Jordan's Prince Hamza renounces royal title, protesting policies

FILE PHOTO: Jordan's Crown Prince Hamza bin Hussein delivers a speech to Muslim clerics and scholars at the opening ceremony of a religious conference at the Islamic Al al-Bayet University in Amman, Jordan August 21, 2004. REUTERS/Ali Jarekji/File Photo

AMMAN (Reuters) - Prince Hamza bin al-Hussein, a former heir to Jordan's throne who was placed under house arrest last year, announced on Sunday he was giving up his royal title in protest over Jordan's current policies.

Hamza was accused last April of trying to destabilise the monarchy in a foreign-inspired plot, but was spared punishment after pledging allegiance to King Abdullah, his half-brother.