In many cultures, divorce is a touchy subject that should be kept private and never publicised. However, the princess of Dubai, Her Highness Sheikha Mahra Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, shocked the world when she publicly announced her divorce from her husband – through Instagram!
The royalty took to Instagram to share a post, which appeared to be a declaration of divorce to her husband, Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum. Sheikha Mahra’s post was merely a photo that wrote, “Dear Husband, As you are occupied with other companions, I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you. Take care. Your ex-wife.” However, even without captions, the image was enough to capture her intentions.
The post unsurprisingly went viral, given the shock value of a prominent figure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) divorcing her partner on a public platform. Sheikha Mahra is the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and vice president and prime minister of the UAE. Many also pointed out that public figure seemingly declared triple talaq, a centuries-old practice in Islamic law typically used by Muslim men to divorce their partners. However, it’s unclear whether Sheikha Mahra’s declaration can be used as proof of divorce.
Sheikha Mahra and Sheikh Mana tied the knot in April 2023 in a lavish ceremony. The princess also recently gave birth to their daughter just two months ago. It’s unsure the reason for the divorce but Sheikha Mahra previously hinted at marital problems after captioning a photo of her with her newborn, “Just the two of us”. The pair have also unfollowed each other on Instagram and removed all posts of them together from their accounts.
Media outlets have contacted the Dubai royal family for their comments on the situation but haven’t received any response. The UAE government also hasn’t made a public announcement reading the post. Some netizens also speculated that Sheikha Mahra’s account may have been hacked. However, the post has remained on her page for more than a day and there are no other signs of odd activities on her account.
We wish the best for Sheikha Mahra – and may she work out her differences with Sheikh Mana. What are your thoughts on this?
