Who is Her Highness Sheikha Mahra?

Arguably the most public of the Dubai princes and princesses, Her Highness Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the daughter of the visionary leader of Dubai and the vice president of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Greek national Zoe Grigorakos (and half-sister of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (affectionately known as Faz).

A member of the Dubai royal family, a social media influencer, and a scholar in International Relations, She wedded Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum in June 2023 in a beautiful Dubai ceremony. Howevever, following the birth of their child, she has sadly since announced their seperation – clearing him from her Instagram account. Sheikha Mahra is a keen traveller, and before the split, she posted many shots from her newlywedded life, embarking on various picturesque journeys around the globe with him since then. Passionate about cinema, women’s empowerment, and equestrianism, Sheikha Mahra is a keen traveller, often trotting to the globe to beautiful and under-the-radar destinations.

Here are Sheikha Mahra’s favourite holiday destinations.

Sheikha Mahra’s favourite holiday destinations

Greece

Post-wedding, Sheikha Mahra jetted off to escape the Dubai heat, island-hopping through the azure waters of Greece and, potentially, visited her mother (who is Greek) and maternal family along the way. One of their stops was the world’s favourite island paradise of Mykonos (where they paid a visit to Nammos) and the cool capital of Athens – and no doubt many other stops along the way. Candid moments captured on her (now expired) Instagram stories revealed carefree jet ski rides, indulging in culinary delights at renowned restaurants and tranquil respites at luxurious resorts. The Dubai Royal captioned some snaps in Mykonos – Sheikha Mahra wearing a beautiful flowing blue kaftan.

Geneva, Switzerland

The royal rung in the New Year in the Swiss lake city and gateway to the Alps, Geneva, likely returning from their Courchevel 1850 ski break. Sheikha Mahra posted a glamorous photo of her posing in front of a towering and fully bedecked Christmas tree, looking the picture of Alpine chic in a sparkly black outfit with grey fur trim and her signature long blonde locks.

Courchevel, France

Sheikha Mahra and her now ex-husband jetted off to the magical winter wonderland of Courchevel in the French Alps this past season. Naturally, they headed to the most glitzy of all of Courchevel’s villages, Courchevel 1850, where luxury brands (think Chanel, Burberry, Saint Laurent and Fendi, to name a few) sell their ski wear in chocolate box shops and elite hotel brands like Aman and Cheval Blanc have five-star chalets. Nestled in their own cosy chalet, they embraced the real live snowglobe, sharing a heartwarming photo of them smiling, wearing stylish winter coats in the snow. Courchevel 1850 is a favourite with the Dubai royal family (and Arab travellers), with Sheikh Hamdan also visiting the resort on an annual basis for skiing and wintersports with his family and friends.

Kingston, UK

Last autumn, Sheikha Mahra enjoyed an autumnal countryside vacation in the UK, having shared some photos of her trip on Instagram stories showing her love for nature and animals. She visited a beautiful estate in Kingston, where she admired the historical architecture, the scenic views, and the cosy interiors. She also spent some time with two dogs, Bobby and Mary, who seemed to have won her heart. Kingston is not too far from Longcross Estate, Surrey, her father Sheikh Mohammed’s sprawling £75 million English countrypile.

Images courtesy of Instagram/hhshmahra

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