The ex-wife of the ruler of Dubai has been awarded £554m in Britain’s biggest ever divorce settlement.
Princess Haya bint Hussein will receive a lump sum payment of £251m as part of a ‘clean break’ from one of the world’s richest men, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, the High Court announced today.
A further £290m has been awarded to pay for maintenance for his two children Jalila, 14, and Zayed, 9, for the rest of their lives.
The bulk of the £251m will be used for security costs to keep the princess and her young children safe from kidnap.
And, in another bombshell, the judgement revealed how Princess Haya alleged that she had paid out £7million to ‘blackmailers’ on her security staff to keep secret her affair with her British bodyguard, Russell Flowers, which led to the breakdown of her marriage.
There was no suggestion that Flowers was involved with the blackmail.
In a judgment of 73 pages, Mr Justice Moor stated that the princess and her children were at ‘clear risk’ and Sheikh Mohammed was her’main threat’.
The £554m figure awarded by Mr Justice Moor at the Family Division of the High Court dwarfs the previous highest settlement of £450m made in 2016 to the ex-wife of Russian oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov.
Princess Haya bint Hussein will receive a lump sum payment of £251m as part of a ‘clean break’ from one of the world’s richest men, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, the High Court announced today
The judgement revealed how Princess Haya had paid out £7million to ‘blackmailers’ on her security staff to keep secret her affair with her British bodyguard, Russell Flowers, (circled left). Haya (middle photo) can be seen alongside Sheikh Mohammed to the right. This image was taken in Ascot
Princess Haya’s affair with British bodyguard as she claims she paid out £7m to ‘blackmailers’
The judgement revealed how Princess Haya alleged that she had paid out £7million to ‘blackmailers’ on her security staff to keep secret her affair with her British bodyguard, Russell Flowers, which led to the breakdown of her marriage. There was no suggestion that Mr Flowers was involved with the blackmail.
Flowers was five-years in the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment. In 2016, Flowers began full time work for Haya and traveled with her to many countries.
MailOnline revealed for the first time that Haya began an affair after being assigned to him at Dalham Hall, a 3,000-acre Suffolk estate.
He served five years with the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment and began full-time employment at Haya in 2016.
The relationship ended Mr Flowers’s four year marriage
Mail Online was told by friends that they planned to share rooms when he traveled overseas with her. Flowers refused to discuss the matter, citing a confidentiality agreement.
After a 16 year marriage ended, the princess fled Dubai fearing her life. Giving evidence, the princess admitted she had taken money from one of her children’s bank accounts to ‘pay off’ a total of £7m to her alleged ‘blackmailers’.
Recent photos of Mr Flowers show that he has declined to comment on the incident.
The three former bodyguards that allegedly took the money weren’t named by the court, but they were identified as Mr A and B. However, it was not implied that Mr Flowers was part of the blackmail.
Mr A was said to have been given £2.5m while Mr B and Mr C shared £4.45m. The princess’s ex-husband was conducting cross examinations on her to find out the extent of the payouts.
Court heard that cash in the account had been used for purchase of racehorses, and another amount was sent to her brother to fund his royal palace.
Haya (47) told Haya it was “convenient” to use the funds of her daughter. Haya had also hoped to repay that money, but hadn’t. The court was told by Haya, 47 that these were funds she could quickly get in order to make the payment.
The judge noted that the blackmail was a matter of public record and they have not been prosecuted.
His judgment stated that “This was obviously a most disappointing episode.” While I am not aware of the allegations, it is clear that I did not hear from them. However, nobody should be blackmailed. HRH must have felt very afraid at this moment. She could have used her allowance to pay all of these expenses.
While the award will allow the princess to continue to live in the life of luxury she enjoyed as the sheikh’s sixth wife, it is £900m less than what her lawyers had originally demanded.
Lawyers representing the princess argued that this huge amount was required to safeguard her and her children against her ex-husband, who she had previously been found to be likely to forcibly have taken two of her daughters from Dubai after they tried to flee.
In his judgement, Mr Justice Moor stated that HRH will continue to be at risk for her entire life. This could come from her ex or the terrorists and threats she faces as a princess.
Sheikh Mohammed – a close friend of the Queen over their mutual love of horse racing – was also found to have had his agents ‘hack’ the phones of his ex-wife and her lawyers, including Baroness Fiona Shackleton.
The sheikh launched an intimidating campaign against Haya after the Princess’s scandal. Haya fled to London fearing for her life.
Giving evidence, the princess admitted she had taken money from one of her children’s bank accounts to ‘pay off’ a total of £7m to her alleged ‘blackmailers’.
Three former bodyguards who allegedly received the money were not named in court but identified as Mr A, B and C. It was not suggested that Mr Flowers was involved in the alleged blackmail.
Mr A was said to have been given £2.5m while Mr B and Mr C shared £4.45m.
The princess’s ex-husband was conducting a cross examination of her legal team regarding money taken out of her daughter’s bank account.
According to the court, cash taken from this account was used to purchase racehorses as well as a large amount sent to her brother in Jordan to finance his palace.
Haya (47) told court that it was ‘convenient to’ use the funds of her daughter and that she had hoped she would repay the money, but hadn’t yet.
She stated to the court, “Those were the funds I was able to get quickly to pay that amount,”
The judge commented after hearing the allegations of blackmail that it was possible for these people to escape prosecution.
He said that this was a very unsatisfactory incident. While I am not aware of the allegations, it is clear that I did not hear from them. However, nobody should be blackmailed. HRH must have felt very afraid at this moment. She could have used her allowance to pay all of these expenses.
Five-year veteran of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment. He began full-time employment with Haya in 2016, and was a frequent travel companion for Haya.
MailOnline revealed for the first time that Haya began an affair after being assigned to him at Dalham Hall, a 3,000-acre Suffolk estate.
Mail Online received a friend’s assurance that they would share adjoining rooms while on their overseas travels.
Flowers declined to speak on the subject citing a confidentiality agreement.
This ended 16 years of marriage between the princess and her husband. She fled Dubai in fear for her life. A loaded gun had been left in her room. The royal palace informed her that a helicopter was going to land and bring her to jail.
The financial award will pay the vast majority for 24/7 security while the family is in London, their country home or overseas.
Attorneys representing the princess argued that she and the children needed protection from her husband, who had previously forcibly returned to Dubai two of his daughters when the latter attempted to leave the UAE.
In 2017, Princess Latifa, Princess Shamsa and Princess Latifa were abducted off India’s coast. Princess Shamsa was taken while she was in Cambridge. She was returned to Dubai in 2000.
It was during that custody battle that the 73-year-old sheikh – a close friend of the Queen over their mutual love of horse racing – ordered the hacking of his ex-wife’s phones and her lawyers, including Baroness Fiona Shackleton.
In allocating almost £250m for security Mr Justice Moor said there was a ‘clear and ever-present risk’ to the princess and her two young children.
He stated that HRH will continue to be at risk for her entire life. This could come from HH (her ex), or just any terrorist threat the princess faces in her role.
He added Sheikh Mohammed, who has an estimated £5bn fortune, was the ‘main threat to her’ and said the family should have £11m a year to cover all their security needs.
In a judgement of 73 pages, Mr Justice Moor stated that the princess and her children were at ‘clear risk’ and Sheikh Mohammed was her’main threat’
At an earlier court hearing, the Dubai-based billionaire ruler was determined on balance of probabilities that he had taken two of his daughters, Shamsa and Latifa.
Fiona Shackleton is Princess Haya’s high-profile society divorce lawyer (with whom she can be seen outside of court).
Following being alerted, the princess stated to the court that she felt like “under siege”.
A lengthy decision was made public today by Mr Justice Moor. He stated that the amount of money in this settlement took the case ‘out of the ordinary.
Some of the requests were described by him as “eye-watering”.
Judge said that the family enjoyed an ‘exceptional level of wealth’ and “remarkable standard living” while they lived in Dubai, which helped him make his decision about the settlement.
Lawyers for the princess had initially asked for £1.4bn so that the princess, 48, would no longer depend on her ex-husband for any money.
Although Mr Justice Moor dismissed this amount, he stated that she would require ‘water tight security’ for her entire life.
In a 73-page ruling the judge produced a detailed schedule containing a breakdown of how he had arrived at the £554m sum that would give her a ‘clean break’ from her ex.
These subjects included security and leisure, as well as staffing costs and house maintenance.
The security cost of the award is covered up until the year 2068. This will occur when both the ex-wife and the sheikh (73) are dead.
Much of the security budget covers the princess and her family at their two homes – a £100m mansion alongside Kensington Palace in London and a 12-bedroom country home near Egham in Surrey.
Costs submitted to the court showed that wages for bodyguards will amount to £865,000 a year
Six top-of-the-range maximum security vehicles can be purchased every two years from the security budget to transport the family.
The court was told that the cost of transporting the vehicles abroad for family holidays will be £900,000 a year.
This four-day hearing offered a fascinating insight into her QC’s’money no objects’ lifestyle while she was married.
The sums of money discussed in the hearings always ran into the millions with £48,000 the smallest amount ever mentioned.
Sheikh Mohammed – a close friend of the Queen over their mutual love of horse racing – was also found to have had his agents ‘hack’ the phones of his ex-wife and her lawyers, including Baroness Fiona Shackleton. The couple are seen together at 2014’s Royal Windsor Horse Show.
In the written judgment Mr Justice Moor said he had decided on a figure of £11m a year in child maintenance based on the money the children had received each year from their father.
While living in Dubai, the sheikh paid £18m a year into the bank accounts of the two children.
Princess Haya had a £9m a year allowance and a further £82m for household spending while running the royal palaces.
Judge said that the princess fled Dubai in 2019, leaving behind her jewelry and designer clothing.
Included in the sum awarded to her as a lump sum was £20m for items that were left behind and unlikely to be retrieved.
Haya was present for two days and faced intense cross-examination by the team of lawyers representing her ex-husband.
Sheikh Mohammed accompanying the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on a visit to the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi as part of their tour to the Gulf
Nicholas Cusworth, Nicholas Cusworth QC was her attorney. He argued that she should have the right to enjoy the same luxurious lifestyle as she used to. There is ‘limitless’ cash available and there were 80 staff members.
She was cross-examined by the lawyers of her ex-husband and asked whether she knew how much money is worth.
Christopher Dyer QC questioned her claim that she wanted her children to live a normal life while claiming she needed £1.4bn.
In a breakdown of the money allocated, Mr Justice Moor said he had allowed £11m a year to pay for security, as the children get older this will be reduced to £8.2m and finally to £5.5m.
A detailed breakdown of security costs show that over £2m a year will be spent on cars and £3m a year on salaries for a team of bodyguards who are on duty round the clock.
A further £157,000 a year has been allocated for bonuses and £203,000 for their meals while on duty.
The judge allowed £5m a year to be spent by the princess of foreign holidays and weekends away in the UK.
A total of £1m has been allocated for seven flights on private jet with £667,000 on hotel accommodation. A further £300,000 a year was allocated for food and activities.
The princess provided evidence that the family would spend nine weeks a year on holiday abroad.
Her QC said the amount being claimed was reasonable as while still married to the sheikh she had access to numerous private jets, 15 homes overseas and a £400m super yacht.
Almost £300,000 a year was awarded for the cost of a nanny and a nurse for the children while a tutor for the children will be paid £100,000 a year.
Since fleeing to London the princess and her children have been living in a £100m mansion in Kensington and country home near Egham in Surrey.
The judge approved the spending of £1.6m for a kitchen extension and pizza oven to be built at the London home as well as security upgrades.
The sum of £500,000 was allocated for replacement of fixtures and fittings while £100,000 was for cleaning products and other household goods.
The cost of running the country home was put at £1m a year with staff wages running to £162,000.
Court was informed that five housekeepers and one handyman were working at the London home.
Because Princess Haya is part of the Jordanian diplomatic missions, she won’t have to pay tax on hundreds of millions.
The Princess would visit Mr Flowers in his stunning Suffolk property Dalham Hall on 3,000 acres.
Since fleeing to London, Princess Haya and her children have been living in a £100m mansion in Kensington (pictured) and country home near Egham in Surrey