The royal made her intentions very clear in her public post.
The daughter of Dubai’s monarch has taken the unprecedented move of announcing her divorce publicly on social media, seeming to using a controversial route that is typically reserved for men in some of the countries that follow Islam.
“I hereby declare our divorce,” Sheikha Mahra posted on her Instagram account. “I divorce you, I divorce you, and I Divorce You. Take care. Your ex-wife.”
Mahra, full name Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is the daughter of United Arab Emirates Prime Minister and Dubai’s monarch Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Her post is meant to evoke a “triple divorce,” in which a man instantly divorces his wife by declaring the desire three times. The practice isn’t traditionally used by women and according to CNN, it is banned in some countries.
Mahra’s husband, Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, is also a member of Dubai’s ruling family, so that could make things more complicated. The couple wed in 2023 and welcomed a daughter sometime after.
Since the post, any pictures of Mahra and her husband have been removed, while his account features no photos of her now either, according to CNN. Some thought the princess may have been hacked, but the post remains. No public comment from the UAE or Sheikh Mana has been released yet.