King Abdullah II

King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania, right, wave from a motorcade during an official celebration of the 10th anniversary of the King's accession to the throne in Amman, Jordan, Tuesday, June 9, 2009.

Jordan's King Hussein, his second wife, English-born Princess Muna and their son Prince Abdullah attend Go-Kart races at Amman Airport, April 26, 1963. Over more than four decades as king, Hussein became a key force for stability in the turbulent Middle East.

King Hussein, center, and his fourth wife, American-born Queen Noor, sit among the king's 12 children in 1995. Prince Abdullah is in the far right, second row. His younger brother, Prince Hamza, is in the top left corner. Hamza, one of the king's four children with Noor, was considered a strong candidate to replace the king, but ultimately Abdullah was named Crown Prince, just a month before his father's death.

King Hussein, left, embraces his eldest son, Abdullah, in March 1998. Hussein was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1992. In 1999, the king deposed his brother Hassan as successor to the Jordanian throne, reportedly because of disappointment in his leadership during the monarch's lengthy illness.

Appointed to replace his uncle as Crown Prince, Abdullah kisses his father's shoulder after receiving the Crownship by royal decree at the king's palace in Amman, Jan. 26, 1999.

King Hussein died of complications from cancer on Feb. 7, 1999. In a final homage to a much-loved monarch, the following day his flag-draped coffin was driven through the streets of his capital, while hundreds of thousands of compatriots wept and pelted the motorcade with flowers.

King Abdullah II has a moment to himself immediately following his swearing in ceremony at the Jordanian parliament, Feb. 7, 1999. His father had ruled the strategically-located nation for 47 years.

Queen Noor, right, stands with Princess Rania, King Abdullah's wife, in front of the late King Hussein's grave at the royal cemetery in Amman, March 18, 1999. King Abdullah later gave his wife Rania the title of queen, but allowed his father's widow to retain the same title, with fewer privileges.

King Abdullah and Queen Rania wave to members of the crowd as their motorcade drives through the streets of Amman, June 9, 1999. The king married his Palestinian-born wife on June 10, 1993.

King Abdullah, third left, and Queen Rania, left, along with other members of the royal family, nervously anticipate Jordan's second soccer goal against Iraq at Amman stadium, August 25, 1999. Jordan defeated Iraq 2-1 during the Pan Arab Games.

Pope John Paul II, left, looks on as King Abdullah kisses a copy of the Koran before handing it over as a present to the pontiff in Amman, March 20, 2000. Queen Rania is in the background. The pope was on a weeklong tour of the Holy Land.

King Abdullah donates blood for the Palestinians injured in the clashes of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Oct. 3, 2000. Palestinians make up the majority of Jordan's population.

King Abdullah, far right, attends the Middle East Summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheik, on Oct. 17, 2000. Pictured from left to right: Palestinian advisor Nabil Shaath, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Queen Rania holds her three-month-old baby girl, Princess Salma, as her children Prince Hussein, 6, right, and Princess Iman, 4, left, sit beside their mother at the royal couple's private residence of al-Barakeh ("Blessing") Palace on the outskirts of Amman. The November 2000 photo was the first public appearance of the queen with the new baby.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, left, greets Jordan's King Abdullah at Tripoli Airport, February 11, 2001. King Abdullah was on a short visit to Libya for talks with Gadhafi.

King Abdullah, left, greets U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell at the Royal Palace in Amman, February 25, 2001. U.S. Ambassador to Jordan William Burns is between the men. Powell was touring the region to push forward the Mideast peace process.

King Abdullah, right, is greeted by Britian's Prime Minister Tony Blair on the doorstep of his official London residence, 10 Downing Street, March 14, 2002.

King Abdullah carries a box of aid donated by Jordanians and Jordanian organizations to a helicopter bound for Palestinian occupied territories, as Queen Rania, left, waits her turn, at a military airport in Amman, April 11, 2002. Jordan was the only country allowed by the Israeli authorities to dispatch relief aid to the West Bank.

A poster of King Abdullah decorates the entrance of an empty refugee camp, set up for possible refugees from Iraq, near the far eastern Jordanian town of Al- Ruweishid, near the Jordanian-Iraqi border, March 24, 2003. The refugee camp was ready to receive thousands of fleeing Iraqis because of the U.S.-led strike against Saddam Hussein's regime, but hadn't seen a single one.

King Abdullah speaks with his wife, Queen Rania, before opening Parliament in November of 2008.