King Hussein Marries English Commoner

Press, Volume C, Issue 29524, 27 May 1961, Page 8

King Hussein Marries English Commoner

GVZP-A.-Reuter— Copyright)

AMMAN, May 25. King Hussein of Jordan, a devout Moslem, today married a pretty 20-year-old English girl who will not be a princess or a queen, the Associated Press reported. In a private, quiet Moslem ceremony at the hilltop Zahran Palace, the young King signed a wedding pledge making Miss Toni Avril Gar-diner-daughter of a British Army officer—“ Her Gracious Ladyship Mona el Hussein (Hussein's Wish.)”

Jordanians exploded firecrackers and slaughtered sheep in Amman, and the celebrations spread from Bedouin tents to refugee camps, from Jerusalem to the old desert city of Petra. The Royal wedding came amid festivities for Jordan’s Army and Independence Day and the Moslem Feast of Sacrifice. Prayers echoed from minarets. Jordan’s army paraded

through Amman wi'h thousands of troops, tanks and cavalry, and a detachment of brightly dressed warriors from the Camel Corps. Reporters were barred from the ceremony. The bride, the only w’oman at the ceremony, wore a cream - coloured ground length dress of wild silk embroidered with pearls and diamante and a long tulle veil with a crescent of orange blossoms.

U.S. Visas.—Mrs Edith A. Stensby, Second Secretary and Consul at the American Embassy, will be at the office of the United States Consular Agent on June 29 to issue new visas to South Island residents who intend to travel to the United States. Applicants who have previously been issued visas may have them revalidated by writing to the Consul in Wellington.