Queen Rania of Jordan is best known for her advocacy work in public health and education and as an outspoken opponent of the practice of "honor killings."

Who Is Queen Rania? Born in Kuwait and forced to flee during the first Gulf War in 1991, Queen Rania's early life was much like thousands of other Palestinians'. In 1993 she met Prince Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of Jordan at a party, and the two were married six months later. Rania is a strong progressive female voice in the Arab world and a powerful global advocate for education, health and women's rights.

Early Life Born Rania al Yassin on August 31, 1970, in Kuwait to Palestinian parents. Rania and her two siblings were raised in the West Bank town of Tulkarm, where her father was a physician. She was educated at the New English School in Kuwait City before enrolling at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, from which she received a degree in business administration in 1991. During the first Gulf War of 1991, Rania's family was forced to flee from Kuwait along with thousands of other Palestinian families. They resettled in Amman, Jordan, where Rania joined them after completing her university studies. After a brief stint working in marketing at Citibank, Rania accepted another marketing job at Apple's office in Amman. Marrying the Prince In January 1993, Rania accompanied an Apple co-worker to a dinner party being thrown by the sister of Prince Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who was also at the party. In an unlikely plot twist that sounds like something drawn from a Disney movie, the common-born young woman and the prince fell instantly and deeply in love. Rania and Prince Abdullah were engaged just two months after their meeting. Then, in June 1993, less than six months after their first encounter, the couple married.

Becoming a Queen Prince Abdullah never expected to ascend to the throne, as his uncle had long been slated to become king of Jordan upon the death of King Hussein bin Talal, who had ruled the country since 1952. However, from his deathbed in 1999, King Hussein unexpectedly named his son, Prince Abdullah, as his successor. Upon the king's death on February 7, 1999, Abdullah became King of Jordan. Six weeks later, he officially elevated his then 28-year-old wife to the status of queen. Announcing her coronation over state television, King Abdullah declared that his wife's non-royal origins made her better connected to "the hopes and outlooks of people" since she "truly believes in their causes."

An Advocate for Many Causes Rania's youth, royal status and glamorous beauty instantly made her something of an international icon. She was photographed at fashion shows and high-society social events, usually mingling with a beautiful coterie of the global elite. Through it all, however, Queen Rania remained remarkably grounded, using her position to advocate on behalf of a variety of causes she believed to be important. A progressive female voice in the Arab world, Queen Rania became a powerful advocate for reform in education and public health, the development of a sustainable tourism industry in Jordan, youth empowerment and cross-cultural dialogue between the West and the Arab world. Perhaps most notably, she worked as an outspoken opponent of the traditional practice of "honor killings," the murder of women by members of their own family for perceived violations of Islamic moral code.