Dubai Princess Sheikha Mahra ‘divorces’ husband on Instagram

DUBAI: Princess Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai made headlines this week with an unprecedented announcement on Instagram: she publicly declared her intent to divorce her husband.

The Dubai princess took to image-sharing social media platform Instagram in an unorthodox way to ‘divorce’ her husband Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Using the Islamic practice of “triple talaq,” traditionally invoked by men to end marriages, she stated, “I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you. Take care. Your ex-wife.”

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The public declaration on social media marked a significant departure from the usual discretion observed by Middle Eastern royals. Sheikha Mahra also removed all photos of her and her husband from her Instagram profile.

The couple celebrated a lavish wedding just last year and recently welcomed their first child.

The controversy surrounding Sheikha Mahra’s announcement revolves around the cultural and legal implications of “triple talaq.” In many countries, such method of divorce has been outlawed or heavily regulated due to concerns about its unilateral nature.

Despite the public scrutiny that followed her announcement, there has been no official response from the Dubai or United Arab Emirates (UAE) governments. Sheikh Mana himself has been quiet since the strong declaration by his wife.

The silence contrasts with previous public scandals involving Dubai’s ruling family, such as the highly publicised divorce of her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with Princess Haya bint al-Hussein of Jordan.

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The ongoing saga involving Dubai Princess Sheikha Mahra and her reported ‘divorce’ is seen by many outsiders as a battle between tradition and modernity in the UAE.