Prince Faisal bin Hussein

Education

Faisal was born in Amman, Jordan. After early schooling in Amman, Faisal was sent in 1970 to his mother's native United Kingdom where he attended St. Edmund's School in Hindhead, England. The following year, he moved to the United States where he attended the Bement School in Deerfield, Massachusetts for the next two years. He then moved schools again, this time to Eaglebrook School, also in Deerfield. In 1978, Feisal commenced his high school education at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C. which he graduated from in 1981. His university education was at Brown University from where he graduated in 1985 with a ScB degree in electrical engineering. During his university years, Faisal took flying lessons and obtained a private pilot's license.

Military service

Prior to graduating from Brown University, Faisal served in the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), from which he received helicopter training. In the summer of 1985, he gained his RJAF wings and then underwent officer training with the Royal Air Force at Cranwell. Remaining at Cranwell, he did his RAF Basic Flying Training in 1986 before moving to RAF Valley where he completed Advanced Flying Training on jets and received his RAF wings in 1987. Later that year, Feisal completed further flying training at the Tactical Weapons Unit, at Chivenor in Devon.

Faisal then went on to serve in various positions in the Royal Jordanian Air Force. He was promoted to Major General in 2001, and assumed the senior Air Force post of Chief of Air Staff the following year. He reached the rank of Lieutenant General in 2004.

He is currently Deputy Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces.

Personal life

Faisal married Alia Tabbaa in August 1987. Alia is the daughter of Sayyid Tawfik al-Tabbah, founder and president of Royal Jordanian Air Lines and his wife, Lamia Addem. They have four children together:

• Princess Ayah (11 February 1990)
• Prince Omar (22 October 1993)
• Princess Sara (27 March 1997) (twin of Aisha)
• Princess Aisha (27 March 1997) (twin of Sara)

Prince Faisal and Princess Alia divorced in April 2008.

Prince Faisal got engaged to Sara Bassam Qabbani on 20 March 2010 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The couple married on 24 May 2010. It was announced on the princess's Facebook page that Prince Faisal and Princess Sara divorced on 14 September 2013, after three years of marriage. The couple had no children.

Prince Faisal married Jordanian radio presenter Zeina Lubbadeh, daughter of businessman Dr. Fares Lubbadeh, on 4 January 2014. The marriage ceremony was held at her parents' home in Amman. In addition to Prince Faisal's four children with his first wife, he and Princess Zeina have two children together:

• Prince Abdullah bin Faisal (17 February 2016)
• Prince Muhammad bin Faisal (8 April 2017)

Honours

National honours

•  Jordan: Knight Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance, Special Class
•  Jordan: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan
•  Jordan: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence
•  Jordan: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Military Merit
•  Jordan: Recipient of the Al-Hussein Medal of Excellence, 1st Class
•  Jordan: Recipient of the Long Service Medal
•  Jordan: Recipient of the Administrative & Leadership Competence Medal
•  Jordan: Recipient of the Administrative & Technical Competence Medal
•  Jordan: Recipient of the Administrative & Training Competence Medal

Foreign honours

•  Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins
•  China: Commander of the Order of the Cloud and Banner, Special Class
•  France: Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour
•  Oman: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Sultan Qaboos
•  Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
•  United States: Commander of the Legion of Merit

Ancestry