Sometimes real life seems to be stranger than fiction, and Princess Haya of Jordan’s personal life seems to be one such example. Princess Haya of Jordan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the current ruler of Dubai, married in 2004 in a lavish yet initimate wedding. However, their marriage did not last long and it ultimately ended when the Princess fled from Dubai. The former royal couple got divorced in 2021, which is said to be one of Britain’s most expensive ones in its legal history. But what went wrong in Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s royal marriage. Read all about the scandal, and one of Britain’s most expensive divorces here:Princess Haya of Jordan: A look at her royal lifeBorn in 1974, Princess Haya bint Hussein is the daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Alia. Tragedy struck early when her mother, the Queen Alia, died in a helicopter crash when Haya was just three years old. Princess Haya received her education in the United Kingdom (UK), first at Badminton School and later at Bryanston School, before pursuing a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford, from where she graduated in 1995. Her life took another turn in 1999 when her father passed away due to health complications, and the Jordanian throne was succeeded by her half-brother, King Abdullah II. Known for her grace, intelligence, and sporting talent, Princess Haya remains one of the most recognisable figures from the Jordanian royal family.Why Princess Haya of Jordan fled Dubai
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – FEBRUARY 28: Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein arrives with her lawyer Baroness Fiona Shackleton at the High Court on February 28, 2020 in London, England. Princess Haya has applied for a non-molestation order and a forced marriage protection order in relation to the children she shares with with her estranged billionaire husband Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. Princess Haya bint Hussein is the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan, she married Sheikh Mohammed in 2004 becoming his sixth wife. (Photo by Pete Summers/Getty Images)
On 10 April 2004, at the Al Baraka palace in Amman, Princess Haya of Jordan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the current ruler of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, got married in an intimate ceremony. This made Princess Haya of Jordan the sixth and youngest wife of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as per reports. Their royal yet intimate wedding was attended only by close family members including Princess Haya of Jordan’s half-brother, King Abdullah II of Jordan, along with his wife, Queen Rania of Jordan. Princess Muna, King Abdullah’s mother and her father’s previous wife, was also in attendance. While theirs was a fairytale wedding, alas it did not last for long. Roughly 20 years later and after having two children together, Princess Haya of Jordan left her husband and Dubai forever. But, what made her run for her life and leave Dubai?In May 2019, Princess Haya of Jordan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s marriage fell apart when the Princess fled Dubai ‘in fear of her life’ following reports that her husband became ‘concerned at her apparent closeness to her British bodyguard’. Thus followed one of the most widely-covered divorce cases of all time, ending with Sheikh Mohammed paying a record £554 million settlement– which was an an unprecedented sum granted in any divorce case in British legal history, reports suggest. With the divorce, Sheikh Mohammed also lost the legal responsibility for their two children– Her Highness Sheikha Al Jalila and His Highness Sheikh Zayed. The court case, which a High Court judge in the UK described as a ‘campaign of fear, intimidation and harassment’ that amounted to ‘abuse’ was finalised in 2021, and since then the princess is living in the UK.In fact, it was only in August this year when Princess Haya of Jordan made her first public appearance along with her daughter Jalila at a horseback riding event after her much controversial divorce from Sheikh Mohammed, reported Hola.Princess Haya was the sixth wife of Sheikh Mohammed, who has six wives and a total of 23 children. His son, Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, is the designated heir to the Dubai throne.Princess Haya of Jordan: Her royal life and worksPassionate about horses from a young age, Princess Haya became a skilled equestrian and proudly represented Jordan in show jumping at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2012, she was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), reflecting her deep compassion for animals and humanitarian causes. Beyond this, she has dedicated much of her life to charitable work and social development which includes founding her NGO Tkiyet Um Ali in 2003, which is committed to eradicating hunger and poverty in Jordan and across the Middle East. Today, the NGO provides vital food support to more than 30,000 households living in extreme poverty across the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as per her official website.Princess Haya has also made remarkable contributions to the UAE’s healthcare and education sectors. She served as Chairperson of the Dubai Healthcare City Authority (2011–2019) and President of the UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council (2009–2019). She played a pivotal role in establishing The Al Jalila Foundation for medical research and education and oversaw the creation of the Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital.Additionally, she serves as President of the Board for the Queen Alia Foundation for Hearing and Speech* and heads the Princess Haya Biotechnology Centre at Jordan University of Science and Technology.Breaking gender barriers early on, Princess Haya also became the first woman in Jordan to obtain a heavy vehicle driver’s license — a testament to her determination and progressive spirit.
