Princess Haya’s bodyguard lover was not involved in an alleged blackmail plot that saw her pay £7million to keep the affair quiet, according to his friends and former colleagues.
They claimed that Russell Flowers was not a soldier and demanded no money from them at the conclusion of their 2-year relationship.
Instead, he was paid £1.2m as part of a deal to sign a non-disclosure agreement that prevents him from ever speaking about the relationship with the wife of the billionaire ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum.
“There wasn’t any blackmail from Russell,” said a friend. “He isn’t like that. It didn’t happen.”
According to reports, Princess Haya and Russell Flowers (left), were involved in an affair. In a photograph taken at Ascot, Sheikh Mohammed is also pictured.
Former colleague stated that signing a confidentiality agreement was commonplace when one leaves the Dubai royal household’s employ.
“That’s how they work and have been doing it for years. A financial settlement will be reached when the agreement has been signed.
Princess Haya, who will receive a record £554m in a divorce settlement announced yesterday, had told the High Court she was the victim of an alleged blackmail by four members of her security team.
She claimed three of them were paid almost £7m to stay silent about the affair.
The men weren’t named by the court, but they were identified as Mr. A and B.
Mr A was paid £2.5m while the other two shared £4.45m
A fourth bodyguard Identified as Mr D was paid £1.2m.
In referring to the accusations made by Princess, Mr Justice Moor stated in the judgement that she’d ‘dealt a few payments that were made to four security personnel during the marriage.
“These people had blackmailed HRH about an affair they had with her.”
After five years of service in the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment for five year, Mr Flowers began full-time employment with Haya and was accompanied on many of her overseas trips.
MailOnline reported that the sheikh had started an affair in secret with Princess Haya shortly after Dalham Hall, a 3,000-acre Suffolk estate.
Flowers, 38, a former soldier who was never named by the High Court, however, has been previously identified as the Princess’s lover.
MailOnline revealed last year friends had said he received £1.2m when the affair with the Princess – which ended her marriage and led to her fleeing Dubai in fear of her life – came to an end in 2018.
Flowers were unable to respond when Mail Online contacted them.
The court was told by Haya’s lawyers that £500,000 was needed each year for ‘severance pay’ for members of the Princess’s security staff.
The judge, Mr Justice Moor, reduced this to £150,000 a year in his final judgement.
He stated that the first figure is for severance expenses. I simply cannot believe that it is necessary to spend the best part of £500,000 per annum on this item.
“I was not given any breakdown on what actually has been spent up to this point, except that there were payments. However, the number has decreased significantly.
‘I consider the correct way to deal with this is by way of tighter contracts and, if necessary, injunctions but I have allowed a figure of £150,000 per annum which seems more than sufficient to cover this aspect.’
On the second day Royal Ascot 2008, Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed were together
A former colleague of Flowers said: ‘The £500,000 a year shows how the family operated and rather than let any secrets out were happy to pay off people.’
Flowers was assigned by the Princess to her when he joined her security staff at Dalham Hall, a 3,000-acre estate in Suffolk near Newmarket.
Friends claimed that he’d have an adjacent hotel room when he traveled overseas. The Princess also gifted him expensive gifts such as a watch, vintage shotgun and number plate.
When his wife saw photographs of Princess Diana in bikini on her mobile phone, and condoms inside his washbag, she discovered that he was having an affair.
MailOnline received this statement from a friend who was close to his wife: “Russell believed that he was seduced because he had the wealth and presents.” He was always there for her, and she gave him expensive gifts.
During the High Court hearing the opulent lifestyle of the Princess and her 72-year-old husband was revealed with one example being £2m being spent on strawberries in one year.
Princess Haya will receive a lump sum payment of £251m as part of a ‘clean break’ from the Qatari ruler
The court was told Haya had an allowance of £9m a year and a £83m budget to run the royal palaces.
The £554m settlement is the biggest ever made by a UK court. Princess Haya will receive £251m as part of a clean break with the bulk of the money used to pay for security.
A further £290m will be paid into a bank account and used for the £11m a year maintenance for the couple’s two children Jalila and Zayed.
Court was informed that the family requires protection round-the-clock to avoid the danger of the sheikh, who is alleged to be the most dangerous to their safety having allegedly ordered two kidnaps of his daughters Princess Shamsa (2000) and Princess Latifa (2018).