Queen Rania of Jordan has joined the growing list of high-profile guests arriving in Venice for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding celebrations.
The Jordanian royal was photographed on Thursday boarding a water taxi after landing at Venice’s Marco Polo airport.
She opted for an understated all-black ensemble, wearing a long-sleeved top and trousers paired with a leather handbag and Apple Watch. The Queen’s arrival adds royal presence to the billionaire couple’s nuptials.
The Jordanian royals have previous connections with Bezos, having hosted him at the Al Husseiniya Palace in Amman in 2016. Queen Rania also attended the couple’s engagement party last year.
Senior royal arrives in Venice for Jeff Bezos’s wedding.
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The Venetian city has been buzzing with celebrity sightings over the past two days. Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King and Tom Brady have all been spotted arriving for the festivities.
Orlando Bloom, film producer Brian Grazer, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, and their mother Kris Jenner have also made their way to the Italian city. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were among the guests seen in Venice.
The couple themselves were photographed on Wednesday afternoon, leaving the Aman Hotel and boarding a water taxi on the Grand Canal. Three days earlier, they had hosted what was described as a “foam party” aboard Bezos’s £400 million superyacht Koru off the Croatian coast.
Environmental activists have staged dramatic protests against the wedding celebrations. Greenpeace covered Venice’s Piazza San Marco with an enormous banner featuring a photograph of Bezos laughing, accompanied by the message: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.”
Queen Rania also attended the couple’s engagement party last year.
Reuters
The demonstrators also targeted the Rialto Bridge with signage reading “No Space for Bezos.”
The protests highlight local frustration over the Amazon founder’s use of the historic city for his private celebrations.
The environmental group’s actions underscore tensions between Venice’s role as a wedding venue for the ultra-wealthy and concerns about corporate tax contributions.
The couple’s wedding invitation, obtained by ABC News in May, reveals an unconventional approach to gift-giving. Rather than accepting presents, Bezos and Sánchez have requested guests make donations to three Venetian charities on their behalf.
Jeff Bezos is tying the knot with Lauren Sanchez in Venice.
Reuters
Lauren Sanchez pictured looking stunning in Venice.
Reuters
The white invitation features illustrations of birds and butterflies around the edges, with gondoliers rowing near Venice’s iconic Ponte di Rialto.
The same bridge now bears protest signage targeting the Amazon founder.
Despite the charitable gesture, local opposition remains strong.
The timing of the protests coincides with the arrival of wedding guests, creating a stark contrast between the lavish celebrations and activists’ demands for greater tax contributions from the world’s wealthiest individuals.