London - A full hearing in a case that
pits the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum
against his wife, a Jordanian princess, over the welfare of
their two children will be heard on Nov. 11 in an English court,
a judge said on Wednesday.
The two parties said in a statement earlier this month the
legal battle was related to the welfare of their children but
did not concern divorce or finances. Princess Haya bint
al-Hussein is estranged from her husband.
In proceedings disclosed on Tuesday, Princess Haya, the
45-year-old daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan and
half-sister to present King Abdullah, asked London's High Court
to protect one of her children from a forced marriage and to
grant a non-molestation order, a type of injunction that
protects against harassment or threats.
Wednesday's hearing, which Haya attended, was held in
private and the details cannot be reported.
When asked about the court proceedings on Tuesday, an
official at the London embassy of the United Arab Emirates said:
"The UAE government does not intend to comment on allegations
about individuals’ private lives".
The 70-year-old sheikh, who is also vice-president of the
UAE, married the princess, a former member of the International
Olympic Committee, in 2004 in what was believed to be his sixth
marriage. He has more than 20 children by different wives.
Princess Haya, who competed in equestrian jumping in the
2000 Olympics in Sydney, has often attended Britain's Royal
Ascot horse races with Sheikh Mohammed.
Jordan is staying silent about the legal battle between
Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed, as King Abdullah seeks to
contain any fallout from a case involving his half-sister and a
vital Gulf ally.