The story of Sheik Mohammed and Princess Haya’s parting of ways is a winding tale, full of unexpected twists and turns and the font of so many rumors that one could barely keep them straight
competing in this year’s Royal Ascot, the red-coated postilions driving the Queen of England in her carriage, and the rabble in immense grandstands, one man stands in the event’s most exclusive VIP area wearing a black silk hat. Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the leader of Dubai, more often wears the traditional headscarf and white robe, or, of Dubai, one of the seven states that make up the United Arab Emirates—but for the most important race of the season, he makes an exception.
Soon, Mohammed would sue Haya in a high-profile London court for the return of their two children, 8 and 12. British papers are calling the divorce one of the highest-profile royal breakups since Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and, with Sheik Mohammed’s fortune most recently estimated at $4 billion, the most expensive separation in the history of their country.
And, in yet another theory, British papers have made much of Haya’s alleged relationship with a bodyguard. In a poem about an unnamed woman Sheik Mohammed put online around the same time that Haya disappeared, he wrote, “O you who betrayed the most precious of trust / My sorrow revealed your game.” He continued, “You loosened the reins of your horse.”Mohammed had their first romantic spark at an equestrian event in Spain and married in 2004.
In the palaces of Dubai’s royal family, among Mohammed’s brood, some of the same cultural and religious ideology is prevalent. Even though princesses have high status in the country, their situation is not necessarily to be envied. “You have the fancy title of being a princess, and of course you have people waiting on you [hand and foot], but you’re essentially a prisoner,” says an Arab dissident. “You’re not supposed to socialize. You don’t have a normal life.
She was also plotting something dramatic. Claiming that Shamsa had been kept under house arrest and drugged after her escape, and that Latifa herself had also been imprisoned in solitary confinement and beaten when she tried to escape to Oman and stick up for Shamsa, Latifa announced her own departure from the country.
Then, Jauhiainen says, the two of them drove to the Omani border, where they met Jaubert, who would pilot the yacht, and one of his crew, who brought along Jet Skis. They rode the skis about 15 miles out to the boat. “It was very rough sea, in the middle of the ocean—just the craziest day ever,” says Jauhiainen. They planned to go to Sri Lanka, and after that, the United States.
Latifa comes off as smart, frustrated, and extremely rational. And between this viral video, now with more than 4 million views, and, some months later, a BBC documentary—which spurred the United Nations to request that Sheik Mohammed furnish proof of life of his daughter at once—Dubai began to feel pressure to publicly respond.
Though Robinson had little exposure to Latifa, she explained to the press that Latifa was “troubled.” Robinson continued, “She made a video that she now regrets and she planned an escape, or what was part of a plan of escape.” Robinson said Latifa needed psychiatric care, and she was comforted that Dubai’s top family was administering this.
But if Haya surreptitiously worked out her separation from Sheik Mohammed, what is one to make of his next move: suing her in London for custody of their two children? Over the summer, he demanded they be returned to him in Dubai. “The question for me, and everyone else, is why did he make this application?” says David Haigh, a British lawyer who was once imprisoned for accusations of fraud in Dubai and is now working on a campaign to free Latifa.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Broadway-Bound Britney Spears Musical Crowns Princess, Prince & Other Fairy Tale RoyaltyOnce Upon a One More Time, the Broadway-bound musical set to Britney Spears songs has found its fairy tale cast, with Briga Heelan set to play Cinderella, Justin Guarini as Prince Charming and Emil…
Read more »
Kim Kardashian Accused of 'Blackfishing' With Braids Once Again'Bruh why do you keep doing this?'
Read more »
Chris Harrison Says 'Bachelor' Peter Weber Did This 'Misleading' ThingThere's a reason why Bachelors and Bachelorettes keep their feelings close to the vest.
Read more »
Amid coronavirus panic, how one European city is trying to keep from scaring off touristsIn Barcelona, store shelves are still stocked, sports matches continue and health authorities maintain there’s no reason to cancel any event, regardless of the size.
Read more »
Newly opened Vatican archives may give clues to Pope Pius XII's Holocaust silenceResearchers hope the archives will shed light on why Pope Pius XII kept silent during the Holocaust.
Read more »
Why Doing Good Is Good For BusinessThere are now plenty of financial and ethical reasons for leaders to strike a balance between corporate profit and social purpose.
Read more »