Princess muna al-hussein divorce

By Middle East Analyst Martin Asser

The accession of King Hussein's son, Abdullah II, may be secure, but a question mark still hangs over the hierarchy of the women in the ruling Hashemite dynasty of Jordan.

To date there is still only one queen, Noor, the late king's wife. She has been playing as prominent a public role as permitted her under the constraints on women imposed by Islamic funerary traditions.

But she is not the new king's mother. That position belongs to Princess Muna, born Antoinette (Toni) Gardiner, the colourful Englishwoman who divorced King Hussein in She is also holding court in the Jordanian capital and her prestige has been greatly enhanced by the accession of her son.

Princess muna al-hussein divorce

Princess muna al-hussein divorce settlement

Princess muna al-hussein divorce scandal

Princess muna al-hussein children

Princess muna al-hussein grandchildren

Then there is Princess Rania, King Abdullah's wife and mother of his four-year-old son, also - prophetically perhaps - called Hussein. Rania has not been given the title of Queen yet, but it is only a matter of time.

The Hashemite 'Dynasty'

If it all sounds like the s