Ruling Family
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, and the ruler of Dubai.
He is the third of Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s four sons. From the age of four, Sheikh Mohammed was privately tutored in Arabic and Islamic Studies. He continued his secondary education at the Bell Educational Trust’s English Language School in the United Kingdom.
His senior wife is Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, whom he married in 1979. His junior wife is HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and half-sister of King Abdullah II of Jordan, whom he married in 2004 and has one daughter with. Sheikh Mohammed has 17 children: seven sons and ten daughters.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum has been known for his vast donations to charity. In November 2007, he contributed more than $1.7 million to ‘Dubai Cares’, which doubled the amount raised throughout the whole campaign. The aim of ‘Dubai Cares’ is to educate children in poor countries.
Sheikh Mohammed is a major international figure in thoroughbred horse racing and breeding. Every year, he hosts the Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest series of horse races.
On January 3, 1995, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Mohamed’s elder brother signed two decrees that appointed Sheikh Mohammed as Crown Prince of Dubai. 11 years later on January 4, 2006, he became the Ruler of Dubai upon the death of his brother.
Sheikh Mohammed has continued his family’s strive for excellence and has contributed tremendously to Dubai’s growth and development. He is currently overseeing the development of the Palm Islands as well as Burj Dubai, which is currently the tallest building in the world.
On 1 February, 2008, Sheikh Mohammed named his son, Hamdan, as crown prince of Dubai. He also appointed his brother, also named Hamdan, and his other son, Maktoum, as deputy rulers of Dubai.
Sheikh Hamdan, 25, graduated from the prestigious Sandhurst Military Academy in England and went on to attend the London School of Economics. Previous to this decree, Sheikh Hamdan was already the head of Dubai’s Executive Council which is in charge of Dubai’s political and financial affairs.