The billionaire ruler of Dubai is battling his wife for custody of their two children in a London court, in what is set to be one of the most expensive and fiercely contested such cases in UK history.
The case will be a diplomatic headache for the UK, which has strong trading and defence ties with the United Arab Emirates. Sources close to Haya suggested that she fled Dubai after discovering details behind the mysterious return of Sheikha Latifa, one of Mohammed's daughters from a different marriage.
, former Irish president and former United Nations high commissioner for human rights, who told reporters after their meeting that Latifa was a "troubled young woman". Radha Stirling, the CEO of campaign group Detained in Dubai, who has testified as an expert witness in several high-profile cases arguing against extradition to the UAE, said on Tuesday: "The UAE is a male-dominated society, and Princess Haya's husband, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, wields absolute power over Dubai."