London
The ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum has been ordered to pay his ex-wife Princess Haya bint al-Hussein more than $728 million (£500 million), in one of the largest divorce settlements ever handed down by a UK court.
The figure will be used to cover Princess Haya’s security costs for the rest of her life, as well as ongoing costs for the couple’s two children — Al Jalila Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Zayed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum — with an upfront payment of $333 (£251.5m) due in the next three months.
There is no fixed value on the total settlement, as the court ruled that Sheikh Mohammed should pay the annual security costs for his two children, aged nine and 14, for the rest of their lives or until a further court order is issued.
In his written judgement published Tuesday, Mr Justice Moor found that the biggest threat facing Princess Haya and her children Jalila and Zayed, is from “[Sheikh Mohammed] himself, not from outside sources.”
The determination was made in reference to the Sheikh’s “campaign” of intimidation inflicted on Princess Haya, including “his ability to make use of the Pegasus software, which is only available to governments,” to spy on the Princess and her staff, a revelation which surfaced in court documents in October.
