A Woman, Desperate To Be Free
The woman in the centre of the photograph above is Latifa Al Maktoum, the Crown Princess of Dubai. Despite the glamorous setting and beautiful dresses, it hides a dark, disturbing secret.
The Princess, aged 32, is subject to a curfew, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates, is banned from driving and whenever she leaves home is accompanied by minders.
The Princess’ yearning from freedom from her strict father and wider family saw her attempt to escape the UAE in 2002. However, she was caught in neighbouring Oman and returned to Dubai where she alleges her father, billionaire Crown Prince Sheikh Al Maktoum, had her thrown in jail for over 3 years. Even worse she claimed she was tortured mentally and emotionally, alongside daily beatings by his henchmen.
A Flying Princess
The Royal Family in Dubai are one of the most high profile in the world and Princess Latifa II was well known as a daring skydiver. She herself has previously spoken of how it is amongst her favorite hobbies, emphasizing, perhaps cryptically, how flying through the air gave her a feeling of freedom.
Scuba Gear Testing In January
In January 2018 Princess Latifa II was photographed testing out brand new scuba diving products. When one considers she fled Dubai the following month having enlisted the help of a man famed for escaping the UAE himself by scuba diving out of the country the irony is striking.
The Princess & The ‘Wandering Finn’
Princess Latifa formed a close friendship with Finnish martial arts instructor Tiina Jauhiainen. The two are pictured below. Tiina made an Instagram post thanking her friend after she organized a days horse-riding at stables in Dubai.
Tiina subsequently accompanied the Latifa in her bid to escape Dubai.
Latifa & Tiina Reach Oman
Princess Latifa made her bid for freedom and liberty away from Dubai in late February 2018. She was accompanied by her friend Tiina Jauhiainen on her journey. The pair sent a selfie taken on February 24, 2018 in Oman, the country neighboring the UAE.
Oman is the country where Latifa was recaptured in 2002 and sent back to Dubai, where she claims she was punished by being jailed for over 3 years where she was beaten and tortured.