These measures of financial compensation are among the highest so far granted in the framework of a divorce agreement before the British court.
The Emir of Dubai, Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was sentenced on Tuesday by the British justice to pay his ex-wife and their children about 550 million pounds (about 725 million dollars), in the highest divorce compensation awarded by an English court.
Judge Philip Moor ordered the 72-year-old head of government of the United Arab Emirates to pay some 251.5 million pounds ($ 340 million) to his sixth wife, Princess Haya of Jordan, 47, and 290 million pounds. pounds ($ 385 million) to support their children, ages 9 and 14, as well as other expenses, including security.
According to the ruling released Tuesday, the amount that includes tens of thousands of pounds for vacations or expenses related to pets could vary depending on various factors, for example if the children reconcile with their father.
“Given their position and the general threats of terrorism and kidnapping they face in such circumstances, they are considered to be particularly vulnerable and need guarantees of greater security in this country”, Said Judge Moor when giving his verdict.
The torment of those around the billionaire emir of Dubai
“The main threat they face comes from the (ruler) himself, and not from external sources,” he added.
Record financial compensation
The High Court ruled last October that Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum authorized the hacking of his wife’s phone and those of his British lawyers.
It was not proven that such events were linked to the legal battle in the United Kingdom between his wife and him, who wants to obtain the return of their two children to Dubai, but a “very important” volume of data was extracted from the princess’ mobile , about 265 megabytes – the equivalent of 24 hours of voice recording or 500 photos.
The magistrate also stressed that the sovereign had “harassed and intimidated the mother (of his children) before their departure for England and since their arrival”, and that he was “willing to tolerate those acting on his behalf in the UK doing so illegally.”
The financial compensation measures agreed on Tuesday They are among the most important so far granted in the framework of a divorce agreement before the British courts from the case of the ex-wife of Russian billionaire Farjad Akhmedov, Tatiana Ajmedova.
Princess Haya reportedly paid her British bodyguard a fortune to keep their romance a secret
At the end of 2016, justice had awarded Ajmedova 41% of her ex-husband’s fortune, which represents 453 million pounds (almost 600 million dollars).
This Tuesday’s ruling also highlights the luxurious lifestyle of the family of the sovereign of Dubai. Before they left the emirate city, Al Maktoum paid them more than 100 million pounds annually (more than 132 million dollars).
Five cars
Princess Haya, half-sister of King Abdullah II of Jordan, lives in the wealthy London borough of Kensington and has another property on the outskirts of the city. Before trial, he presented evidence to the court showing annual expenses of 14 million pounds, including the purchase of five cars last year. He financed them by selling jewelry or horses.
A spokesman for Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum declared Tuesday that the sovereign of Dubai “has always ensured that his children are sheltered from need.”
“The court has now given its decision on the financial aspect and he does not intend to speak further,” continued this spokesman, specifying that the sovereign “asks the media to respect the private life of his children and not interfere in their life in the United Kingdom”.
In March 2020, a family court determined that Al Maktoum had “commissioned and orchestrated” the kidnapping of two of his sons, Princess Shamsha and her sister Latifa, whom he had with another wife.
Princess Latifa, who had tried in vain to flee Dubai by boat in 2018, claimed that she was being held as a “hostage” by her father. Last June, he said he was free “to travel,” through his law firm.
Latifa had urged British police to re-investigate her sister Shamsha’s 2000 abduction in Cambridge, in a letter dated 2018 and revealed in 2021 by the BBC. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
