Amman locks down for King and Queen’s state visit

Autumn begins for the King and Queen with a trip to Jordan. It is their third visit to the Hashemite country but the first official one since the proclamation of Don Felipe in 2014. In 2004 they arrived in Jordan as a stopover on their honeymoon. Years later, in 2011, they returned as Prince and Princess of Asturias. The dates of this meeting are between 5 and 7 October. The security challenges in their reunion with Abdullah II and Rania are very high.

Preparations for this trip have been a major challenge from a logistical and security point of view due to its proximity to Israel and Palestine and the Gaza Strip, which is suffering from the Israeli military offensive launched after the Hamas attacks in October last year. In just a few weeks, on October 7, it will be one year since the war, which has already claimed the lives of 41,000 people. This trip is coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose recommendation is clear: do not approach the border.

The war has led to the coordination of Spanish and Jordanian forces to ensure the safety of the four kings. A precise plan to seal off Amman, the capital.

Three days of visits have been scheduled for the first week of October, just before the National Day on the 12th and the big event in Oviedo with the Princess of Asturias Awards on the 25th. During the stay of Felipe VI and Letizia in Jordan, two gala dinners are planned: one that Abdullah II and Rania will offer to their guests and one that the King and Queen of Spain will offer to their hosts as is fitting in their honour. The monarch is also expected to give the traditional speech and meet with Letizia and the Spanish community living in Jordan.

Letizia has an excellent relationship with Rania. Both women of their time, mothers and professionals in their fields of work (education, childhood and equality), are also passionate about fashion. During the last visit of the King and Queen of Jordan to Madrid, in June 2023, I saw a Rania with a very sophisticated, exquisite and refined look. A queen who has a weakness for pink and chalk colours in summer and who loves black, red and blue in winter. Givenchy, for the day; and Valentino, for the night. This trip will give us the opportunity to see this much-discussed style duel between the two consorts.