Princess Muna al-Hussein


Princess Muna Al-Hussein is the mother of King Abdullah II of Jordan. She was the second wife of King Hussein; the couple divorced on 21 December 1972. She is British by birth, and changed her name to Muna Al-Hussein upon marriage.

Early life

Muna Al-Hussein was born Antoinette Avril Gardiner in Chelmondiston, Suffolk, England, the daughter of Doris Elizabeth and Walter Percy "Tony" Gardiner. She attended Bourne School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which was administered by the British Families Education Service for the children of British service personnel stationed overseas, where she was an A-grade field hockey player. The school closed when British forces withdrew from Malaya.
Gardiner's father was a British Army officer who finished his career with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was the son of Arthur Gardiner, a gamekeeper. He joined the Royal Engineers at the age of 17, and was stationed in Mandatory Palestine for 18 months in the 1930s. He later served in France, North Africa, and Italy during World War II.

Marriage and children

Gardiner met the King of Jordan, Hussein, while working as a secretarial assistant on the film set of Lawrence of Arabia. The King had allowed his troops to work as extras on this film and would occasionally visit to monitor the production's progress. However, there is another report, stating that Gardiner and the King met when her father began to work as a military adviser in Jordan.
Gardiner married King Hussein in Amman, Jordan, on 25 May 1961. Together they had four children:
They were divorced on 21 December 1972. After her divorce, she was allowed to keep the style of Royal Highness and the title of Princess of Jordan. She continues to work and live in Jordan.

Causes and activities

She is involved in the development of nursing in Jordan, founding the Princess Muna Scholarship Fund for Nursing. In 1962, she founded the Princess Muna College of Nursing, now the Princess Muna College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions.

Honours

National