Kate Middleton, Prince William celebrate heartwarming news: 'special place'

Royal pals of the Prince and Princess of Wales' are celebrating the birth of their first child.

Over the weekend, Princess Rajwa of Jordan, spouse of Crown Prince Hussein, welcomed their daughter Iman, as depicted in a touching video shared on the official Instagram account of the Royal Family of Jordan.

Iman is the first grandchild of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan.

Hussein and Rajwa tied the knot just over a year ago in a grand ceremony attended by royalty from various nations, including William and Kate, as well as Princess Beatrice, Kate's mother Carole, and her sister Pippa.

In a statement, the new baby's birth was announced and it read: "The Royal Hashemite Court is pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II and Princess Rajwa Al Hussein were blessed, on 3 August 2024, with a baby girl they named Iman.

"The Royal Hashemite Court extends its sincere congratulations and best wishes to Their Royal Highnesses and to Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah on this happy occasion. Their Royal Highnesses are immensely overjoyed and thankful on welcoming their firstborn, and call on well-wishers to consider donating to Al-Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans in lieu of sending gifts or flowers."

William has a close relationship with Hussein, and last June, he and Kate attended their first major royal international event: Hussein and Rajwa's wedding. 

Kate looked stunning in a flowing dusky pink Elie Saab dress for the ceremony at Zahran Palace, later changing into a glittering Jenny Packham gown and the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara for the glamorous evening celebrations.

Hussein, a graduate of the UK's Sandhurst Military Academy, also shares a tight bond with Beatrice and William. During a solo trip to Jordan in 2018, Prince Charles was hosted by Hussein and visited his bachelor pad at Beit al Urdun, the King's residence, to watch a football match.

Jordan holds a special place in Kate's heart, as she lived there for three years as a child when her father, Michael Middleton, was stationed there while working for British Airways. Both Kate and her sister Pippa attended a nursery there during that time.

In 2021, the couple took their children on a private holiday to Jordan, with a family photo at the ancient city of Petra featured on their Christmas card that year. This trip fulfilled William's promise to take his family to Jordan following his visit in 2018.

Hussein, the heir to the throne of Jordan, announced his engagement to Rajwa in August 2022, although details about their dating history remain private. Rajwa, originally from Saudi Arabia, is a qualified architect who studied at Syracuse University in New York.