Dubai’s ruler must pay $700 million to his ex-wife as part of a divorce settlement

In one of the most costly divorce settlements in British history, a British court ordered the ruler of Dubai to pay his ex-wife and their children over 550 million pounds ($730 million).

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum must pay Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein 251.5 million pounds and provide monthly payments for their daughters Al Jalila, 14, and Zayed, 9, according to the High Court, which is backed by a 290 million pound bank guarantee.

Depending on conditions such as how long the children live and whether they reunite with their father, the total sum the children get could be more or less than 290 million pounds. The settlement includes an annual payment of 11 million pounds to cover Princess Haya’s and the children’s security expenditures while they remain minors.

Judge Philip Moor said the family required “watertight security,” adding that the biggest threat to them came “absolutely specifically” from Sheikh Mohammed, rather than from outside sources.
Haya, 47, escaped to the United Kingdom in 2019 and petitioned the British courts for custody of her two children. The princess, who is the daughter of Jordan’s late King Hussein, said she was “terrified” of her husband, who is accused of forcing the return of two of his daughters to the Gulf emirate.

Sheikh Mohammed, 72, is also the UAE’s vice president and prime minister, as well as a prominent horse breeder. He is on friendly terms with Queen Elizabeth II, as the creator of the successful Godolphin horse-racing establishment.

Haya, an Oxford University graduate, is also an accomplished equestrian who represented Jordan in show jumping in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

During their legal battle, a different British family court judge concluded in October that Sheikh Mohammed had allowed the hacking of Princess Haya’s phone.

According to Judge Andrew McFarlane, the sheikh granted his “explicit or implicit authorisation” to hack the phones of the princess and her lawyers using Pegasus spyware from Israel’s NSO Group. Exclusively for use by national security services, the software is licenced to nation governments.

Sheikh Mohammed has denied any involvement in the hacking.

Sheikh Mohammed “directed and coordinated” the abduction and forced return to Dubai of two of his adult daughters, Sheikha Shamsa in August 2000 and her sister, Sheikha Latifa, in 2002 and again in 2018.

The divorce bill dwarfs Tatiana Akhmedova’s 450 million pound settlement with Russian billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov in 2016, which was dubbed “Britain’s most expensive divorce” at the time.

A holiday budget of 5.1 million pounds, an annual payment of just over 450,000 pounds for the children’s staff, and roughly 275,000 pounds for their animals, which include two ponies and a horse, are all included in Tuesday’s agreement.

Financial divorce agreements in England can be contested, but this is uncommon.

Sheikh Mohammed’s spokesman stated in a statement that the ruler “has always ensured the well-being of his children.” He would not comment further because the court has reached its financial decision.”