Prince Hamzah turns 34

AMMAN — HRH Prince Hamzah celebrated his 34th birthday on Saturday. 

Born in Amman on March 29, 1980, Prince Hamzah received his elementary education in the capital before completing his secondary studies at Harrow School in England.

He then enrolled at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, passing out as a commissioned officer on December 10, 1999 with several prizes including the Sandhurst Overseas Sword, granted to the best overseas cadet and the Prince Saud Abdullah Prize, presented to the cadet with the best aggregate mark in academic subjects.

His Majesty King Abdullah officially named him as crown prince on February 7, 1999 until November 28, 2004.

Serving as an officer in the Jordan Armed Forces’ 40th Armoured Brigade, Prince Hamzah attended several military courses and attachments in Jordan, the UK, Poland, Germany and the US.

Currently holding the rank of colonel, he served with the Jordan-United Arab Emirates force operating in the former Yugoslavia under the umbrella of international peacekeepers.

The prince graduated from Harvard University in 2006. He obtained his master’s degree in defence studies from King’s College, London, in July 2011.

He was sworn in as Regent on numerous occasions and deputised for King Abdullah on a number of missions in the Kingdom and abroad.

Prince Hamzah headed the Royal Advisory Committee on the Energy Sector and was also honorary president of the Jordan Basketball Federation.

The recipient of several decorations from Jordan and other countries including Bahrain, Italy and the Netherlands, Prince Hamzah chaired the Royal Consultative Commission on energy. 

The prince is also the chairman of the board of trustees of the Royal Automobile Museum, president of the Royal Aero Sports Club of Jordan and president of Al Shajarah (Tree) Protection Society.

The prince’s daughter HRH Princess Haya was born on April 18, 2007.

He married Princess Basmah on January 12, 2012, and on November 3, 2012, they welcomed a baby girl, named HRH Princess Zein.

The prince is a qualified rotor and fixed-wing aircraft pilot, and enjoys other sports such as free-fall diving, target-shooting and horseback riding.