By Canadian Press

Jordan says prince apologizes over last year’s palace feud

Mar 8, 2022 | 11:04 AM

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The royal court in Jordan said Tuesday that the half-brother of King Abdullah II has apologized for his role in a rare palace feud last year and is seeking the king’s forgiveness.

Prince Hamzah was accused of involvement in a plot to destabilize the Western-allied kingdom and was placed under house arrest last April. In a video statement at the time he denied the allegations, saying he was being punished for speaking out against official corruption.

Abdullah accused his brother of sedition but said the dispute was being resolved within the family and that Hamzah remained in his own palace under the king’s protection. Two former senior officials implicated in the alleged plot were convicted of sedition and sentenced to 15 years in prison by a state security court.

Hamzah has only appeared in public once since the feud and has not made any statements. Last month, the court announced the birth of Hamzah’s son. His mother, Queen Noor, shared a photo on Twitter of him holding the baby.

The court on Tuesday released a letter it said was from Hamzah, dated March 6, apologizing for his actions and asking for forgiveness from the king. It said the two had met on Sunday at the prince’s request.

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“Last year, our beloved Jordan endured trying circumstances and a regrettable chapter in its history. Yet, our country persevered, guided by your wisdom, patience, and tolerance,” Hamzah wrote, according to the copy of the letter released by the palace.

He went on to express hope that “we can turn the page on this chapter in our country’s and our family’s history.”

The exact details of the plot have never been made public, and the letter did not elaborate on it.

Abdullah and Hamzah are both sons of King Hussein, who ruled Jordan for nearly a half-century before his death in 1999. Abdullah had appointed Hamzah as crown prince upon his succession but stripped him of the title in 2004.

Last year’s feud was a rare instance of tensions within the royal family being made public. At one point Jordan imposed a gag order on reporting about the events, reflecting the sensitivity of issues surrounding the royal family.

Jordan is a close Western ally and has long been seen as an island of stability in a turbulent region.

The Associated Press