Who is Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein?

 

Sources say that at a time when Princess Haya is preparing for a court battle with her husband, she fears for her life.

Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, the wife of Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, has left her husband, a rare sight for a senior member of the UAE's royal family.

The princess is said to be hiding in a townhouse in central London.

Despite being an Olympic equestrian and a regular participant in the World Horse Racing Championships, she was not present at this year's Royal Escort Horse Racing, where her absence was noticed.

Sources say that at a time when she is preparing for a court battle with her husband, she is afraid for her life.

Birth and upbringing

Princess Haya was born in May 1974. Her father was King Hussein of Jordan and her mother was Queen Alia Hussein and she was only three years old when her mother was killed in a helicopter crash in the south of the country.

The current King of Jordan, Abdullah II, is his half-brother.

Princess Haya has lived in the UK for a long time as a child. He studied at the Badminton School in Bristol and the Bryanston School in Dorst before receiving a Common Degree in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy (PPE) from Oxford University.

She has previously said in interviews that she enjoys eagle-raising, shooting, and heavy machinery, and claims to be the only woman in Jordan to have a license to drive a heavy truck.

He started horse riding in his youth. He soon developed a keen interest in the sport and took up horse riding as a professional athlete. The highlight of his equestrian career was when he represented Jordan at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and held his country's flag.

On April 10, 2004, at the age of 30, Haya married Sheikh Mohammed, the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. He was 53 years old at the time and Princess Haya was his sixth wife. There are reports that he has 23 children from different wives.

Like Haya, Sheikh Muhammad is also fond of horses. He is the founder and owner of an equestrian stable called Godolphin. The couple got married in Oman. In the years that followed, Princess Haya portrayed an ideal family, talking publicly about her relationship with Sheikh Mohammed in a very emotional way.

In an interview with Emirates Women's Magazine in 2016, she said, "I am amazed by her work every day. I thank God for my good fortune to be close to them every day.

But the cracks surfaced last year when Sheikh Latifa, one of Sheikh Muhammad's daughters, tried to flee the country. In a worldwide video, the 33-year-old princess claimed that her family had "no choice" and that she had been tortured.

Sheikha Latifa may have escaped by sea from the United Arab Emirates with the help of a Frenchman, but was apprehended by gunmen off the coast of India and taken back to Dubai. Pictures were released in December with former Irish President Marie Robinson at her home in the UAE.

Dubai officials insisted she was in danger of being exploited and that she was "safe in Dubai." At the time, Princess Haya had taken a similar stance, saying it was "unimaginable" that this was so far from the truth.

But now, just over six months later, sources close to Princess Haya told the BBC that the princess had learned disturbing facts about Sheikha Latifa's escape attempts, as well as her husband's extended family. Was facing increasing hostile attitudes and pressures. She probably didn't feel safe, so she fled to Germany before Britain.

Her husband did not formally comment on reports of his marriage, but in an Instagram post on June 10, he accused an unknown woman of "cheating and infidelity."

Princess Haya is reportedly living in an 85 million house near the gardens of Kensington Palace and is preparing for a legal battle in the British High Court.