Dubai princess announces divorce from husband via Instagram 'as he is occupied with other companions'
19 July 2024, 17:41
A Dubai princess has announced her divorce from her husband on Instagram, in a breach of royal protocol.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Shaikha Mahra, the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the ruler of the city-state, made her Islamic divorce vow on social media.
The so-called triple talaq is normally only used by men, and so her statement goes against cultural norms.
The princess, 30, wrote to her husband, Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum: "As you are occupied with other companions, I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you, I divorce you, and I Divorce You."
She added: "Take care. Your ex-wife".
The post was made publicly, and so is visible to her 750,000 Instagram followers.
Under sharia law, a wife would normally ask her husband for a divorce. If he declines, she has to apply for a divorce legally, after which she is usually asked to go to mediation sessions.
If these fail, then the case is heard by a judge, who will normally reject the application the first time.
If the wife applies for a divorce for a second time, she is more likely to have her case granted.
But the process can be lengthy, often taking around a year to complete.
The royal couple got married last year and have a baby daughter.
But soon after the birth of their child, the princess posted an image of her and her daughter alone, with the cryptic caption of "just the two of us" - hinting at a separation.
Her public post "violates lots of royal family code of conduct, let alone social norms," Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political commentator, told the Telegraph.
Shaikha Mahra is one of 26 children of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum with seven wives. Her mother is Greek.
The princess is known as a socialite in Dubai, and has a degree in international relations from a university in London, where she graduated in 2023.
Abdulla added that she was "definitely not local" and "looks different... very liberal".
Her husband is a technology and property entrepreneur. He posted a series of pictures of himself with the notorious men's rights activist Andrew Tate in Dubai around two years ago.
