Jordan queen noor and children

Jordan and its ruling royal family have long been seen by foreign allies as beacons of stability in the Middle East.

But last week, an unprecedented dispute within Jordan's monarchy threatened to dispel that image.

In an extraordinary move, Jordanian authorities accused Prince Hamzah bin Hussein - the half-brother of the country's king - of plotting against the throne.

Prince Hamzah denied the allegation.

Jordan queen noor and children

The prince said he had been placed under house arrest, but tensions appeared to ease after the senior royal pledged his loyalty to the king in a letter.

The saga has brought Jordan's royals to global attention.

So, who are they, and who else was involved in this high-stakes family drama?

Let's start at the top of the family tree. It is there that King Abdullah has sat since February 1999, when he succeede