Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, daughter of Dubai’s ruler, appears to have announced her divorce via social media. A post on her verified Instagram account stated, “I hereby declare our divorce.”
The BBC has reached out to officials in the UAE for clarification, but there has been no public comment from her husband, Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum, or her father.
The Instagram post, addressed to her husband, concluded with the phrase, “I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you,” referencing the Islamic practice of triple talaq, which allows for a swift divorce by repeating the phrase three times. This practice has been banned in several countries.
The message ended with, “Take care. Your ex-wife.” Notably, all images of her husband have been removed from her account, and Sheikh Mana’s account appears to be devoid of pictures of her as well.
The couple married in April 2023 in a lavish ceremony, and their first child was born just two months ago. Some users on Instagram have speculated that Sheikha Mahra’s account may have been hacked, although there is no official confirmation of this. As of the time of publication, the divorce announcement post was listed as one day old.
Dubai’s government and the UAE Embassy in London have not responded to requests for comment.
