Queen Rania of Jordan stuns in age-defying 50th birthday portrait

Queen Rania of Jordan marked her milestone 50th birthday on Monday, by releasing a series of new pictures including an age-defying portrait.

The official portrait showed the royal posing in an intricate white gown by Saudi Arabian designer Mohammed Ashi. The label Ashi Studio shared a picture of the royal in the "long-sleeved crepe gown with embroidery and button detail" on Instagram with a statement from Ashi that read: "I am very honored for Her Majesty Queen Rania chose to wear this regal dress, which was designed to radiate power. I wish her Majesty a Happy Birthday."

The royal had a quiet celebration with her family for her golden jubilee birthday. Sharing a lovely family photograph on her Instagram account, the 50-year-old wrote: Nothing beats a day spent surrounded with the people you love most. And thank you all for your lovely birthday greetings - you made my day!"

The picture showed the Jordanian royal posing with her husband, King Abdullah II, and her children, Crown Prince Hussein, 26, Princess Salma, 19, Princess Iman, 23, and Prince Hashem, 15. For the family picture, the queen was dressed in a chic gathered dress by New York label Proenza Schouler.

In a conversation with Hello! magazine, the royal said that she is thankful for getting time with her family on her special day. She quipped: "On past birthdays, I've always wished for more time with my husband and kids – and so far this year, time is all I've had!" adding: "It has been such a blessing to have all my children around, particularly during the months when Jordan was under a strict lockdown."

The mother-of-four also spoke about celebrating her birthday amid a global pandemic, saying: "Like so many families, we were grateful to be together, but also heartbroken to see the pain and loss this virus has inflicted on so many around the world."

The queen added: "On my birthday, as long as the people I love are nearby, and they are healthy and safe, I could not possibly ask for more."