Jordan’s Princess Raiyah marries Roald Dahl’s grandson in the UK

The couple got married in an intimate ceremony in the UK. (Twitter)
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Updated 09 July 2020
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Jordan’s Princess Raiyah marries Roald Dahl’s grandson in the UK

  • Her husband converted to Islam ahead of the wedding and changed his name to Faris
  • The couple were initially set to wed in Jordan in April

DUBAI: Congratulations are in order for Jordan’s Princess Raiyah bint Al-Hussein, who got married to the grandson of beloved children’s author Roald Dahl, Ned Donovan. 

The couple were set to marry in Jordan in April, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the newly-weds tied the knot in an  intimate ceremony in the UK, surrounded by close friends and family.

The bride, 34, posted pictures from the ceremony on her Twitter account, and thanked well-wishers for their thoughtful messages. “Thank you all for your kind messages on our wedding! While it was originally planned for April in Jordan, the pandemic derailed those plans and it was safer for my husband’s family to hold it in the UK.God willing, we look forward to celebrating in Jordan once the situation allows,” she wrote.

Princess Raiyah is the daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Noor of Jordan, who was in attendance. 

She is the half-sister of King Abdullah II of Jordan. 

The couple got engaged on October 26, 2019. A royal statement at the time announced: “The Royal Hashemite Court extends its sincere congratulations to Her Royal Highness Princess Raiyah and to Mr Donovan on this occasion.”

26-year-old Donovan, who is a freelance journalist, converted to Islam ahead of the wedding and changed his name to Faris. He recently revealed on his website that he is currently learning Arabic, although his “Arabic is not very good” and he will “keep trying to improve it.” 


Iraqi director nominated at Directors Guild of America Awards for ‘The President’s Cake’

Updated 10 January 2026
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Iraqi director nominated at Directors Guild of America Awards for ‘The President’s Cake’

DUBAI: Iraqi director Hasan Hadi this week received a Directors Guild of America Awards nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film for his debut, “The President’s Cake.”

Set in 1990s Iraq, the film follows Lamia, a young girl tasked with preparing a birthday cake for the country’s leader — a mandatory assignment that places her under intense pressure. As she races to gather the ingredients, the stakes grow higher, with the threat of serious consequences if she fails.

Hadi’s film is shortlisted in the category alongside Eva Victor for “Sorry, Baby,” Alex Russell for “Lurker,” Charlie Polinger for “The Plague,” and Harry Lighton for “Pillion.”

Also in the running for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Theatrical Feature Film are Guillermo del Toro for “Frankenstein,” Chloe Zhao for “Hamnet,” Ryan Coogler for “Sinners,”Josh Safdie for “Marty Supreme,” and Paul Thomas Anderson for “One Battle After Another.”

“The President’s Cake” has also been shortlisted for the Academy Award for International Feature Film.