Prince Harry and Meghan Visit Jordan
Prince Harry and Meghan completed a two-day trip to Jordan highlighting visits to the King Hussein Cancer Centre, National Center for Rehabilitation of Addicts, and World Central Kitchen's regional headquarters in Amman. The trip focused on health care and refugee support, though critic Nile Gardiner called it a "shameless vanity exercise".
The visit was organized at the invitation of Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), to highlight humanitarian efforts in the region. The couple's Archewell Foundation has previously supported WHO initiatives, including donating $200,000 to support medical evacuations from Gaza to Jordan. During their trip, the Duke and Duchess met with Princess Basma bint Talal, the aunt of Jordan's King Abdullah II, at the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development. However, no meeting was scheduled with King Abdullah II or Crown Prince Hussein. The British and Jordanian royal families have a long-standing relationship, with King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) last visiting in 2021. Their focus on healthcare included a stop at the King Hussein Cancer Center, a leading comprehensive cancer facility in the Middle East that treats both adult and pediatric patients from across the region. Established in 2001, the center sees 7,000 new patients annually and is a non-governmental, non-profit institution. The couple also visited the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts, which has a 40-bed capacity and has been operating since 2001 to provide medical, psychological, and social support. Their engagement there was part of a broader focus on mental health, an ongoing key initiative for the Sussexes and their Archewell foundation. A key partner in the visit was World Central Kitchen, which recently moved its regional headquarters to Amman to better coordinate its humanitarian food aid to areas including Gaza and Lebanon. The Archewell Foundation's first philanthropic partnership was with the food relief organization, founded by chef José Andrés. At the Za'atari refugee camp, home to displaced Syrians, the Sussexes visited the QuestScope Youth Center, where they met with injured survivors and participated in activities like soccer and art with the children. Critic Nile Gardiner is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and has a history of being critical of the couple. He has previously led efforts to challenge Prince Harry's U.S. visa status.
