[custom_adv] Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein, a wife of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, has left her husband - a highly unusual move for a senior royal in the UAE.The princess is now said to be hiding in a townhouse in central London.She was conspicuously absent from Royal Ascot this year, despite being an Olympic rider and a regular at races. [custom_adv] Princess Haya was born in May 1974. Her father was King Hussein of Jordan, and her mother was Queen Alia al-Hussein. She was just three years old when her mother was killed in a helicopter crash in the south of the country. The current ruler of Jordan, King Abdullah II, is her half-brother.Princess Haya in UK 'in fear of her life'The princess spent a lot of time in the UK as a child. She was educated at two private schools, Badminton School in Bristol and Bryanston School in Dorset, before studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University. [custom_adv] On 10 April 2004, aged 30, Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed - the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and the ruler of Dubai. He was 53 at the time, and Princess Haya was his sixth and "junior" wife. He reportedly has 23 children by his different wives.Like her, he was keen on horses: he was the founder and owner of Godolphin horse racing stables. The couple were wed in a ceremony in Amman. [custom_adv] "Every day I am amazed by the things he does," she told Emirates Woman magazine in 2016. "Every single day I thank god that I am lucky enough to be close to him."But cracks appeared to show last year when Sheikha Latifa, one of Sheikh Mohammed's daughters, tried to flee the country. In a video that spread worldwide, the 33-year-old princess claimed she and her family "did not have freedom of choice" in their lives, and that she had been subjected to abuse. [custom_adv] The authorities in Dubai insisted Sheikha Latifa had been "vulnerable to exploitation" and was "now safe in Dubai". At the time, Princess Haya echoed the statement, saying it was "unimaginable that this thing has gone so far from the truth".But now, just over six months later, sources close to Princess Haya told the BBC that she had discovered disturbing facts about Sheikha Latifa's attempt to flee and been subjected to increasing hostility and pressure from members of her husband's extended family. [custom_adv] On 30 June 2019, it was reported that Princess Haya had fled in ″fear of her life″ with her children Zayed and Jalila and with £31 million from Dubai. She is said to have initially applied for asylum in Germany. [custom_adv] The British newspaper The Times reported that Princess Haya had been escorted by a German diplomat during her escape and that Germany would "protect" her and refused to hand her over to the Sheikh Al Maktoum - who had already demanded her return. [custom_adv] He is responsible for the growth of Dubai into a global city, as well as the launch of a number of major enterprises including Emirates Airline, DP World, and the Jumeirah Group. Many of these are held by Dubai Holding, a company with multi-diversified businesses and investments. [custom_adv] On 2 December 2007 in Dubai, Princess Haya gave birth to her first child, Sheikha Jalila bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. [custom_adv] The baby's birth coincided with the United Arab Emirates' 36th celebration of its National Day, on 2 December. On 7 January 2012, she gave birth to her second child, Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. [custom_adv] Princess’s Haya escape followed attempts by two of Sheikh Mohammed’s daughters, Shamsa Al Maktum and Latifa Al Maktum to flee her father and Dubai. [custom_adv] They were forcibly recaptured by armed Emiratis forces who took her back to Dubai and are said by advocates to be held in Dubai against their will. Princess Haya had invited Mary Robinson in december 2018, the former president of Ireland and United Nations human rights commissioner, to "help with a family dilemma". [custom_adv] After the visit Robinson and Princess Haya drew criticism for appearing to help justify the disappearance of Princess Latifa, who looked dazed and inert in the photographs. [custom_adv] Princess Haya studied in the United Kingdom, where she attended Badminton School for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School in Dorset and later St Hilda's College, Oxford University, from which she graduated with a BA honours degree in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE). [custom_adv] Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (born 15 July 1949) is the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. Since his accession in 2006, after the death of his brother Sheikh Maktoum, he has undertaken reforms in the UAE's government, starting with the UAE Federal Government Strategy in April 2007.
