The Duchess of Cambridge made an unexpected appearance alongside Prince William as they greeted two royal friends at Windsor Castle. Kate was visibly delighted as she and William welcomed Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and his wife, Princess Rajwa, for an audience this morning. The meeting, originally scheduled for William and the Crown Prince, became a warm gathering with the addition of Kate and Rajwa. The couples, who share a close friendship, posed for a photo in the castle, with Kate elegantly dressed in a recycled camel-colored Roland Mouret trouser suit while Rajwa chose a smart black and white ensemble.
Ahead of their visit to RAF Benson in Oxfordshire this afternoon, where they interacted with personnel and learned about operational roles and experiences worldwide, William and Hussein met at the RAF base. RAF Benson provides crucial support for UK military operations globally and houses various Squadrons, including No. 22 Squadron, which focuses on operational testing, evaluation, tactics, and training. The visit coincided with No. 22 Sqn’s 110th anniversary celebration.
Among the crew at the site were Lt Col Mohammad Yousef Awad Alzu’bi, a Jordanian pilot from RAF Shawbury, and Flt Lt Peter (PJ) Howard, who had trained the Prince of Wales during flying lessons at RAF Shawbury. Both the Prince of Wales and the Crown Prince of Jordan are trained helicopter pilots, with the prince receiving training at RAF Shawbury and later as a search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley with No. 22 Sqn, which relocated to RAF Benson in 2020. The Crown Prince completed his pilot training with the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) in 2019.
A spokesperson from Kensington Palace emphasized the strong relationship and mutual support between Prince William and Crown Prince Hussein, highlighting their shared respect for the Armed Forces. The close bond between Hussein and William became evident years ago when William visited Hussein’s residence in Jordan during a solo trip, where they watched a football match together.
Hussein and Rajwa tied the knot in 2023 in a grand royal wedding attended by dignitaries from across the globe, including William, Kate, Princess Beatrice, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Their first child, Princess Iman, was born in August the following year. Jordan holds a special significance for Kate, who spent three years there as a child when her father worked for British Airways. In 2021, the couple visited Jordan for a private holiday, with a memorable family picture at Petra featuring on their Christmas card that year, fulfilling William’s promise to take his family to Jordan following his 2018 visit.