Basma bint Talal

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 (1916–1994). After her father's abdication, her older brother Hussein (1935–1999) 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 (where she was a friend of Princess Anne) 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 together:

In the late 1970s, they divorced and Basma went on to marry Walid al-Kurdi in Amman, on 14 April 1980. They also had two children together:

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.

Walid al-Kurdi is now wanted extradited by Jordan on embezzlement charges, he lives in Britain.

Appointments

Title

National honours

Foreign honours

National award

Foreign awards