Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania headed for the US Wednesday on a several-day private visit. The King will take part in an economic forum to be held in Idaho.

His Majesty will later attend the annual meeting of the Aspen Institute in Colorado which specialises in Middle East affairs, development issues and foreign policy.

King Abdullah is expected to deliver a speech on the developments in the Middle East, with an audience expected to include key world intellectuals, political and academic figures. HRH Prince Ali was sworn in as Regent.