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Today, Prince Harry and Meghan embarked on an eventful two-day journey to Jordan, a nation cherished by Prince William and Kate. During their visit, they engaged with individuals dedicated to aiding refugees.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex participated in a roundtable discussion that included representatives from the United Nations, various agencies, diplomatic officials, and benefactors.
Since stepping back from their roles as senior royals in 2020 to pursue greater personal and financial autonomy, the couple accepted an invitation from the World Health Organization (WHO) to visit Jordan.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, extended a warm welcome to Harry and Meghan as they arrived at the organization’s office in Amman. Meghan, dressed in a sleek white jacket and trousers, received a kiss and hug, while Harry was also greeted with an embrace.
Their visit, reportedly pre-announced to Buckingham Palace officials, takes place just two weeks after Prince William’s diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia.
Harry’s estranged brother and sister-in-law Kate already have close ties with Jordan, and were surprise guests at the royal wedding of its Crown Prince in 2023.
The Waleses watched Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II marry his Saudi Arabian bride Rajwa Alseif at an Islamic marriage ceremony known as a ‘katb ktab’.
Kate’s family lived in Amman for a period the mid-1980s when she was young girl and the couple enjoyed a 2021 holiday in the Middle East country with their children.
William also welcomed Crown Prince Hussein to RAF Benson in Oxfordshire for a tour last October to meet his former flight squadron during the Jordanian heir’s UK trip.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Health Organisation roundtable in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Health Organisation roundtable in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Health Organisation roundtable in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
The Duke of Sussex attends a World Health Organisation roundtable in Amman, Jordan, today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
In addition, Crown Prince Hussein’s mother Queen Rania is a member of the Earthshot Prize Council, the judging panel for William’s environmental prize.Â
William visited Jordan in 2018 and was joined on a number of official visits by Crown Prince Hussein, with the two men memorably watching a football match together.
As for Harry and Meghan, the couple will meet Jordanian leaders and senior health officials and engage with WHO teams across today and tomorrow.
The Sussexes will also visit frontline health and mental health programmes and meet World Central Kitchen staff co-ordinating food relief for Gaza from Amman.
And they will go to the social development organisation Questscope’s youth centre to hear from young people participating in creative and wellbeing programmes.
Around the table today sat senior figures from UN agencies like UNWRA, UNHCR, World Food Programme, Unicef and diplomatic attendees from countries like the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Canada the EU.
Philip Hall, British Ambassador to Jordan, thanked the Sussexes for travelling to the Middle East: ‘So I would simply say thank you very much indeed for coming.
‘Your visit, your support, your appreciation of the efforts that the United Nations, including of course, the World Health Organisation, the government of Jordan and others, are making here is enormously appreciated. So thank you for coming.’
Jordan has received wave after wave of refugees beginning with Palestinians more than 80 years ago, who now number around 2.5million people, and Syrians who fled conflict in their country until recently ruled by President Bashar al-Assad.
The Duchess of Sussex attends a World Health Organisation roundtable in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Health Organisation roundtable in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
Sheri Ritsema-Anderson and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at today’s event in Amman
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at a World Health Organisation roundtable in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Health Organisation roundtable in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a World Health Organisation event in Amman today
The Duke of Sussex attends a World Health Organisation roundtable in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Health Organisation roundtable in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Health Organisation roundtable in Jordan today
Philip Hall, UK ambassador to Jordan, attends today’s World Health Organisation roundtable
The latest wave of displaced people has flowed from the Israeli government’s Gaza war against Hamas, launched after Hamas atrocities committed during the October 7 attacks.
The ambassador also told the assembled group about one of the developments needed to resolve the issues faced by Palestinians: ‘And of course, the last point is just to say a lasting solution of this requires a regional peace.
‘It requires, in particular, peace between Palestine and Israel and the two state solution – that’s easily said, we all know it’s very hard to achieve, but we’re all working on that too.’
Their visit comes during a time of crisis for the Royal Family after Harry’s uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office last Thursday.
The 66-year-old remains on bail and Harry has not spoken out about the current turmoil engulfing his family.
Since moving to California in 2020 for a new life the Sussexes have carried out a number of foreign visits that have taken the form of official trips they made when still part of ‘The Firm’ as the royal family is colloquially known.
Prince William tours the Old Town of AlUla during his royal visit to Saudi Arabia on February 11
William welcomes Crown Prince Hussein to RAF Benson in Oxfordshire for a tour last October
It comes as Meghan is said to be considering a return to British soil this summer for the first time in four years – but only if the couple are satisfied with security arrangements.
The Duchess is looking at joining her husband at the upcoming Invictus Games one-year countdown event in Birmingham on July 10, ahead of next year’s competition.
She has attended similar ceremonies in both Canada and Germany, and sources have said she is keen to do the same in the UK, provided safety concerns are handled.
In December, Harry was said to be thrilled the Home Office was reviewing his security provisions in the UK following a long-running legal battle.
Such a visit would mark Meghan’s first trip back to Britain since September 2022, when she attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
The couple’s children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, have not been in the UK since Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.