The life of Princess Haya, the sixth wife of Dubai's ruler who has fled to the UK for a divorce
- Earlier this week, news broke that Princess Haya had fled the UAE with her two young children and sought political asylum in the UK.
- She is reportedly trying to divorce her husband, Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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A dramatic international custody battle is brewing between Dubai's Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and one of his wives, Princess Haya, after the latter fled the UAE with their two young kids and sought political asylum in the UK.
It's a shocking development, as Princess Haya is the most prominent of the sheik's six wives, a fixture by his side in public life.
Continue to read more about the princess' childhood, her marriage to the sheikh, and the events that led up to her escape from the UAE.
Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein was born in Amman, Jordan in May 1974. She is the daughter of the late King of Jordan, Hussein, and his third wife, Queen Alia.
Source: BBC
Princess Haya was just 3 years old when her mother died in a helicopter crash.
Amman's Queen Alia International Airport was named in the late queen's honor.
Her father died of lymphoma in 1999, leaving the crown to her half-brother, King Abdullah II.
Princess Haya's last post on social media was in February, to mark the anniversary of her father's passing.
Princess Haya spent much of her youth in the UK, where she attended the elite Badminton and Bryanston boarding schools.
She reportedly achieved A-levels in five subjects, according to Emirates Woman.
Princess Haya later went on to study politics, philosophy, and economics at St. Hilda's College, Oxford.
Source: Princess Haya's official website
Upon graduating from Oxford, Princess Haya started competing professionally in show jumping full-time.
Source: The New York Times
Princess Haya got interested in equestrian sports at a young age. After her mother died, her father gifted her a foal named Bint Al-Reeh, whose mother had also died.
Source: The New York Times
She started competing internationally in show jumping as a teen, and even represented Jordan in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
"Sport has been a dominant part of life for HRH Princess Haya since childhood. Having experienced the power of sport personally, she works tirelessly to give others, especially young children, a similar experience," her official website states.
Her love of horses also led her to become the first woman in her home country of Jordan to receive a license to drive trucks, so she could transport her horses.
Source: Princess Haya's official website
She has also been a fixture of the British horse racing scene.
Her husband founded one of Britain's biggest racing stables, Godolphin, according to The New York Times.
Princess Haya was 25 years old when she married then 55-year-old Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum in a small ceremony in Amman in 2004.
Her estranged husband is the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, in addition to being the ruler of Dubai (one of the seven city-states that make up the UAE).
She became the sixth of the sheikh's six wives. He is said to have fathered 23 children.
Though she is the most junior of her husband's six wives, Princess Haya is also the most public, and was a regular fixture at her husband's side for public events.
The couple welcomed a daughter, Sheikha Al Jalila, on December 2, 2007, and then a son, Sheikh Zayed, on January 7, 2012.
Source: Princess Haya's official website
In her role as the sheikh's wife, a large part of Princess Haya's life has been devoted to humanitarian and charity work.
Source: Princess Haya's official website
In keeping with her passion for sports, she also served as president of the International Equestrian Federation and as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Source: Princess Haya's official website
Princess Haya's escape comes a year after Sheikha Latifa, one of the sheik's daughters by another wife, tried and failed to flee Dubai.
Sources: The Guardian, Business Insider
In a video recorded before her attempted escape, Sheikha Latifa claimed to have been imprisoned for several years and abused.
Source: AP
After Emirati forces returned Sheikha Latifa to Dubai, Princess Haya was criticized for trying to downplay the event.
She invited her friend, former Irish President Mary Robinson, to come to the country and visit with Sheikha Latifa and then testify about the princess' well-being.
Sources told the BBC that Princess Haya recently learned "disturbing facts" about Sheikha Latifa's attempted escape that made her no longer feel safe to be with her husband.
One source told the BBC that she fears being abducted back to Dubai.
A person close to the royal family told the New York Times on Tuesday that Princess Haya fled to London several months ago with her two kids. She is reportedly staying in a $107 million townhouse near Kensington Palace.
Sources: The New York Times, The Times of London
Sheikh Mohammed appeared to accuse Princess Haya of "treachery and betrayal" in a poem posted to Instagram recently.
A source told Business Insider that the princess has hired Prince Charles' former divorce lawyer to represent her in her divorce from the sheikh. Princess Haya is reportedly close with Prince Charles and his second wife, Camilla.
Sources: Business Insider, CNN
Sheikh Mohammed has petitioned for custody of his children. The case is being heard in British family court, with the next hearing set for July 30.
Source: CNN
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