Jordan's Prince Hamza pledges allegiance to king

Jordan's Prince Hamza pledges allegiance to king

Jordan's Prince Hamza pledged allegiance to King Abdullah on Tuesday after mediation by the royal family, two days after he was placed under house arrest and accused of trying to destabilize the country.

Emily Wither reports.

Jordan's estranged Prince is back in with the King after family mediation.

The royal court says Prince Hamza signed a letter in which he placed himself at the monarch's disposal.

It came after a meeting on Monday (April 6) with Prince Hassan, the king's uncle, and other princes.

In a letter released by the palace Prince Hamza said he remained committed to the constitution of the kingdom.

A media blackout has been ordered, with the kingdom’s public prosecutor banning all media and social media from publishing content about the royal feud.

On Saturday (April 3), the military warned Prince Hamza over actions it said were undermining "security and stability" in Jordan.

Later the Prince said he was under house arrest.

Several high-profile figures were also detained.

Officials accused Prince Hamza of involvement in a plot to destabilize Jordan – adding he had been under investigation for some time.

The half-brother of King Abdullah and former heir to the throne said he was ordered to keep quiet.

In a voice recording released by Jordan's opposition he refused to comply.

While Prince Hamza is not seen as a direct threat to the king, his actions suggested he wanted to shore up his position with the Jordanian public after being removed from the royal succession.

The royal fall out has shaken Jordan's image as a haven of stability in the unpredictable Middle East.