With his adorable features and upturned nose, he is the image of his mother. The resemblance between Jordan's elegant Queen Rania and her youngest Hashem, five, was unmistakable when he joined her at an official engagement in Amman.
Mother and son were supporting Rania's husband King Abdullah at a military pageant marking the anniversary of his accession to the throne 11 years ago. At one point during the ceremony, the royal leaned over tenderly taking both their hands – a sign, amid the pomp and circumstance celebrating his status as a king, of his contentment as a family man.
As their youngsters get older the couple are grappling with preparing them for their royal destiny. So Hashem's siblings - Hussein, who's just turned 16, Iman, 13, and Salma, nine – are increasingly seen at public events.
Hussein declared crown prince in July 2009, is at an elite boarding school just outside the capital. Meanwhile his sister Iman, now a self-assured young lady, often accompanies her mum to events such as Crown Princess Victoria's wedding or her official visit to Rome last year.
At the same time the king and queen make an effort like any normal parents to be there for homework and bedtime. Describing their upbringing, Rania recently told HELLO! "I want my children to be treated as normally as possible". "So I tell [people]: 'Drop the title when you're talking to them; if they buy something don't carry their bags for them".
