Divorce is expensive. Mohammed ben Rachid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, was ordered Tuesday in London to pay more than 640 million euros to his ex-wife and their children. Unheard of for this type of case in the history of English justice. In detail, the head of government of the United Arab Emirates will pay 251.5 million pounds (300 million euros) to Princess Haya of Jordan, his sixth wife. He will also pay alimony which could reach 290 million pounds (more than 340 million euros). The total amount, which includes tens of thousands of pounds for vacation or pet-related expenses, could vary depending on several factors, including whether the children come to terms with their father.
The judge who rendered his decision considered that “Given their status and the general threats of terrorism and kidnapping they face (the children of the sovereign) are particularly vulnerable and need enhanced security to ensure their safety in this country”. Before adding that “The main threat they face comes from the (sovereign) himself, and not from outside sources”. A spokesperson for Mohammed ben Rachid al-Maktoum for his part assured that his leader “Has always made sure that her children are free from want”.
Two kidnappings and attempted harassment
If the judge expressed such fears, it is because the sovereign has a sulphurous past, to say the least. In March 2020, the family court determined that this septuagenarian, close to Elizabeth II with whom he shares a passion for horses, had “Sponsored and orchestrated” the kidnapping of two of his daughters whom he had by another wife: Princess Shamsha in 2000 in Cambridge, and her sister Latifa. The latter, who had tried in vain to flee Dubai by boat in 2018, said for a time that she was being held in “hostage” By his father. Last June, she finally claimed to be “Free to travel”, via his law firm.
As for Princess Haya, she had fled Dubai in 2019 for the United Kingdom, accompanied by her two children. Previously, she had been subjected, in Dubai, to a heavy campaign of intimidation, in particular after the discovery of the relationship she had with her British bodyguard. Since arriving in the UK, the 47-year-old Olympic-level rider and a half-sister of Jordan’s King Abdullah II has been fighting in court to secure custody of her offspring after divorce and prevent their return to Dubai. . The High Court had established in October that Mohammed ben Rachid al-Maktoum had authorized the hacking of the phone of his ex-wife and those of his British lawyers. The judge had pointed out that the sovereign had “Harassed and intimidated the mother before she left for England and since”.
The judgment rendered on Tuesday, in addition to the conviction of Mohammed ben Rachid al-Maktoum for record alimony, also shed light on the lavish lifestyle led by the princess and her two children. Since arriving in the United Kingdom, Haya has lived in the affluent district of Kensington in London, and has a property on the outskirts of the capital. She submitted supporting documents to the court showing annual expenses of £ 14million, including the purchase of five cars last year, which she financed by selling jewelry or horses. The defense of her ex-husband reproached her for these follies, and in particular the acquisition of three cars as a gift for her young son. What she replied that he was “used to” to such largesse. Until their departure from Dubai, the sovereign paid them more than 100 million pounds per year (117 million euros).