Dubai’s Princess Haya was pictured with her brother Prince Ali of Jordan yesterday as he hugged her in a public show of support amid a bitter court battle. Princess Haya, who is the sixth wife of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, fled Dubai at the end of June and is now in London seeking asylum. A picture shared the Jordanian princess’ brother at a secret location was posted on Prince Ali’s official Twitter account on Wednesday.
Who is Princess Haya and why is she in the UK?
Princess Haya bint Hussein, 45, is the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and his third wife, Queen Alia.
She is also the sister of Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan and the half-sister of King Abdullah II.
The princess was born in Jordan but educated in Bristol during her school years and later at Oxford University.
She married the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in 2004, becoming his sixth and “junior wife”, with whom she would later gave have two children.
The mother-of-two is an outstanding equestrian being the only the first woman to represent her native Jordan in international equestrian sport and the only woman to win a medal in the Pan-Arab Equestrian Games.
Last week Princess Haya of Jordan petitioned the court for a forced marriage protection order and a non-molestation order.
The case began in London on Tuesday and will be heard in November.
She is being represented by Baroness Shackleton, a specialist divorce lawyer who worked with Prince Charles during his divorce proceedings with Princess Diana and on the Paul McCartney-Heather Mills divorce.
Who is Prince Ali of Jordan?
Prince Ali bin Hussein is the third son of King Hussein of Jordan,and the second child of the king by his third wife, Queen Alia.
He is a member of the Hashemite family dynasty which has ruled over Jordan since 1921.
While his sister was educated only in the UK, Prince Ali began his primary education at the Islamic Educational College in Amman and continued his studies in the UK and the USA where he graduated from Salisbury School in Connecticut.
Prince Ali later entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as an officer in December 1994 where he was awarded the Brunei Medal for serving in Brunei.
Before he returned to America to continue his studies at Princeton University, he served as in the Jordanian Special Forces as a pathfinder, earning his military freefall parachute wings.
In 1998 Prince Ali made headlines when he undertook a well-publicised journey on horseback from the Caucasus, from Jordan through Syria and Turkey, to raise awareness of the Circassian diaspora worldwide.
He is the President of the Jordan Football Association and the founder and president of the West Asian Football Federation.
He has twice run to become FIFA President but each time he has not secured enough votes.
He was seen earlier this week when a photograph emerged on his social media showing him hugging his sister in a public show of support.
The snap is said to be taken at a secret location in London and was shared on the prince’s official Twitter account.
Alongside the adorable image was a message of support and love from the brother to his sister.
It said: “Today with my sister and the apple of my eyes, Haya bint Al Hussein”.