Exclusive. Princess Haya, the sixth wife of the Emir of Dubai, is accused of having an affair with his bodyguard. The escape of the billionaire's sixth wife and the future high-profile divorce from the sheikh. Details.

Ruler of Dubai and his family

The future ruler of Dubai was born on July 15, 1949 in the family of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. His father and the ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed, were at the forefront of the creation of the UAE state, and Mohammed in 1971 was appointed the first Minister of Defense in the history of the new country. His elder brother, Sheikh Maktoum, named him as his successor on January 3, 1995, and in fact, from that time on, he began to unofficially rule in the capital of the emirate, carrying out many transformations and successful business projects. Sheikh Mohammed was at the origins of the creation and development of the Emirates airline and its budget analogue, FlyDubai. Through his efforts, the port operator DP World, which is one of the three leaders in the world market, has been transformed and reached the international level. The wonders of Dubai architecture - the Burj Al Arab hotel, the Palm Islands, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper - were designed and built under the leadership of the head of the emirate.

The personal lives of the UAE's rulers remain largely in the shadows, although not as private as in Saudi Arabia. It is known that Sheikh Mohammed first married in 1979 to his cousin Hind bint Maktoum ibn Juma Al Maktoum. With their first wife they had 12 children - 5 sons and 7 daughters. Rashid, the eldest son of the sheikh and his first wife, was to become the crown prince of Dubai. However, he abdicated the throne, and on February 1, 2008, the title officially passed to his younger brother Hamdan. And in September 2015, Prince Rashid died of a heart attack. Although, according to other information, he was killed by Yemeni terrorists during a military conflict that was supported by the UAE authorities on the territory of this country.

Sheikh Hamdan (left) and Sheikh Rashid

The second, most famous and public, wife of Sheikh Mohammed is Haya bint Al-Hussein. They got married on April 10, 2004. The couple have a daughter, Al Jalila, and a son, Zayed.

Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya

According to unconfirmed information, the ruler of Dubai had four more wives - one of Lebanese origin, one from Morocco, as well as a Turkish and a Greek woman. Their real names and biographical details are not advertised. They say that the loving emir divorced them shortly before his wedding with Princess Haya. Therefore, he officially has only two life partners, both of whom bear the title of First Lady of Dubai. In total, Sheikh Mohammed has 11 more children from four unknown wives. Many of them are already quite old and well known to the public.

Princess Latifa and Mary Robinson

For example, a very scandalous story in the sheikh’s family is connected with one of his daughters from his Moroccan wife, Houria Ahmed al Maash. In March 2020, a video was released in which Princess Latifa accused her family of abuse and claimed that her father was responsible for a number of murders. The girl tried to flee the country, but the plan failed and she was returned home. For many months, the princess's fate was unknown, causing concern among human rights organizations.

Finally, in December 2020, Latifa received a visit from former UN human rights representative Mary Robinson. She said that the girl suffers from a psychiatric disorder and is receiving the necessary therapy. Not everyone believed Robinson’s words, accusing her of unsubstantiated statements that were not even supported by medical education.

Government activities

The Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan, began ruling the principality on February 1, 2008, after his older brother “abdicated the throne.” In fairness, it should be noted that the parents assumed a similar outcome of the matter, so they prepared their son in advance for the fact that he would take the reins of government of the principality into his own hands.

And the Prince of Dubai, Hamdan, lived up to the expectations placed on him: he actively participates in the political life of his native country, trying not to miss a single congress and summit.

Back in 2006, he was offered the position of head of the Emirate's Executive Council. The young man's responsibilities included monitoring and supervising government agencies. In this responsible position, Crown Prince of Dubai Hamdan developed and invited his colleagues to adopt a strategic plan for the development of the Emirate for the coming years, which was done. The young manager showed his business skills in another post - the head of the Sports Council of the Emirate of Dubai. He was also entrusted with leading the Institute of Young Entrepreneurs.

First wife Hind bint Maktoum

Along with Princess Haya, Hind bint Maktoum is Sheikh Mohammed's most famous wife. However, she leads a fairly secluded life and rarely appears in public. Additionally, her official photographs have never been shown publicly. This mysterious woman was born in 1962. Her paternal grandfather was the brother of Sheikh Saeed, the grandfather of the current ruler of Dubai and Hind's husband.

Sheikh Mohammed in his youth

She married Sheikh Mohammed at the age of 17, on April 26, 1979. This wedding is considered the first large-scale public event in the history of Dubai. The celebration was so luxurious that it was more like a national holiday. A 20,000-seat stadium was built especially for the wedding, where the public was entertained by performances by horse and camel riders, and a Dubai Air Force demonstration show took place in the sky. The total cost of the wedding celebrations was about $100 million.

Hind's son - Crown Prince Hamdan

After her marriage, Sheikha Hind chose to follow the Islamic system of female seclusion, refusing to accompany her husband to public events. She is currently the chief matriarch of the Dubai royal family. Moreover, Mohammed’s eldest and youngest wives live separately. In addition to her own children, Hind is involved in raising orphans, whom she adopted for charitable reasons.

Extreme

In addition, the heir to the throne in Dubai once tested the ultra-modern JETLEV-FLYER aircraft, which operates in the air thanks to the power of giant jets of water. The young man was able to rise up and “soar” against the backdrop of the famous seven-star hotel called Burj al Arab. Sheikh Hamdan loves to get a good dose of adrenaline from time to time.

The heir to the throne is, among other things, an experienced horse rider. He participated in horse racing many times and repeatedly won prizes at prestigious competitions. In particular, the sheikh took first place at the Asian Olympic Games.

Second wife Haya bint Al-Hussein

The second wife of the ruler of Dubai is a bright and modern woman, personifying progressive trends in Arab society. Princess Haya was born on May 3, 1974 in the family of King Hussein ibn Tallah of Jordan and his third wife, Queen Alia. Her mother died in a plane crash when the girl was only 3 years old. In total, her father had 11 children from four wives, including Abdullah II, the current king of Jordan.

Princess Haya, Sheikh Mohammed and King Abdullah II of Jordan

Princess Haya received her secondary and higher education in Great Britain. She graduated with honors from Oxford University, where she studied politics, economics and philosophy. Since childhood, her main hobby was equestrian sport. Haya has represented the country internationally many times: she competed at the Pan Arab Games in 1992, was Jordan's flag bearer at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and competed at the 2002 World Equestrian Championships. In many competitions, the princess made history as the first Arab woman to take part in them.

The wedding of Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed took place on April 10, 2004 in Amman. The Jordanian royal court adheres to secular traditions, so Haya, like her half-brother's wife Queen Rania, chooses a fairly free style of clothing. At events in Dubai, she covers her head with a light scarf, and on trips abroad her wardrobe is almost no different from the clothing of European women. For example, given the mutual love of Haya and her husband for horses, they often attend the royal races at British Ascot. At the same time, the sheikh and his wife look like typical representatives of secular society.

Sheikh Mohammed with children from his second wife

In 2006, the second wife of the ruler of Dubai was elected president of the International Equestrian Federation, and in 2007 she became a member of the International Olympic Committee. In addition, the princess is known for her charitable activities. In 2007, she became the first Arab woman to be appointed as a UN Messenger of Peace. In her homeland, Haya created a humanitarian foundation to combat hunger. In Dubai, she oversees the international emergency response center. It also supports funds and educational programs for girls and women aimed at expanding their rights in Islamic society.

Princess Haya does not hide from photographers, willingly gives interviews, and often accompanies her husband at official events. She personifies the intelligent, progressive Arab woman who successfully combines family and social life. Such a life partner harmoniously complements Sheikh Mohammed, who, despite his advanced age, is also not alien to modern trends and aims his projects at the bright future of his native Dubai.

Why did his beloved wife run away from the Emir of Dubai and what does this threaten him with?

Haya bint al-Hussein, 45, the sixth and said to be beloved wife of Dubai's 69-year-old Emir Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, was the hallmark of the progressive and prosperous emirate. She recently fled to London, claiming her life was in danger. This is the third such scandal in the august family. And unlike the first two - the flight and forced return of the emir's daughters to their homeland - it will be incredibly difficult to extinguish it. The couple will be divorcing in Britain, apparently loudly and under the scrutiny of the whole world.

Vice President, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Crown Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in addition to all his other advantages, is also a poet. On June 22, the poem “Alive or Not” appeared on his Instagram page. It is dedicated to his breakup - obviously extremely painful - with a woman. He reproached her for betrayal and said that he no longer wanted to have anything to do with her. The poem ended with the ominous phrase: “I don’t care whether you’re alive or not.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum

Photo: AP

The poem remained unnoticed in the world, although in the Arab segment of the Internet there had been rumors for almost a month by that time that one of the sheikh’s wives, Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, had fled the country with her children. Almost no attention was paid to the fact that Princess Haya, an equestrian athlete who participated in the 2000 Olympics, suddenly did not appear at the royal races at Ascot. At the races for the Duke of Edinburgh's Cup (with whom the princess had known for a long time and well), a horse that belonged to her competed, but she herself was not in the box.

Several more days passed before the world media either added up these facts or received reliable information. One way or another, sensational news spread around the world: Princess Haya and her children fled from Dubai and are in London. A scandal began in which the top officials of Dubai, Great Britain, Jordan, Germany and even the completely unobvious Ireland were involved.

Liberated Woman of the East

Princess Haya's escape was a sensation not only because of her title. After all, scandals do happen in the ruling family of Dubai, as in the ruling families of other UAE emirates. But mainly also because its heroine turned out to be a woman who for decades was a kind of advertisement for a progressive, open, future-oriented Dubai. And indeed the entire Middle East.

Princess Haya was born in 1974 in Jordan. Her father, King Hussein bin Talal (1953–1999), was not the richest Arab monarch, but he was the most secular and one of the most influential in the region. Like many Arab rulers, King Hussein was married several times, but unlike the others, he observed monogamy. Haya is the daughter of his third wife, Queen Alia (he divorced the first two). When the princess was three years old, her mother died in a plane crash.

King Hussein's family adopted an English upbringing. Haya studied at the most prestigious schools: the women's Badminton School, where Indira Gandhi and Iris Murdoch studied at different times, and the mixed Bryant School, where many representatives of the Rothschild family and one of the most famous British artists, Lucian Freud, studied. She received her higher education at Oxford, graduating with honors in PPE (philosophy, politics, economics).

An excellent horsewoman, she, in particular, represented Jordan at the Sydney Olympics and for some time was president of the International Equestrian Federation. Like many members of King Hussein's family, the Jordanian princess met and became friends with the British royal family much earlier than she became the wife of the Dubai emir.

Princess Haya bint al-Hussein at a competition in Lucerne, Switzerland

Photo: Sigi Tischler, Keystone, AP

The marriage between her and Sheikh Mohammed took place in 2004 and was initially seen as purely dynastic and politically mutually beneficial. For Jordan, it meant kinship with one of the richest Arab monarchs; for a wealthy Arab monarch, it meant simplified access to representatives of the world's political elite.

However, both the emir himself and his sixth wife made a lot of efforts to show that their marriage was truly happy. “I’m happy... Every day I thank God that I was lucky enough to be with him,” said Princess Haya in one of her rare interviews.

Princess Haya was in fact the real representative of Dubai and the UAE in the world.

Sheikh Mohammed holds the post of Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, which requires his almost constant presence in his homeland, and makes any visits virtually official. Princess Haya, in turn, was free to travel around the world, meet with top officials, and shine at the royal races at Ascot, where she certainly sat next to the queen or the first representatives of the British royal family. And she demonstrated in every possible way her commitment to Western values - of course, without compromising Eastern values.

Princess Haya bint al-Hussein and Emir of Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum at the Royal Ascot races in 2010

Photo: Reuters

She has been active in philanthropy and social activities in a variety of fields and at a variety of levels, including the United Nations. The UAE achieved its current status as a progressive and advanced country largely thanks to Haya. After all, they also build skyscrapers in Saudi Arabia, but they treat it like a kingdom mired in the Middle Ages.

Runaway Princess

The image of Princess Haya greatly helped her husband when the august family became involved in a huge scandal. Sheikh Mohammed's daughter Princess Latifa ran away from home. This happened at the beginning of 2018.

33-year-old Latifa, who was vacationing in Oman, according to one of the participants in her daring escape, former French intelligence officer Jean-Pierre Hervé Jaubert, reached the Nostromo yacht in international waters on a jet ski and went to India on it. Before running, she recorded a video message. In it, she told how her sister Princess Shamsa attempted to escape in London in 2000, how she was captured and returned home, sent first to prison, and then under the constant supervision of psychiatrists. How Latifa herself was arrested and thrown into prison because she helped her fugitive sister and tried to escape herself. According to her, she spent almost three and a half years in prison, where she was beaten and tortured.

The video message, in which Princess Latifa called her father “the most evil man on Earth” and accused her of murder, was supposed to be her guarantee in case the escape failed.

“My father only cares about his reputation,” she said, adding that she hoped the video message would never have to be used.

I had to. Princess Latifa was kidnapped from a yacht and forcibly returned to Dubai. Rumors about her murder began to spread around the world. This is where Princess Haya came to her husband’s aid. She came up with the idea of inviting Mary Robinson, who at one time served as President of Ireland and then served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to Dubai and gave her the opportunity to understand the situation herself. Mrs. Robinson was Haya's longtime friend, and no one doubted her honesty.

Princess Latifa al Maktoum (left) and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson

Photo: AP

Mary Robinson arrived in Dubai late last year and met Princess Latifa. She not only confirmed that the princess was alive and well, but also hinted that perhaps the princess was a little out of her mind. “She is certainly very unstable,” Ms. Robinson said.

The UAE Foreign Ministry sent out releases announcing the meeting, accompanied by photographs it said were taken and distributed with the consent of both the princess and Ms Robinson. Now Haya herself is playing the role of Princess Latifa.

August Escape

The parties see the reasons for Haya's flight differently. From the emir's poem it can be understood that the princess broke up after her adultery was revealed. There have already been reports in some media that the princess was having an affair with her bodyguard, a veteran of the English special forces.

Haya herself does not give interviews, but she managed to quickly convey her version of events to the public.

In private conversations with London friends, who immediately conveyed everything to the newspapers, Princess Haya said that she accidentally learned that everything Princess Latifa said was not the ravings of a crazy woman, but the pure truth.

Fearing for her life and the lives of her children, she decided to flee to Europe.

The story of the august escape is not rich in details. However, it is safe to say that from Dubai the princess and her children went to Berlin, accompanied, as they say, by a high-ranking German diplomat. There the princess applied for asylum.

The German side, however, considered itself not ready for such a role. Berlin has strong ties with the UAE; the country is the Emirates' largest trading partner in the region. At the same time, Berlin does not have the same ability to talk with representatives of Arab monarchies, for which London is famous. Therefore, the princess was obviously advised to move to Great Britain, a country practically native to her.

Princess Haya (left) and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain

Photo: Anthony Devlin, Pool, AP

Reportedly, in London, the princess and her children settled in a mansion owned either by her or her husband on Kensington Palace Gardens, perhaps the most expensive residential street in the world. She has already filed a lawsuit for divorce. He will be heard by a British family court at the end of July.

The princess's lawyer is Baroness Shackleton, lawyer for Princes William and Harry. She represented their father Prince Charles during his divorce from Princess Diana. The princess's position is strengthened by her personal and long-standing acquaintance with members of the British royal family, and the fact that her half-brother is the current King of Jordan Abdullah II. And, of course, the fact that the story has already received wide coverage in a light favorable to Haya.

Dubai ruler to face estranged wife in London court

In the meantime, many experts predict an increase in such scandals in Arab ruling families. Young princesses are educated in Europe or North America, they travel more and more and get to know the world. And it seems that they are increasingly aware of what distinguishes them from representatives of their own circle who were born in Europe or America - the lack of personal freedom and complete inequality.

Dmitry Golovinchenko

Princess Amira al-Tawil

Amira's meeting with her future husband, Prince Al-Waleed, was very reminiscent of the movie "50 Shades of Gray." She is an aspiring journalist for the school newspaper, he is one of the most powerful and richest men in Saudi Arabia. But, in fairness, it is worth noting that the prince, unlike Mr. Gray from the book by E. L. James , was not so handsome and young. The age difference between Amira and her new acquaintance was 28 years, although this did not stop them from getting married just 9 months after their first meeting.

Ranked 22nd on the list of the richest people in the world according to Time magazine, the prince had to work in a rather busy schedule. One of the Forbes journalists, who once had the opportunity to spend a whole week with him to prepare an article, argued that to keep up with the prince, you need stamina and a lot of caffeine. The businessman went to bed around 4:30 in the morning and spent only 4-5 hours sleeping. Those who worked with this man had no personal life. Naturally, Amira also had to adapt to her husband’s schedule. But this was not the stumbling block between the spouses. Despite the marriage, which lasted more than ten years, the couple did not have children together: Amira was either infertile or deliberately avoided motherhood. In turn, numerous relatives of al-Walid ibn Talal, according to rumors, did not like his chosen one, because she led a lifestyle that was too free by Eastern standards: she drove a car, refused to wear closed clothes, preferring European style, fought for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and etc. In 2013, the couple divorced, and everyone expected that reports of generous compensation or some juicy details of the separation would immediately appear in the press, but this did not happen. Apparently, the couple managed to separate peacefully. Some media even write that the former spouses maintain friendly relations.

Princess Amira al-Tawil. Photo: www.globallookpress.com/ Sonia Moskowitz

In September 2020, Amira al-Tawil quietly married 39-year-old billionaire Khalifa Ibo Butti al-Muhairi from the UAE. But her ex-husband was arrested in 2020 by decision of the Anti-Corruption Committee. He was accused of financial crimes and was held for several months at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh. The prince was released only at the beginning of 2018.

Moza Bint Nasser al-Misned

Moza is the wife of Qatari Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. She was born in the same state where she later became a sheikha, in Qatar. But until she was 18, her family lived in Egypt. Sheikha Moza is one of the most influential Arab women.

In the 37 years since she returned to her native land, she has been awarded not only state but also international positions:

head of the Qatar Education Foundation;
Chairman of the Supreme Council for Family Relations;
Vice-President of the Supreme Council in the education system.

And also Sheikha Moza, special envoy of the UNESCO Foundation.

Princess Haya

on the Instagram of Hamdan, the son of the Emir of Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum : in it, the young man’s father gets out of his car and numerous children and grandchildren joyfully run to meet him, who sincerely hug their beloved grandfather and father. Looking at these shots, it seems that love and complete mutual understanding reign in the sheikh’s family. However, if we take into account the fact that his youngest and beloved wife Haya recently ran away from him, we can hardly talk about an idyll.

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This is How @hhshkmohd celebrated his 70th Birthday. Happiest birthday Sheikh Mohammed. In the future. (@faz3)
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First, the media reported that the princess, along with her 7-year-old son Zayed and 11-year-old daughter Al Jalil, fled to Germany. Later it turned out that she chose England as a refuge from her influential husband. Since Haya lived in Foggy Albion for many years, where she received her education, her choice is quite logical. London is a second home for the oriental beauty. By the way, if you believe the rumors, the princess settled in a house worth $107 million, which she bought secretly from her husband. Journalists also claim that the once “younger wife” took with her a round sum of money, namely $39 million, which she will soon really need, because she intends to divorce Mohammed. The interests of the princess in court will be represented by lawyer Fiona Shackleton , who has several high-profile divorce proceedings. Prince Charles , Paul McCartney and many other famous people, and now Haya, also resorted to the services of a professional

There are legends about what prompted the woman to run away from the palace after 15 years of marriage. The first says that she was caught by her own husband in cheating with a bodyguard. This version is supported by a poem that was recently published by the emir: “You are a traitor. You betrayed the most valuable thing - trust, but your secret is revealed,” Mohammed wrote. According to the second version, Haya learned about her husband’s cruel treatment of her daughter Latifa , who wanted to escape from her father in the United States, but was unable to do so, so strict supervision was established over her. According to the girl herself, she spent three years in solitary confinement.

One way or another, in almost two weeks the hearing of the couple’s divorce case should begin in London. The Emir is determined and wants to take away the children from his recently beloved wife.

Millions for a new life. The wife of the Emir of Dubai ran away from her husband to Germany Read more

Romantic and altruist

Another unusual hobby of Sheikh Hamdan is poetry. The young man inherited it from his father. The prince composes on romantic and patriotic themes. He creates his poems under the pseudonym Fazza (“success in everything”). Moreover, his talent as a poet has already been noted by the public.

The heir to the throne of Dubai's hobbies also include doing good deeds, that is, helping people. He is one of the participants in the creation of the Society without Borders structure, the purpose of which is to provide support to people with disabilities.

Back in 2006, the prince initiated the “Integration” project, which was supposed to help members of society with disabilities simplify their integration into the social environment.

The Sheikh also took care of strengthening road safety, increasing penalties for those drivers who ignore traffic rules. In this case, persistent violators will be deprived of their driver's license for up to 6 months.