Queen Rania of Jordan celebrates 53rd birthday, cooks traditional food in kitchen run by women

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Queen Rania of Jordan has had a big year - what with the weddings of her children (Princess Iman in March and Crown Prince Hussein in June), and the university and high school graduations of her other two children Princess Salma and Prince Hashem. She herself celebrated her 30th anniversary with King Abdullah II this year.

Coming on the heels of all these celebrations is another - the Queen's 53rd birthday. This year, the day before her birthday on August 31, she visited Firyal Kofahi’s home-based kitchen in a village in the Irbid region of Jordan. The kitchen employs women, some of whom are Syrian refugees, and gives them opportunities for financial independence.

In a video she posted on Instagram, Queen Rania can be seen embracing the women and talking to them at length. The clips are interspersed with shots of her cooking with the women at the kitchen.

The Queen expressed her joy at being able to spend the day there, captioning a post with, "What an incredible example of women lifting each other up!"

Meanwhile, on the day of her birthday, the Queen appears to have had a fun family meal. She posted a couple of pictures in which we can catch a glimpse of Crown Prince Hussein, his wife Princess Rajwa, and King Abdullah II, among others.