Princess Salma bint Abdullah is one of the more quietly remarkable figures in the contemporary Arab royal world.
The daughter of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, she completed her education at Sandhurst, earned a degree in archaeology from a top American university, and in 2020 became the first female jet pilot in the history of the Jordanian Armed Forces. She did all of this before her twenty-fourth birthday.
Who Is Princess Salma bint Abdullah?
Princess Salma bint Abdullah was born on 26 September 2000 at King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman, Jordan. She is the third child and second daughter of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania. She is a member of the Hashemite family, one of the world’s oldest ruling dynasties and a 44th-generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.
Her elder siblings are Crown Prince Hussein, the heir to the Jordanian throne, and Princess Iman, born one day after Salma in calendar terms, on 27 September 1996, though four years earlier. Her younger brother, Prince Hashem, was born in 2005.
Princess Salma bint Abdullah and her sister Princess Iman celebrate their birthdays one day apart each year. Queen Rania has marked the occasion with joint birthday posts, describing the two as her whole heart.
Neither Princess Salma bint Abdullah nor Princess Iman is in the Jordanian line of succession. Under Jordanian law, only male descendants of King Abdullah I of Jordan may inherit the throne.
Education
Princess Salma bint Abdullah attended the International Amman Academy, a private school in Amman open to all students, where she completed the International Baccalaureate. She graduated on 22 May 2018.
Later that same year, Princess Salma bint Abdullah enrolled at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom on the short commissioning course. She was commissioned into the Jordanian Armed Forces as a second lieutenant on 24 November 2018. Her father King Abdullah II, her elder brother Crown Prince Hussein, and her sister Princess Iman had all completed the Sandhurst programme before her. Prince William and Prince Harry had also attended, graduating in 2006 and 2005 respectively.
In May 2023, Princess Salma bint Abdullah graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Archaeology.
Jordan’s First Female Jet Pilot
In early 2020, the Royal Hashemite Court announced that Princess Salma bint Abdullah had completed basic training as a fixed-wing pilot, becoming the first woman in the history of the Jordanian Armed Forces to do so. King Abdullah II, in his role as Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces, personally pinned the pilot’s wings to his daughter’s military uniform at the ceremony.
Princess Salma bint Abdullah holds the rank of First Lieutenant in the Royal Jordanian Air Force. In December 2023, she flew in an aid mission to northern Gaza, joining a flight that delivered critical medical supplies to a Jordanian field hospital operating in the region. Queen Rania shared news of the mission on Instagram, noting that her daughter had successfully delivered the supplies.
Royal Duties
Princess Salma bint Abdullah has taken on a visible role in public life from a young age. In February 2015, she and her younger brother Prince Hashem participated in a tree-planting initiative in Amman in honour of Jordanian Air Force pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh, who had been killed by ISIS the previous month.
In July 2017, she accompanied her father King Abdullah II on a state visit to France. In September 2017, she was reported to have participated in a demonstration in Amman against the United States government’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
In June 2021, Princess Salma bint Abdullah represented her father at the inauguration of the Military Women’s Training Centre in Zarqa. In January 2024, she accompanied Queen Rania to a meeting with young people at the House of Roses Ladies Association in Aqaba.
Her Family’s Legacy
Princess Salma bint Abdullah’s grandfather was King Hussein bin Talal, who ruled Jordan from 1952 until his death in 1999. Known among Jordanians as Al-Malik Al-Insan, meaning the Humane King, he was widely respected for his efforts to raise living standards and maintain stability in a difficult region. His reign lasted 47 years, making him one of the longest-serving rulers in Jordanian history.
Her mother, Queen Rania, has become one of the most prominent figures in the Arab world through her work on education, women’s rights, and humanitarian causes.
Princess Salma bint Abdullah continues to serve in the Jordanian Armed Forces alongside her royal duties.
