I do! Princess Raiyah of Jordan has married Ned Donovan in the first royal wedding since COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were eased in the United Kingdom.
The Jordanian royal shared photos of their happy day on social media and revealed that she and the 26-year-old journalist, who is the grandson of late children's novelist Roald Dahl, had originally planned to marry in April in Jordan. But the spread of the coronavirus altered their plans.
"Thank you all for your kind messages on our wedding!" Raiyah wrote on Twitter. "While it was originally planned for April in Jordan, the pandemic derailed those plans and it was safer for my husband’s family to hold it in the UK.
The newlywed added, "God willing we look forward to celebrating in Jordan once the situation allows."
Instead, they married on July 7 in a socially distanced ceremony in England. Raiyah's mother, Queen Noor, attended the joyful event.
The bride wore a magnificent off-white dress. The long-sleeved style was intricately decorated with floral embroidery.
Raiyah's bridal look was accented with a flowing wedding veil and an ornate jewelled headpiece featuring a blue stone and matching earrings. She wore her brunette hair in an elegant updo and soft makeup.
In the wedding photos shared on Twitter, Ned and Raiyah pose on a beautiful balcony amid lush greenery. In another shot, the couple is seated on a sofa and Ned is pictured signing something, perhaps a wedding certificate.
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Ned is the son of author and actress Tessa Dahl and Patrick Donovan.
Raiyah is a 34-year-old academic who specializes in Japanese literature and is the youngest daughter of Queen Noor and the late King Hussein of Jordan. This makes her the half-sister of the current King Abdullah II of Jordan, husband of Queen Rania.
Ned and Raiyah got engaged last October and the Royal Hashemite Court announced the engagement that November.
Congratulations to Raiyah and Ned!
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