King Hussein of Jordan is close to death and was flown home last night from the US after the failure of a bone marrow transplant.
His private physician, Lieut Gen Dr Samir Farrage, made it clear the king did not have long to live. "The king's condition has become critical due to the failure of the internal organs."
King Hussein (63) was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a form of cancer, in 1998 and has had more than six months of intensive chemotherapy in the US. The chemotherapy has failed, as have the two bone marrow transplants which followed each course of radiation.
Preparations were under way in the Jordanian capital, Amman, for his return. State television and radio did not mention the monarch's poor condition in night-time broadcasts, referring only to "the king's return to a medical centre in Amman".
Jordanians were unwilling to discuss the issue. Ms Suha Kawar, a secretary, said her family was in shock and would spend the night in prayer.
The King Abdullah mosque, named after King Hussein's father, announced late-night prayers for the monarch.
The king's return is being regarded as a first, grim test for Crown Prince Abdullah, who has been acting as regent in the absence of his father. The 37-year-old army general was elevated to the position of heir-apparent after King Hussein returned from his first round of treatment in the US 10 days ago.
The king then sacked his brother, Prince Hassan, and returned to the Minnesota clinic for more cancer therapy, leaving his son in control of a country of more than four million people.
Jordan's future ruler is a political novice, with no diplomatic experience. However, Crown Prince Abdullah has proved to be a popular choice within the army and among Jordan's majority Palestinian population.
Rumours that the former Crown Prince Hassan has been plotting against his brother and nephew have been discounted by his supporters, who say he has taken the decision with humility. He resumed duties yesterday, chairing a meeting of the Jordanian committee which supervises aspects of the maintenance of holy sites in Jerusalem.
There was no increase in security outside royal palaces in Amman last night.
Jordan's pivotal role in the Middle East has made the Hashemite succession more important than the country's demographics or wealth would imply. King Hussein has made Jordan a beacon of stability and openness in a region where autocracy and repression is widespread.
A political commentator, Mr Rami Khouri, believes the Jordanian monarch's manipulations over the last few months have opened the eyes of the region to a pending problem. "The leaders of Egypt, Syria, the Palestinians, Iraq and all the others have no legitimate heirs. What will happen when they die? King Hussein's illness will make them think."