Princess Basma bint Talal


Princess Basma bint Talal is the only daughter of King Talal and Queen Zein, sister of King Hussein and paternal aunt to the current king, King Abdullah II.

Background

Basma's father became King of Jordan two months after she was born as a result of the assassination of her grandfather King Abdullah I in Jerusalem. King Talal was forced to abdicate as King for health reasons in 1952, when Basma was one year old. He lived on until 1972. Her mother was Queen Zein. After her father's abdication, her older brother Hussein ascended the throne, and her mother was Queen Regent until Hussein came of age in 1953.

Education

Basma was educated at Ahliyyah School for Girls in Amman, then in England at Benenden School and University of Oxford, where she read Modern Languages.
In 2001, she was awarded a DPhil degree by Oxford University for a thesis entitled Contextualising development in Jordan: the arena of donors, state and NGOs.

Marriage and career

Basma first married Colonel Timoor Daghistani in Amman on 2 April 1970. They had two children. In the late 1970s they were divorced. Basma went on to marry Walid al-Kurdi in Amman on 14 April 1980, and they also had two children.
Since the late 1970s, Basma has worked to promote human development, gender equity and children's charities. Through forums that include the United Nations she contributes to the global debates on health, education, population and the environment.

Appointments

Title

National honours

National award