in Psychology. Her dream at that time was to be a diplomat like her father.
That was a dream that would come true in a way, but perhaps not the way she thought it would. After the return of the Toukan family from New York to Amman, Alia started work in “Alia Airlines” in the Public Relations Department. She had worked there for two months, when King Hussein requested her to organise the Water Ski Championships in Aqaba, which was sponsored by “Alia Airlines” (note Alia Airlines is named after King Hussein’s eldest daughter HRH Princess Alia Bint Al Hussein.) Alia, my mother, took control and organized the whole event, together with Simon Khoury,the Lebanese World Champion in Water Skiing. He was a good friend of my father, and was based in Aqaba. Six months later, King Hussein was engaged to Alia Baha Uddin Toukan. After a four-month engagement period they were married, on the 24th of December 1971,one day before my mother’s birthday. December would be our lucky month especially that HRH Prince Ali was also born in December (1975). So we have three consecutive days of celebrations in December: the 23rd, Ali’s birthday; the 24th, my parents wedding anniversary and the 25th, my mother’s birthday. It was an on going joke in our house that it was lucky my father, Abir, and I had birthdays in other months just to find a reason for celebration at a different time of the year.
Alia moved with her family from one country to another as her father changed his Diplomatic appointments throughout her childhood. She attended different schools and consequently learned several languages and made many friends. As the Toukan family settled in Rome for five years, she attended the University of Loyola in Rome where she studied Political Science and graduated with a degree before moving back to Jordan. There, at a wedding of the “Maadi” family, my Father saw my Mother again after many years. She and her family arrived late at the wedding. My Father was already seated, next to His Royal Highness Sharif Zeid Bin Shaker. As she came in, he turned to ask him who she was. Sharif Zeid answered him, “That’s Alia Toukan! Baha’s daughter.” He went over to her and told her that just the thought he was, not long ago, playing with her when she was only one year old at the Jordanian Embassy in Cairo made him feel so old! As they were chatting, he was asked to open the buffet. He asked her, in turn, if she would join him. She agreed and they opened the buffet together. That incident was the start of their re-aquaintence. They kept in touch and their friendship developed throughout her father’s next appointment to New York. In NY, she attended Hunter College and graduated with a Masters Degree in Business and Public Relations, and a minor degree in Psychology. Her dream at that time was to be a diplomat like her father.
That was a dream that would come true in a way, but perhaps not the way she thought it would. After the return of the Toukan family from New York to Amman, Alia started work in “Alia Airlines” in the Public Relations Department. She had worked there for two months, when King Hussein requested her to organise the Water Ski Championships in Aqaba, which was sponsored by “Alia Airlines” (note Alia Airlines is named after King Hussein’s eldest daughter HRH Princess Alia Bint Al Hussein.) Alia, my mother, took control and organized the whole event, together with Simon Khoury,the Lebanese World Champion in Water Skiing. He was a good friend of my father, and was based in Aqaba. Six months later, King Hussein was engaged to Alia Baha Uddin Toukan. After a four-month engagement period they were married, on the 24th of December 1971,one day before my mother’s birthday. December would be our lucky month especially that HRH Prince Ali was also born in December (1975). So we have three consecutive days of celebrations in December: the 23rd, Ali’s birthday; the 24th, my parents wedding anniversary and the 25th, my mother’s birthday. It was an on going joke in our house that it was lucky my father, Abir, and I had birthdays in other months just to find a reason for celebration at a different time of the year.
Hi everybody I just wanted to add something that will show you how queen alia felt when she was a queen.
I read once a book called 'the first lady' by a famous Arabic writer named Anis mansour.
Any way, the book was about famous first ladies all over the world .in the chapter of the wife of prime minister of Canada in the seventies Margaret Trudeau He mentioned queen alia in it because she was her friend ,in a letter she sent to queen alia which expressed how depressed she was and how her husband is so far away ,queen alia replied..
I've read your letter and I felt as if I was talking to my self. It's the same misery, lonesome inside of me and lies surrounding me, and it's hard to have our own friends, but u are much better than me.. Your husband well leave politics and come back to you but my husband is busy with forever politics.....till he dies
She later say an advice…. when your husband is way..Shout ….break …scream. ..cry ..cry…. because in that you will feel comfort .I've tried it, I felted better and made others feel that too ..
Of course everybody knows that in the seventies Jordan been through many crises and king Hussein was saved from many assassination plans.
thats very sad isn't it
I read once a book called 'the first lady' by a famous Arabic writer named Anis mansour.
Any way, the book was about famous first ladies all over the world .in the chapter of the wife of prime minister of Canada in the seventies Margaret Trudeau He mentioned queen alia in it because she was her friend ,in a letter she sent to queen alia which expressed how depressed she was and how her husband is so far away ,queen alia replied..
I've read your letter and I felt as if I was talking to my self. It's the same misery, lonesome inside of me and lies surrounding me, and it's hard to have our own friends, but u are much better than me.. Your husband well leave politics and come back to you but my husband is busy with forever politics.....till he dies
She later say an advice…. when your husband is way..Shout ….break …scream. ..cry ..cry…. because in that you will feel comfort .I've tried it, I felted better and made others feel that too ..
Of course everybody knows that in the seventies Jordan been through many crises and king Hussein was saved from many assassination plans.
thats very sad isn't it
Josefine
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what year was she boen and what year did she die?
hi banadoora ''i like your name'',well to send pictures u have two ways ,u can press on the img button and then write down the url which u can cut and past ,or u can can attach a file from your computer in the small box down there, in my arabic computer they called it 'استعراض' ,i hope iam right ,any way good luck
pegassuss2525
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Sean,
You had mentioned that Ali was Palestinean. I haven't read anything that stated Queen Alia was a Palestinean. Can you let me know were you found that out at? The only information I have found on Queen Alia states that she was Arab. I would like to find out more about her. Thanks.
You had mentioned that Ali was Palestinean. I haven't read anything that stated Queen Alia was a Palestinean. Can you let me know were you found that out at? The only information I have found on Queen Alia states that she was Arab. I would like to find out more about her. Thanks.
Well, it is a widely known fact that Alia Toukan was Palestinian. I guess it's one of those things that I've always known. You can do a Google Search using the words Queen Alia or Alia Toukon.
Btw, have you seen the Queen Alia memorial?
http://archnet.org/library/images/one-imag...?image_id=25187
pegassuss2525
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Thanks! A few of the sources probably did state she was Palestinean but the majority simply state that she was Arab. I definately need to update my sources since most of them are from my college days. I just haven't had the time lately. Thanks for the link to the memorial. I haven't seen it yet.
Q Alia's ancestors came from Nablus, every1 knows that- she has been studying around the world , as her dad was a J Ambassador, her mum and 1 of her brother, a doctor ,still live in Rome, we have a pic of Hayah and her grandma in Rome, Q Alia, who met KH as a child, in Egypt, studied at St. Ignazio di Loyola, in Rome.
B
bluetortuga
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That is true. Q Alia was from the Tawqan clan, a Circassian clan but the family name was arabized to Touqan as a result of her family's migration Palestine then Egypt. Prince Ali is fluent in Circassian. Therefore the only full Arab child of K. Hussein is P. Alia, his first child. None of his sons are full Arabs.
alia_musallam
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Circassians are not Arabs! They do not consider themselves as Arabs, in fact the huge Circassian population in Jordan don't even seem to consider themsleves Jordanian particularly, though of course they are, especially because they are the ones who first inhabited and built Amman, Salt and Jerash since the old cities fell into ruin and before King Abdullah I arrived from the Hijaz. In fact before he had a palace built he used to live with Circassian families in Salt and Amman. But Ali is not fully Arab, he represents the current ethnic mix that is Jordan.
princess alia is jordanian from salt, her fathers house still there ,it is an old and now a museum of jordanian heritage,
it is true that touqan clan is originally palastinian clan but queen alia belongs to the jordanian branch of this family who lived in jordan before 1948 .
it is true that touqan clan is originally palastinian clan but queen alia belongs to the jordanian branch of this family who lived in jordan before 1948 .
maryshawn
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There used to be a nice site--only one I could find--at Princess Haya's Team Harmony site. It was down for awhile. May be up again. Worth a try.
BTW, thank you all who have posted these lovely photos......keep posting when you can. I think Alia was a great queen and a lovely person.
Interestingly enough, there is a picture of Queen Alia and the future Queen Noor together......it is at the airport in Amman welcoming the first jumbo jet. Alia is with Hussein in middle and Lisa Halaby is off to one side in the front with her father, Najeeb, who was instrumental in the development of the Royal Jordanian Airline. I saw it in a video and a book by Alia, the Royal Jordanian Airline, commemorating the King's birthday/accesnion to the throne. Interesting. In QN's book, I wish she had mentioned more of her impressions of that meeting and Alia.
BTW, thank you all who have posted these lovely photos......keep posting when you can. I think Alia was a great queen and a lovely person.
Interestingly enough, there is a picture of Queen Alia and the future Queen Noor together......it is at the airport in Amman welcoming the first jumbo jet. Alia is with Hussein in middle and Lisa Halaby is off to one side in the front with her father, Najeeb, who was instrumental in the development of the Royal Jordanian Airline. I saw it in a video and a book by Alia, the Royal Jordanian Airline, commemorating the King's birthday/accesnion to the throne. Interesting. In QN's book, I wish she had mentioned more of her impressions of that meeting and Alia.
Oh, he was deeply in love and built an exquisite mosque for her which can be seen for miles.......the way things are going, if Queen Noor were to die tomorrow (God forbid), she will not be treated the same way. With Hamzah's attitude and the feelings of King Abdullah who is being guided by Rania (I bet at least re: Noor), she'll be lucky to be buried in Jordan......if that is her wish.....and in a modest grave or in the Tomb of the Unknown American Queen (that's sarcasm) on some hill in the most unreachable outback of the country......OK, I am really being sarcastic but she will not have a mosque/masoleum like Alia's.Originally posted by Banadoora@Nov 13th, 2003 - 3:47 pm
Thank you Salma for posting this! I'm not sure how true this is but I've heard that King Hussein was very much in love with Queen Alia and that he built a castle where he put her to rest after she passed on. Maybe we could try and find a good biography of hers to put in here
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sommone
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Wow she really was beautiful. It's really sad she died so young.
Queen Alia is also mentioned briefly in Barbara Bush's autobiography where she refers to the late Queen as 'our little friend Alia'.... from what I have read - King Hussein was deeply in love with Queen Alia.. and he had met QNoor when QAlia was still alive - but apparently there were no sparks as he was (again from what I've read) deeply commited to Alia.. he was said to have been devastated by her death and I doubt he was ever in love with Noor the way he loved Alia - their match just seemed like it was true love..
They married on Dec 24 - the day before Alia's birthday.. Prince Ali was born on Dec 23..
The King knew Alia all of her Life.. and when he saw her again years later - he was apparently smitten.. he was married to Muna and he divorced Muna and married Alia immediately.. he looked so happy on their wedding day..
I agree that Queen Noor would not be treated the same as Alia - I also believe that had Alia lived she would have been the greatest Queen not just Jordan knew, but one of the greatest Queens in history - the succession story would have also been a totally different one..
One wonders what she would have thought about Princess Haya's marriage to Mo..
They married on Dec 24 - the day before Alia's birthday.. Prince Ali was born on Dec 23..
The King knew Alia all of her Life.. and when he saw her again years later - he was apparently smitten.. he was married to Muna and he divorced Muna and married Alia immediately.. he looked so happy on their wedding day..
I agree that Queen Noor would not be treated the same as Alia - I also believe that had Alia lived she would have been the greatest Queen not just Jordan knew, but one of the greatest Queens in history - the succession story would have also been a totally different one..
One wonders what she would have thought about Princess Haya's marriage to Mo..
maryshawn
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I had heard, but then Jordan as we know is full of rumours, that the late king had a some point expressed a wish to be buried next to Q. Alia. [/b][/quote]
I had heard the same thing--and it would make sense. Wonder who made the decision to bury him elsewhere? I mean, Clark Gable's last wife--a wonderful, fun lady who really took care of him and gave him a son---made sure he was buried next to Carole Lombard--the wife who he adored and was killed in a plane crash at age 33 in 1942. Now that was classy.
I remember reading that Ali said King Hussein was now reunited with Queen Alia.. surely he must have loved her until the day he died - no matter how happy Noor made him - because True love lasts forever..
I think he may have made his wishes as to where he wanted to be buried - known before his death... King Hussein was very smart and surely gave clear instructions.
I think he may have made his wishes as to where he wanted to be buried - known before his death... King Hussein was very smart and surely gave clear instructions.
Jackswife
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No doubt, Alia was very well-liked and popular in Jordan, and her death was a tragedy. But Hussein *did* remarry a year or so after her death, so I'm sure he realized that, even though he had loved Alia deeply, his loneliness and need for companionship made another marriage almost inevitable. But she was absolutely gorgeous and smart and capable, and if she *had* lived, given her level of popularity among Jordanians, she would have accomplished a lot for her country.
I totally agree with you Jackswife!!
Was the helicopter crash an accident or was it a deliberate assassination?
I've heard people say it was deliberate and others say it was an accident. Does anyone know which is the truth?
I ask because during the 70's - there were numerous attempts on the King's Life and there was so much turmoil even back then..
Was the helicopter crash an accident or was it a deliberate assassination?
I've heard people say it was deliberate and others say it was an accident. Does anyone know which is the truth?
I ask because during the 70's - there were numerous attempts on the King's Life and there was so much turmoil even back then..
Jackswife
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I guess anytime a tragedy like Alia's happens, there is always speculation about the cause. I've not heard credible evidenc that this was anything other than a horrible tragic accident. I believe she was returning from visiting a hospital when the crash occurred.
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