This. Is. CRAZZZZY!
Princess Haya bint al-Huseein, the sixth wife of the billionaire ruler of Dubai, has applied to a London court for a forced marriage protection order after weeks of reportedly hiding out in the U.K. where she is said to be fearing for her life.
According to the U.K.’s Press Association, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum‘s estranged wife also asked for wardship of the couple’s two children — who apparently fled with her to London — and a non-molestation order for herself.
Related: Prince Harry Swears He And Meghan Markle Won’t Do What Will & Kate Did
The details of the protection order are not known, as the judge only allowed the media to report limited details of the case. Under English law, a forced marriage protection order can be made to protect someone from a forced marriage or help someone already in forced marriage — by preventing the person from being taken abroad, for example.
That seems to be the princess’ biggest fear right now.
Haya initially fled to Germany in hopes of seeking asylum there, but eventually made her way to central London and has been secretly living there for weeks in a $107 million townhouse in Kensington Palace Gardens.
Princess Haya is the third female family member of Sheikh Mohammed’s court to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after two of his daughters from another marriage previously attempted to do the same.
As for why she decided to flee, sources close to the princess said she had recently discovered disturbing facts about the questionable return of Sheikha Latfia — one of Sheikh Mohammed’s daughters who temporarily escaped — to Dubai last year.
Sheikha Latifa had reportedly escaped the palace by sea with the help of a Frenchman, but was captured by Indian Coast Guard officers and UAE naval ships while sailing on a yacht off the coast of Goa, India. She was quickly returned to Dubai.
Before she fled, the 33-year-old recorded a video (pictured above) in which she denounced her father and claimed she had been jailed and tortured after a previous attempt to leave. She said in the recording:
“If you are watching this video, it’s not such a good thing. Either I’m dead or I’m in a very, very, very bad situation.”
OMG!
While human rights advocates said Sheikha Latifa was abducted against her will, Princess Haya defended Dubai’s reputation at the time of the incident, claiming Sheikh Mohammed’s daughter had been “vulnerable to exploitation” and was “now safe in Dubai.”
Months later, however, sources claimed Princess Haya had learned new information related to the case. She now is said to be fearing for her life given the harsh treatment the two daughters faced after they tried to run away.
Related: Jessica Simpson Is About To Spill The Tea On Nick Lachey Divorce!
Sheikha Latifa’s older sister Shamsa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also tried to flee the family’s estate in Britain in 2000, but was apprehended on a street in Cambridge and brought back to Dubai. She has not been seen in public since.
Princess Haya’s marriage to Sheikh Mohammed is believed to have broken down over the treatment of the Sheikh’s other daughters, but there have also been rumors that the 45-year-old princess had an affair. Sheikh Mohammed has not commented publicly about his wife’s departure, save for an angry poem accusing an unnamed woman of betrayal and treachery he shared on his Instagram page.
The poem, terrifyingly titled You Live And Die, reads:
“Some mistakes are known as betrayal, and you have trangressed and betrayed
You traitor, you betrayed the most precious trust, you exposed your games and nature
You no longer have a place within me, go to who has kept you occupied
I do not care whether you live or die”.
There’s definitely a lot at stake here for Dubai’s royal family, as the divorce proceedings could potentially reveal damaging details about what really goes on in the household. (Read: what might have really happened to the daughters who tried to escape.)
That’s probably why, in addition to applying for the return of his children back to Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed requested for the court to impose further reporting restrictions on details about the case. The judge rejected that second request, though, so prepare for some bombshells to drop — and probably some major political fallout, too.
It’s believed the princess will want to stay in the U.K. while the divorce plays out. Before marrying Dubai’s ruler in 2004, the princess attended a British boarding school and studied at Oxford University. She is also close friends with Prince Charles and his wife Camilla.
But if her husband demands her return to Dubai, it could create a bit of a diplomatic problem for Britain — which has close ties to the UAE.
Either way, this promises to be the messiest divorce of all time.
[Image via WENN]
