Category: Royals

Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is one of the most searched-for members of Dubai’s ruling family. She is frequently described online as the “Queen” or “Princess of Dubai”, and a large amount of what is shared about her on social media is inaccurate. This profile sets out what is reliably documented.

Who is Sheikha Mahra?

Sheikha Mahra was born on 26 February 1994 in Dubai. She is a daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. She is not a queen: the UAE is a federation of seven emirates ruled by Sheikhs, and there is no title of “Queen of Dubai”. Headlines using that phrase are a sign that the source is not reliable.

According to reports in Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, she graduated from university in 2023 with a degree in international relations.

Documented public and community appearances

Compared with some of her siblings, Sheikha Mahra holds no official government post and leads no foundation of her own. The community activities that are documented by regional media are modest:

• In 2023 she visited the Rashid Centre for People of Determination in Dubai, a centre that supports children with disabilities, and donated toys to its students.
• She has represented the family at events connected to Dubai’s Community Development Authority, the government body responsible for social welfare in the emirate.
• She is known for her interest in equestrianism, a sport closely associated with her father.

Most of the large-scale charitable work associated with her family is carried out through institutions founded by her father, especially the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), rather than by individual family members.

Personal life in brief

Sheikha Mahra married Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum in 2023, and the couple had a daughter in May 2024. In July 2024 she announced their divorce in a post on Instagram, which was widely reported by international outlets including the BBC and CNN. In September 2024 she launched a perfume brand, Mahra M1. In 2025 her engagement to the rapper French Montana was announced.

A warning about fake posts using her name

Because she is so well known, Sheikha Mahra’s name and edited photos are often used in scam posts that promise free money, marriage support or “royal grants” to poor families. No member of Dubai’s ruling family distributes money through Facebook pages, WhatsApp groups or registration websites. Read our guide on how to spot fake “Arab Sheikh” aid scams before you share any such post.

Sources

Harper’s Bazaar Arabia; Arabian Business; BBC News and CNN (July 2024); Vogue Arabia (September 2024).

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Leonor, Princess of Asturias, heir to the Spanish throne, turns 21 today, 31 October 2026. Born in Madrid on 31 October 2005, she is the elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. Her last three years have been among the busiest of any young royal in Europe.

A three-year military education

Following a royal decree in March 2023, Leonor began a three-year programme of military training, as her father did before her:

• 2023–24, Army: General Military Academy in Zaragoza. She swore allegiance to the Spanish flag there on 7 October 2023.
• 2024–25, Navy: Naval Military Academy in Marín. In January 2025 she set sail on the training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano for a five-month voyage that included stops in Latin America and New York.
• 2025–26, Air and Space Force: General Air and Space Academy in San Javier, Murcia. On 18 December 2025 she flew solo for the first time in a Pilatus PC-21 trainer, and in May 2026 she completed the basic parachute course, the first member of the royal family to do so.

Her training year ended at a ceremony in San Javier on 10 July 2026, attended by her parents and her sister, Infanta Sofía. Her formal commission as an officer is expected in 2027.

An oath before Parliament

On her 18th birthday, 31 October 2023, Leonor swore to uphold the Spanish Constitution before both houses of Parliament, receiving an ovation of more than four minutes. That oath formally confirmed her as the adult heir to the throne.

Now a university student

In April 2026 the Royal Household announced that she would study for a four-year degree in Political Science at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, a public university. She began in September 2026 and, according to the palace, follows the same timetable and exams as other students while continuing her official duties.

Read more about her public engagements and the foundations she leads in Princess Leonor’s public duties and foundations.

Sources

Spanish Royal Household; Wikipedia; ¡Hola! (July 2026); Euro Weekly News (27 April 2026).

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Long before her military training, Princess Leonor was introduced to public life step by step. Today, as heir to the throne, she holds two important roles in Spanish civil society.

The Princess of Asturias Foundation

As Princess of Asturias, Leonor is the honorary head of the Princess of Asturias Foundation, which awards the annual Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo. The awards recognise achievements in fields such as science, the arts, communication, sport and international cooperation, and are among the most respected prizes in the Spanish-speaking world.

She gave her first major speech at the awards in October 2019, aged 13. In October 2024 she attended for the first time as an adult and addressed the laureates, and in October 2025 she presided over the ceremony. The foundation also runs the Exemplary Town Award, which honours a small Asturian village for community spirit; in 2025 she spoke at the award in Valdesoto.

The Princess of Girona Foundation

She also heads the Princess of Girona Foundation, which supports young people with education, training and entrepreneurship programmes. At its 2019 awards in Barcelona she spoke in four languages: Spanish, Catalan, English and Arabic.

Meeting volunteers and communities

• December 2022: visited the Spanish Red Cross headquarters in Madrid and met young Red Cross volunteers.
• July 2024: made her first official foreign visit, to Portugal, with a focus on ocean protection.
• September 2025: visited Navarre with her parents to mark 600 years of the title Princess of Viana.
• May 2026: attended her first Armed Forces Day in Vigo.

Languages and preparation

Leonor speaks Spanish, Catalan and English fluently, and has studied French, Galician, Basque, Arabic and Mandarin. She completed the International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales in 2023.

Sources

Spanish Royal Household; Princess of Asturias Foundation; Wikipedia.

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