Shaikha Mahra Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's ruler has caught all the attention by publicly announcing her divorce from her husband, Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum, on her official Instagram account. This announcement comes just over two months after the couple welcomed their first child. She wrote, “Dear Husband,” the Dubai princess began. “As you are occupied with other companions, I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you. Take care. Your ex-wife.”Shaikha Mahra married Emirati businessman Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum in May 2023.
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The Dubai royal family, headed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has long been associated with grandeur and opulence. However, beneath the glittering surface of wealth and influence, the family has been embroiled in a series of controversies that have captured international attention and raised serious questions about them, take a look:
Controversies of The Dubai Royal Family
1. Princess Latifa Al Maktoum’s Escape From Dubai
One of the most sensational controversies emerged in 2018 when Princess Latifa, the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, attempted to escape Dubai, citing years of repression and abuse. Latifa’s plight sparked global concern after a video she recorded before her escape was released, detailing her claims of imprisonment and torture. Human rights organisations have since campaigned vigorously for her freedom, keeping the spotlight on the royal family’s treatment of dissenting members. “Latifa makes her first escape attempt at age 16. She tries to get across the border of UAE and Oman but is caught and brought back to Dubai, where she is jailed for three years and four months. She says she was kept in solitary confinement and tortured”, as per BBC.
2. Princess Haya's Legal Battle
Another scandal rocked the royal household when Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, the sixth wife of Sheikh Mohammed, fled to the United Kingdom in 2019 with their two children. According to a report by Reuters, “At an earlier hearing, Haya, the 45-year-old daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan and half-sister to present King Abdullah, asked the court to protect one of her children from a forced marriage and to grant a non-molestation order, a type of injunction that protects against harassment or threats.” The legal proceedings between Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed before the High Court, regarding the custody of their children, garnered significant media attention. The London court has previously ruled the Dubai ruler had made Haya fear for her life, had abducted and mistreated two of his daughters by another marriage, and had ordered the phones of Haya and her lawyers, one a British politician, to be hacked using the Israeli state security software Pegasus, as per Al Jazeera report. (Bollywood Couples Who Chose Court Marriage)
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3. The Disappearance of Princess Shamsa
The mysterious case of Princess Shamsa, another daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, remains unresolved and continues to haunt the royal family. In August 2000, Princess Shamsa was forcibly taken by four armed Arab men from the streets of Cambridge while leaving a bar and transported back to Dubai on a private jet. According to reports, Shamsa had managed to evade the high security at her father's extensive Longcross estate in Surrey, London, where the family typically spent their summers, as reported by The Guardian. Her whereabouts have been unclear ever since, and her case resurfaced during Princess Haya’s legal battle, highlighting the recurring pattern of female members of the royal family attempting to flee oppressive conditions.
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4. Surveillance Scandal: Pegasus Spyware
The royal family’s controversies took a darker turn with revelations about the use of Pegasus spyware. According to The Guardian report, “The ruler of Dubai hacked the phone of his ex-wife Princess Haya using NSO Group’s controversial Pegasus spyware in an unlawful abuse of power and trust, a senior high court judge has ruled.” Reports emerged that Sheikh Mohammed had used the spyware to hack the phones of Princess Haya and her legal team during their court battle. The use of such invasive technology raised serious concerns about privacy and the lengths to which the royal family would go to control and monitor its members and critics.
In conclusion, the Dubai royal family's controversies reveal a complex interplay of power and control. These controversies continue to draw international scrutiny, challenging the carefully crafted narratives of Dubai’s royal families.
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