Princess of Dubai, Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is grabbing headlines all over the world after a surprise announcement of her divorce on Instagram.
Sheikha Mahra, whose father is Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was married to Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum.
The manner in which she announced her divorce on Instagram is reportedly highly unusual for any popular figure. She has a baby girl with her former husband.
Her father is one of the world’s most powerful figures and among the richest royals by net worth.
Sheikha Mahra put a post on Instagram on 16 July where she announced the divorce.
“Dear husband, 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,” the Dubai princess wrote on Instagram.
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A few weeks before posting the divorce message, she dropped a cryptic post with her daughter. “Just the two of us,” and completed the post with a heart emoticon.
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Her divorce announcement went viral on the internet. Many have pointed out that the repetition of “I divorce you” three times is in line with the Islamic practice of triple talaq. According to the BBC, the practice has been banned in many countries.
Reports say that Sheikha Mahra appears to have deleted all pictures of her former husband from her account. Sheikh Mana appears to have done the same.
The Dubai royal family or authorities in the UAE have not reportedly commented on the matter.
1. Sheikha Mahra is one of the 26 children of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
2. Her mother, Zoe Grigorakos, is from Greece. This makes Sheikha Mahra an Emirati with part Greek roots. The princess is fond of her mother, who is divorced from her father. Her Instagram account has several posts of the princess with her mother, who she calls “my everything”.
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3. Sheikha Mahra married Emirati businessman Sheikh Mana in a lavish ceremony in June 2023.
4. Her former husband, Sheikh Mana, is also known for his love of adventure. He, too, is a member of the royal family. As a businessman, he is reportedly involved in ventures such as Dubai Tech, GCI Real Estate Development Company and AlBarada Trading.
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5. They went on their honeymoon to the Greek islands of Mykonos. Her now-divorced husband had then shared photos of their honeymoon, with captions like “the happiest night of my life.”
6. In October 2023, she announced in an Instagram Story that the couple were expecting a baby, with a caption reading, “Just the three of us.”
7. Their daughter, Mahra, was born at Latifa Hospital in Dubai in May 2024. The princess shared candid moments from the delivery room while expressing her gratitude to the medical staff of the hospital.
8. Sheikha Mahra’s Instagram account reveals that she is an animal lover, particularly horses, and enjoys travelling.
9. As a member of the royal family, she also participates in important social events, particularly concerning the education of children in Dubai.
10. Since Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is one of the richest men on the planet, the princess is an heir to one of the richest families. Her net worth is, thus, expected to be in several millions of dollars.
(Main and Featured images: Courtesy of Shaikha Mahra Mohammed Rashed Al Maktoum/@hhshmahra/Instagram)
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia India.
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare ..Read More
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