hellomagazine.com

JORDANIAN ROYALS CELEBRATE LITTLE SALMA'S BIG DAY

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29 SEPTEMBER 2006

To most of their subjects King Abdullah and Queen Rania are dynamic leaders and tireless champions of peace, but for their four little children - Salma, Hussein. Hashem and Iman – the Jordanian royals are plain old mum and dad.

The Middle Eastern sovereign and his elegant wife seemed just like any other proud parents when they helped their little girl Princess Salma celebrate her sixth birthday this week. And it would appear their beaming daughter isn't very different from other children her age, as she appears to have a fondness for the cartoon favourite Scooby Doo.

Abdullah took charge of cutting the cake as his little princess, along with her siblings and a group of friends, got down to celebrating her big day. Queen Rania, who eschewed her usual designer clothes in favour of casual jeans and pink top, meanwhile had her hands full with their youngest child Prince Hashem, who will turn two in January.

Fans of the royal couple will not be surprised to see them in such laid-back form, as they make no secret of their preference for a normal family life. "We wanted to have a home not a palace," the queen once said. "That was really important for us as a family - you know, somewhere that is warm and cozy."