Apr 5, 2021 - World

Jordan crisis: Detained former crown prince pledges loyalty to the king

King Abdullah. Photo: Igor Palkin\TASS via Getty Images

Former Jordanian Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, who was put under house arrest on Saturday and accused of trying to destabilize the country, signed a letter on Monday pledging allegiance to his half-brother, King Abdullah II, Jordan's official news agency reports.

Why it matters: For now, the letter seems to have resolved the crisis inside the royal family that began on Saturday with a string of arrests and allegations of a coup plot.

Driving the news: Prince Hamzah signed the letter during a meeting with another former crown prince, Hassan bin Talal, who was appointed by King Abdullah to solve the crisis. Several other senior royals also attended the meeting.

What he's saying: In the letter, Prince Hamzah stressed that “thanks to King Abdullah Jordan managed to successfully deal with the threats and challenges it faced."

  • “The national interest is above all. We all must stand behind King Abdullah. I am committed to the Kingdom’s constitution and I will do everything to help the King and the Crown Prince," Hamzah wrote.

Between the lines: That's a far cry from the statements he made after his arrest. Prince Hamzah has accused the government of decades of mismanagement and corruption while denying a role in any coup plot against King Abdullah.

Go deeper