Jordanian State Visit to Britain, 1966

The British Royal Family hosted King Hussein and Princess Muna Al Hussein of Jordan, along with his brother, Prince Hassan, and sister, Princess Basma, on their 10-day State Visit to Britain on this day in 1966, exactly 10 years after the State Visit of his ill-fated cousin, King Faisal II of Iraq  King Hussein had been educated in the United Kingdom, with King Faisal.

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The King and the Jordanian were received by the Duke of Kent on arrival in Britain and rode in a train to Victoria Station, where they were welcomed by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, the Duchess of Gloucester and the Duchess of Kent. Following the Official Welcome and the inspection of the Guard, the Royal Party rode in a Ceremonial Procession to Buckingham Palace.

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Other events during the State Visit included King Hussein visiting the Prime Minster Harold Wilson in Downing Street as well as the the RAF base at Little Rissington in Gloucestershire. Meanwhile, Princess Muna met Roger Moore, Steve Forrest, Britt Ekland and Sue Lloyd on a visit to Elstree Studios in London. King Hussein and Princess Muna were joined by Prince Hassan and Princess Basma to visit at St Giles’ Church in Camberwell.

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While there are no images or footage of the State Banquet hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace or the Return Banquet hosted by King, there are a plethora of images from multiple Receptions at the Dorchester Hotel in London, some of which may not have been at the Dorchester, but are labeled as such.

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There was only a brief glimpse of King Hussein (wearing the Royal Victorian Chain and the Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali) and Princess Muna (wearing a mystery Diamond Tiara) attending a Banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor and the City of London at the Guildhall, but you can take a look over the menu.

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There was also a Gala Performance at Covent Garden, for which only Princess Muna (wearing her Diamond Loop Tiara) was pictured alongside the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, and Prince Richard of Gloucester, though presumably other members of the Royal Family were also in attendance. The Gala Performance likely preceded a Banquet hosted by the British Government at Lancaster House, at which King Hussein was the only one pictured.

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