Dubai, one of the key emirates in the UAE, is in mourning. Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum, the eldest son of Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, and concurrently the second most influential person in the United Arab Emirates, prime minister, vice president and minister of defense of the country, has died. Sheikh Rashid died of a heart attack, less than a month and a half shy of his 34th birthday. His younger brother and Crown Prince Hamdan wrote: “Today I lost my best friend and childhood companion, dear brother Rashid. We will miss you." Lenta.ru tried to figure out what made the eldest son of the Dubai emir famous.

According to British standard

Little is known about Rashid’s childhood and youth: Instagram did not yet exist at that time, and Arab emirs and their heirs had not yet acquired the habit of posting scenes of a rich life with geotags for public viewing.

Rashid is the eldest son of the emir from his eldest and main wife Hind bint Maktoum and, accordingly, the stepson of the emir's second wife, the Jordanian princess Haya bint al-Hussein. The children of Mohammed and Hind, according to the memoirs of brother Rashid Hamdan, were brought up in the spirit of traditional values.

In Dubai, the heir graduated from a school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid - education there was conducted according to the English model. After which his father sent Rashid to the UK - to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where Arab sheikhs traditionally send their children (the current emir of Qatar, the king of Bahrain, the sultans of Brunei and Oman graduated from it).

Disinherited

Rashid ibn Mohammed was preparing to become his father's successor: the emir introduced him to state affairs and entrusted him with control over various economic projects. But on February 1, 2008, everything suddenly changed: Rashid’s younger brother, Sheikh Mohammed’s second son, Hamdan, was appointed Crown Prince of Dubai. His younger brother Maktoum received the post of Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The emir's eldest son officially abdicated the throne, and moreover, there was no place for him among the leadership of the emirate.

This step, however, can only be called unexpected: diplomats and Arabic experts, long before the emir’s decree, noticed that Hamdan was increasingly appearing in front of cameras next to his father and that the emirate’s press was writing about him more and more often. What happened, why was Rashid out of work?

The publication of WikiLeaks documents brought some clarity to this issue. Among the released cables is a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he reports on the change in the order of succession and the reasons for it. Without disclosing his sources, Williams reported that Rashid killed one of the workers in the emir's palace, this angered the sheikh, and he revised the line of succession.

Solace in sports

The PR campaign in the emirate and around the world bore fruit: the new Crown Prince Hamdan quickly became a darling of the press. A diver and paratrooper, a falconer who keeps a menagerie of lions and white tigers, a snowboarder and a poet who writes under the pseudonym Fazza. An excellent rider, multiple winner of equestrian competitions, owner of expensive cars and yachts - Hamdan ibn Mohammed willingly demonstrates all this luxury on his Instagram account. Hamdan is known as a philanthropist and philanthropist, generously distributing donations to the disabled and sick children, and also as one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Admiring fans gave him the nickname “Aladdin”.

Against this background, his older brother Rashid looked rather pale (especially considering the difference in their capital - less than two billion dollars for Rashid versus 18 billion for Hamdan), and he does not have an Instagram account. Although it cannot be said that the press did not spoil him with their attention. Since 2005, he has consistently been included in the list of “20 Sexiest Arab Men” for five years in a row; in 2010, Esquire magazine recognized him as “one of the 20 most enviable royals,” and a year later, Forbes included him in the top 20 “most desirable.” persons of royal blood."

Having lost his right to the throne, Rashid ibn Mohammed focused on sports. The entire Al Maktoum family is famous for its love of horses, and Rashid is no exception. He owned the Zabeel Racing International racing corporation and won numerous competitions both in the UAE and abroad. In total he won 428 medals. The pinnacle of Rashid ibn Mohammed's sporting achievements was two gold medals at the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. From 2008 to 2010, Rashid was even the president of the UAE Olympic Committee, but left this post, as he explained, due to lack of time.

Scandal in a noble family

Arab sheikhs try not to make their internal affairs public, but sometimes, when the traditional values ​​of oil emirs collide with European realities, leaks occur. This is what happened with Rashid.

In 2011, a black employee from the staff of the British palace of Emir Olantunji Faleye appealed to the British court. He claimed that he was discriminated against on racial and religious grounds: members of the sheikh's family addressed him as "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", and repeatedly insulted Christianity (Faleye is an Anglican), calling him "bad, low and disgusting faith,” convincing his “black slave” to convert to Islam.

During the hearings, another service employee, Ejil Mohammed Ali, was summoned as a witness to the court, who, among other things, stated under oath that Sheikh Rashid was a drug addict who had recently completed a rehabilitation course.

However, it is unlikely that such scandals can shake the reputation of the Royal House of Dubai, which invests millions of dollars in its PR in the media and social networks. Judging by the number of responses on Rashid's Facebook page, many people, including from the poorest countries in the world, perceive the death of the eldest son of the Dubai emir as a personal tragedy.

Many people remembered the handsome, young and very rich crown prince from the Emirates. His photos were posted on LJ and Facebook by hundreds of thousands of users.
http://miss-tramell.livejournal.com/704090.html

And suddenly I came across this article... How sad. The elder brother of the much-hyped prince from the Emirates died.. Also handsome and an athlete..

Dubai, one of the key emirates in the UAE, is in mourning. Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum, the eldest son of Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, and concurrently the second most influential person in the United Arab Emirates, prime minister, vice president and minister of defense of the country, has died. Sheikh Rashid died of a heart attack, less than a month and a half shy of his 34th birthday. His younger brother and Crown Prince Hamdan wrote: “Today I lost my best friend and childhood companion, dear brother Rashid. We will miss you"

However, there is an alternative version, according to which the sheikh did not die of a heart attack, but died during military operations in Yemen. This statement was made by the Iranian Fars agency, citing statements from informed sources and eyewitness accounts. “Sheikh Rashid and several other UAE soldiers were killed as a result of artillery shelling by (supporters of the Shiite movement) Ansar Allah in the Yemeni province of Marib,” the agency notes. The same news is confirmed by eyewitnesses who participated in the fighting in this area of ​​Yemen.

In Dubai, one of the

According to British standard

Little is known about Rashid’s childhood and youth: Instagram did not yet exist at that time, and Arab emirs and their heirs had not yet acquired the habit of posting scenes of a rich life with geotags for public viewing.

Rashid is the eldest son of the emir from his eldest and main wife Hind bint Maktoum and, accordingly, the stepson of the emir’s second wife, the Jordanian princess Haya bint al-Hussein. The children of Mohammed and Hind, according to the memoirs of brother Rashid Hamdan, were brought up in the spirit of traditional values.

In Dubai, the heir graduated from a school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid - education there was conducted according to the English model. After which his father sent Rashid to the UK - to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where Arab sheikhs traditionally send their children (the current emir of Qatar, the king of Bahrain, the sultans of Brunei and Oman graduated from it).

Disinherited

Rashid ibn Mohammed was preparing to become his father's successor: the emir introduced him to state affairs and entrusted him with control over various economic projects. But on February 1, 2008, everything suddenly changed: Rashid’s younger brother, the second son of Sheikh Mohammed, Hamdan, was appointed Crown Prince of Dubai. His younger brother Maktoum received the post of Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The emir's eldest son officially abdicated the throne, and moreover, there was no place for him among the leadership of the emirate.

This step, however, can only be called unexpected: diplomats and Arabic experts, long before the emir’s decree, noticed that Hamdan was increasingly appearing in front of cameras next to his father and that the emirate’s press was writing about him more and more often. What happened, why was Rashid out of work?

The publication of WikiLeaks documents brought some clarity to this issue. Among the released cables is a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he reports on the change in the order of succession and the reasons for it. Without disclosing his sources, Williams reported that Rashid killed one of the workers in the emir's palace, this angered the sheikh, and he revised the line of succession.

Solace in sports

The PR campaign in the emirate and around the world bore fruit: the new Crown Prince Hamdan quickly became a darling of the press. A diver and paratrooper, a falconer who keeps a menagerie of lions and white tigers, a snowboarder and a poet who writes under the pseudonym Fazza. An excellent rider, multiple winner of equestrian competitions, owner of expensive cars and yachts - Hamdan ibn Mohammed willingly demonstrates all this luxury on his Instagram account. Hamdan is known as a philanthropist and philanthropist, generously distributing donations to the disabled and sick children, and also as one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Admiring fans gave him the nickname “Aladdin.”

Against this background, his older brother Rashid looked rather pale (especially considering the difference in their capital - less than two billion dollars for Rashid versus 18 billion for Hamdan), and he does not have an Instagram account. Although it cannot be said that the press did not spoil him with their attention. Since 2005, he has consistently been included in the list of “20 Sexiest Arab Men” for five years in a row; in 2010, Esquire magazine recognized him as “one of the 20 most enviable royals,” and a year later, Forbes included him in the top 20 “most desirable.” persons of royal blood."

Having lost his right to the throne, Rashid ibn Mohammed focused on sports. The entire Al Maktoum family is famous for its love of horses, and Rashid is no exception. He owned the Zabeel Racing International racing corporation and won numerous competitions both in the UAE and abroad. In total he won 428 medals. The pinnacle of Rashid ibn Mohammed's sporting achievements was two gold medals at the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. From 2008 to 2010, Rashid was even the president of the UAE Olympic Committee, but left this post, as he explained, due to lack of time.

Scandal in a noble family

Arab sheikhs try not to make their internal affairs public, but sometimes, when the traditional values ​​of oil emirs collide with European realities, leaks occur. This is what happened with Rashid.

In 2011, a black employee from the staff of the British palace of Emir Olantunji Faleye appealed to the British court. He claimed that he was discriminated against on racial and religious grounds: members of the sheikh's family addressed him as "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", and repeatedly insulted Christianity (Faleye is an Anglican), calling him "bad, low and disgusting faith,” convincing his “black slave” to convert to Islam.

9 August 2017, 18:36

Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (born 14 November 1982) is a member of the royal family of the Emirate of Dubai, son of Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
He is the second in the family twenty three!) children. "I enjoyed a peaceful childhood with my father, mother and brothers and sisters. I was raised in an environment that allowed me to realize the true meaning of life and reflect on the greatness of God."
After school, he continued his studies in the UK at the Royal Military Academy, along with Prince William and Harry. After which he graduated with honors from the London School of Economics.

Sheikh Hamdan is the Chairman of the Dubai City Council, President of the Sports Committee of the Emirate of Dubai, honorary patron of the Dubai Autism Research Center and the Youth Business Support League. Forbes magazine assessed the heir's fortune at 18 billion dollars.

SPORT

Prince Hamdan leads an active lifestyle, his list of hobbies is huge - skydiving, diving, fishing, falconry, snowboarding, cycling and much more. His Highness has won several awards from prestigious competitions, including the gold medal of the World Equestrian Games held in France in 2014.

TRIPS

Travels a lot around the world, often piloting himself.

PHOTOGRAPHER

The prince is seriously interested in photography. On Instagram he also shares his work and gives advice.

ANIMALS

Hamdan's pets include such exotic animals as white tigers and lions. Thoroughbred stallions are a particular passion for the prince; the prince indicated that he was born into a family where they adore horses; riding gives him a sense of freedom.

CHARITY

The heir supports and creates many charitable foundations and participates in events organized by them, and also regularly donates blood. Pays special attention to disabled people and sick children.

CHILDREN

The prince said that he simply adores children. His Instagram contains many photographs with the offspring of other members of the royal family and their close associates.

PERSONAL LIFE

The prince is not married. Have no children. He appears in gossip columns as one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet, and his merits include not only a wealth of 18 billion, but also a good education, excellent external data, a broad outlook, and most importantly, kindness and many good qualities.

POETRY

Hamdan inherited a love of poetry from his father. The prince writes poetry himself. Basically, these are philosophical, romantic and patriotic lyrics. He publishes poems under the pseudonym Fazza, which means "speed" and "success".

These are a little clumsy, but translations :)

The color and smell of your hair,
The sweetness of lips, the tenderness of graceful hands
I didn’t write it in poetry, I carried it in my soul
All times past and present...
Even future ones! Hearts beating
The sparkle of bottomless green eyes -
This is my life! The circle is closed
Where are we together in sleepless nights,
Enchanted by beauty
We enter the shadow along the lunar path...
Like death, separation from you.
Without you I'm a little different
A gloomy day without you, my light,
The night is dark and the moon is unable to
Light it up. In the world there is no
Better than the one I called cute.

This tired traveler sat down to rest
And he suddenly said thoughtfully: “Prisoner
You are your passions... How will you continue your path,
If your flesh and soul are perishable?
And I thought - as if I had accepted a reproach...
How high I used to fly!
I have become different now, I have changed since then -
I drank the water of truth from the source.
I frayed the horse's bridle on the roads,
Destroyed all the castles in the air,
I learned to forgive, and they forgave me,
I saved to save my soul...
How beautiful this precious day is,
He rejoices like a thunderstorm at sea!
Each one is dear, like a priceless stone,
He looks into the soul, squinting his eyes...
He grins - are you waiting for the end?
The day has come, the heat and wind reign,
The night of love is like a sheep to the slaughter,
He is in no hurry to let him land.
Only the evening will rush invisibly,
And the sun goes down into sunset,
Horses of Time on a Chariot
The night is coming - there is no turning back!
How painful is the moment of waiting...
Day and night, morning and evening, as of old,
I can't stand the night's breathing
And I’ll tear off the calendar again.
The night is priceless! Like the day, endless
The light of the moon, the marvelous stars of the carnival.
Life is long and, alas, fleeting...
Happy is the one who knows all this!

A jogging athlete, horse owner, poet, heir to the royal family, son of Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed al-Maktoum is shrouded in an enviable aura of power, fabulous wealth and romance. Chairman of the Dubai City Council, President of the Sports Committee of the Emirate of Dubai, honorary patron of the Dubai Center for Autism Research and the Youth Business Support League, Sheikh Hamdan has long been an eligible bachelor who remains single. Will anyone get this handsome man or does he have a place in his heart for one single passion - horses?

Roots and branches

Sheikh Hamdan is one of the twenty-three (and counting!) children of Sheikh Mohammed, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and head of the Emirate of Dubai from the Al Maktoum dynasty. Understanding the intricacies of the family tree of Arab rulers is quite simple. The Maktoum family traces its origins to the Bani Yas tribal group that inhabited the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The dynasty itself dates back 180 years, since its founder Sheikh Maktoum bin Butty founded his own emirate in the Dubai Creek area in 1833. Currently, the ruling dynasty is continued by Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, who in 2006 became the tenth ruler of Dubai. At the moment, the sheikh has nine sons and fourteen daughters. Mohammed is married to Hind bint Maktoum, who is the mother of twelve children, including Sheikh Hamdan. The sheikh's second wife was the famous (primarily in the world of equestrian sports) Jordanian princess Haya bint al-Hussein, who in 2007 gave birth to Mohammed's girl Al-Jalil, and in January 2012 - a son, Zayed. Thus, Sheikh Hamdan is the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Dubai and the stepson of Princess Haya.

In the spirit of tradition

Hamdan al-Maktoum was born on November 13, 1982. Despite the fact that from the very birth the prince was surrounded by incredible luxury, he was brought up in the spirit of traditional values. “My father, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is my mentor in life. I always continue to learn from him, and his experience helps me in solving many strategic issues. My mother, Sheikha Hind, is a true example of a loving and caring mother. She raised me in an atmosphere of absolute love and affection and still supports me even though I have grown up. I will never forget my mother's deep devotion and kindness. “I have great respect for her and believe that any society that does not value mothers is dishonest and worthless,” says the prince. - I enjoyed a peaceful childhood surrounded by my family and was raised in an environment that allowed me to realize my purpose in life and reflect on the greatness of God. The beauty of the desert gave me a sense of harmony and helped me merge with nature - this is how I was able to develop my poetic gift, and with the help of my father I got the chance to make the impossible possible.”

Hamdan bin Mohammed AL-MAKTOUM at YAMAMAHA

School years are wonderful...

Sheikh Hamdan began his education at the Sheikh Rashid private secondary school in Dubai, created according to the English model. By the way, it was founded in 1986 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, so the boy seemed to never leave the family. The young man continued his studies at the Faculty of Public Administration at the Dubai Government School, and then went to the UK. There he became a student and then a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (from which, by the way, Prince Harry, the youngest son of the British Prince Charles and Princess Diana, also graduated). Later, Sheikh Hamdan attended specialized courses at the London School of Economics and finally, armed with knowledge, returned to his native Emirates. “My school days and college days were the most wonderful time of my life and I still remember my peers and friends. A military academy such as Sandhurst teaches not only the basic disciplines, but also virtue, responsibility and commitment to one's country. These are very important values ​​that people need both in everyday life and at the government level when they are entrusted with serious responsibilities.”

From his father, Sheikh Mohammed, (left), Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed will inherit power over one

one of the richest and most influential regions in the Middle East

The sands of Time

Already from the prince’s statements one can notice that he is a romantic person - Hamdan is also known as a talented poet. He publishes his poetry under the pseudonym Fazza. “Fazza represents my poetic personality and personality. This word in the Emirati dialect means a person who selflessly rushes to the aid of all those who are in trouble. My poetry can fill people's hearts with happiness and help ease their suffering. I was greatly impressed by my father's passion for poetry, and I also had the chance to meet many poets who helped me discover and develop my own style. From an early age, my father listened to my poems and gently advised me in what direction to move forward.” Once at a press conference, the prince was asked why he chose such a pseudonym for himself. Hamdan replied that he once met an old man in the desert whose car was stuck in the sand. He helped pull out the car and was about to leave, without waiting for words of gratitude, but then the old man called out to him and said: “You are Fazza.” The prince liked this nickname so much that it became his middle name and poetic pseudonym. Hamdan's poems are mostly romantic and patriotic and, of course, many are dedicated to his main hobby - horses.

What is my horse to me...

What is my horse to me? My strength and courage

This is my essence, my blood flesh.

More than once or twice I wanted to soar into the sky

Or fall backwards, exploding your anger.

You held me, and the bridle is like rags,

It remained in your hand, as if your heart was in pieces!

I burned and dared, a hunter of the sultry prairies,

The horse flew like an arrow, his temples ached.

What is my horse to me? My prowess and dexterity,

The pride of my ancestors, their victories in battles.

My Arabian horse gave me skill,

Passion to a faithful heart, fearless sparkle in the eyes!

On the wings of the wind

“I come from a family that loves horses,” the prince admits. - There is a strong spiritual connection between me and the world of equestrian sports, which is a huge part of my life. I ride whenever the opportunity arises because it gives me a feeling of absolute freedom.” Like many members of the al-Maktoum family, Hamdan not only excels in the saddle, but is also a professional equestrian. He has his own stable, where he breeds thoroughbred saddle horses and Arabian horses, and takes part in distance racing competitions. The prince performs very, very successfully: he mainly has first and second places in tournaments with the highest distance of 160 km. His main horses are Ainhoa ​​Aksom, Intisar and Yamamah.

The list of Hamdan's victories is endless - for example, he won four tournaments in a row (all in which he took part) at a distance of 120 km in 2014. The prince's main achievements are team gold at the 2006 Summer Asian Games and a gold medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy (160 km), which he won in August this year on the purebred Arabian mare Yamamaha (which translates from Arabic as “little dove"). “The route was unusually difficult technically,” says the prince. “In addition, it was aggravated by the weather and high humidity. It was necessary to ensure that the horse was well protected from the weather at all times. It’s not surprising that the number of those who were able to simply finish was small for a championship of this level.” 165 athletes from 47 countries took part in the tournament. At first, the team from the UAE took the lead, but by the end of the third lap, only one representative of this team remained on the route - Sheikh Hamdan. Many of the tournament's competitors were injured along the course, and a Costa Rican rider's horse tragically died on the route after colliding with a tree. So this victory was indeed not easy for the prince and once again confirmed his high level of sports.

Prince Hamdan AL-MAKTOUM

with his potential bride Kalila Said

Adrenaline Rush

The prince is not afraid of danger - on the contrary, he chases adrenaline in every possible way. He engages in extreme sports - skydiving, flying on a JETLEV-FLYER jetpack (which rises into the air on giant jets of water) and an Xcitor paraglider, racing around the Persian Gulf on water scooters and skis and scuba diving. Hamdan also loves to travel: for example, he has been to Africa, where he met with aborigines and hunted lions with a photo gun, and to Russia, where he participated in falconry. “I swim regularly and just walk a lot at any time of the day,” says the prince. “I also sometimes play football, but things don’t allow me to get too involved in this sport.”

Marry a prince

The love question remains open for now: at just over thirty (he celebrates his 32nd birthday on November 14), the prince is not yet married. The personal life of the sheikh has been the subject of countless speculations for many years - not surprising, since the prince is a “tidbit” for thousands of girls. It was said that from birth he was engaged to a maternal relative, Sheikha al-Maktoum, but at the same time he had very close contact with another distant relative (whose name is unknown) from 2008 to 2013. The relationship ended in January 2013 (the arranged marriage was immediately called off for reasons that were not made public) when the prince met a new love. Hamdan fell in love so much that he very soon announced his engagement. His chosen one was Kalila Said, a 23-year-old refugee from Palestine who grew up in the slums of an Arab metropolis. The young people met while working on a charity project in one of the disadvantaged areas of the capital. The girl cannot be called a gold digger: the prince had to seek her attention for more than three months before she agreed to go on a date, but soon the couple became inseparable. According to rumors circulating in the country, Sheikh Mohammed was not very happy with the choice of the prince and even threatened to disinherit his son, but to no avail. The young man chose love, as a result of which the father reconsidered his position, resigned himself and, it seems, even gave the couple his blessing. However, Hamdan’s fans should not despair: in the UAE, the sheikh has the right to have as many wives as he wants. So, Hamdan’s father, Sheikh Mohammed, is rumored to have about five wives (hence so many children), and the world knows about only two, and Hamdan’s brother, Prince Said Al-Maktoum, also married a girl of low origin, Azerbaijani Natalia Aliyeva. She worked as a waitress in Belarus (where they met), and in the UAE she became Princess Aisha Al-Maktoum.

People's Favorite

In September 2006, Hamdan Al Maktoum was appointed Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, where he was tasked with overseeing the emirate's government facilities. It was thanks to him that the “Dubai Strategic Plan until 2015” was put forward. As President, Sheikh Hamdan led the Dubai Sports Council, the Dubai Autism Center, and the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Institute for Young Business Leaders. Despite his fame and billion-dollar fortune, the prince remains very modest - he is actively involved in charity work, personally overseeing several funds for helping children and animals. “The fact that I am the son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid does not give me an absolute right to refuse my duties,” says Hamdan. “On the contrary, I feel that my brothers and I have an obligation to be more responsible and should take every job as seriously as possible.” From my point of view, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed is an ideal head of family who always strives to give time to everyone despite the enormous worries. At the same time, he teaches us that we must always remain close to the people.”

In the modern world, royal misalliances happen quite often, so we decided to remember the most influential, but still free royal offspring of the Middle East. After all, no one knows who you might accidentally bump into even in a crowd.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum

In 2011, Kate Middleton's grand wedding took place, the broadcast of which was watched by 162 million viewers, mesmerized by the reality of the scenario of the fairy tale about Cinderella. And the Duchess of Cambridge, in turn, seemed to repeat the scenario of Mary Donaldson, now the Crown Princess of Denmark, whose typical, inconspicuous life changed dramatically after a chance acquaintance in Sydney with Prince Frederick. 3 years after that chance meeting, she was destined to become his bride, and then his wife.

However, not only these two ladies proved that dreams of a royal wedding in the truest sense of the word have every right to exist. Even the most titled persons sometimes choose one of the common people as their life partner. And the Middle Eastern princes and princesses, as we remember, were no exception. Take, for example, the story of the beautiful Rania, Queen of Jordan. But today we are not talking about her. After we counted all the European eligible blue-blooded bachelors, the editorial team came up with the idea to talk about princesses and princes from the Middle East, who also have not yet found their halves.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai (34)

The beloved heir to the throne of the Emirate of Dubai has many talents. He was initially educated at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England, and subsequently attended classes at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The 34-year-old enviable prince rides horses, scuba dives and is already an almost professional parachute jumper. In addition, he even publishes poems of his own composition, imbued with patriotic and romantic sentiments.

In general, his skills and achievements can be listed endlessly, and he immediately talks about them on his Instagram. There you can also find photo evidence of how much the Crown Prince loves sports and an active lifestyle in general, which cannot but please.

Hussein ibn Abdullah, Crown Prince of Jordan (22)

Hussein ibn Abdullah

The Prince with his mother, Queen Rania

He is the eldest child of the couple King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, by the way, one of the most beautiful royalty of our time. The prince is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, where he majored in international history.

The prince with his father, King Abdullah II, and US President Barack Obama

Interestingly, last year Prince Hussein had the honor of chairing a meeting of the UN Security Council, thus becoming the youngest participant in the process in its entire history. Thus, Prince Hussein is following in his father’s footsteps, continuing his parent’s endeavors by actively participating in policies to empower youth.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar (28)

The 28-year-old heir to the throne is the 5th son of Sheikh Emir and his second wife Sheikha Moza, one of the most famous women of the East. In 2013, he received his master's degree from Harvard University. In addition to Arabic, the young man speaks fluent English and French.

In addition, Sheikh Mohammed Hamad is the former captain of the Qatar equestrian team. He also chaired the competition to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Sheikha Maita bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Princess of Dubai (36)

Maita is the half-sister of the Crown Prince, who heads our list of free royal offspring of the East. But her fiance will have to work hard to live up to her. And the point here is not at all about the social status of the bride. In addition to her important title, Sheikha is also the honorary president of the United Arab Emirates Taekwondo and Karate Federation and the president of the Women's Committee of the West Asian Karate Federation. She even led the UAE women's team in this sport, which took first place from 2003 to 2006. In addition, Sheikha Maita became the first Arab athlete to carry her country's flag at the Beijing Olympics. In 2008, Forbes magazine included the girl in the list of the 20 most famous representatives of royal dynasties.