The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has been ordered by the High Court in London to pay over £554 million to his ex-wife Princess Haya and her two children, in consideration of the threat he poses to them.

The order was given by Judge Philip Moor in a long-drawn custody battle between the Sheikh and Princess Haya, who is the half-sister of Jordan’s King Abdullah. The Sheikh and the Princess had tied the knot back in 2004, but Princess Haya, fearing for her safety, fled to the UK in 2019 after filing for divorce and having an affair with her bodyguard.

The custody battle for their two children began around the same time, and the series of hearings that have taken place in the UK thus far have reportedly cost over £70 million in legal fees. The massive financial settlement is the latest development in this dispute and has been awarded to Princess Haya as the judges found the Sheikh to be a threat to the Princess on the balance of probabilities.

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In particular, the Sheikh stands accused of having orchestrated the abductions of their two children—Princess Latifa and Princess Shamsa—and subjecting Princess Haya to a campaign of “intimidation.” Furthermore, the Sheikh also stands accused of using the Pegasus spyware to hack Princess Haya’s phone, and his attempt to purchase a £30 million estate next to Princess Haya’s Berkshire residence has been seen by judges to be a “very significant threat to her security.”

As per the court order, the Sheikh has been asked to pay over £250 million up front within three months for the upkeep of Princess Haya’s properties in the UK, and provide a bank guarantee of £290 million for annual payments. The total figure of over half a billion pounds is believed to be the highest-ever public award ordered by a UK court.

However, it is understood that the Princess did not demand any divorce settlement, despite being potentially entitled to billions, and that the bulk of the payments by the Sheikh will be diverted towards ensuring the security of the Princess and her children.

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Commenting on the ruling, Justice Moor told The Guardian that beyond the general threat of terrorism, abduction, or ransom, “…the main threat they [Princess Haya and her children] face is from HH [his highness the Sheikh] himself not from outside sources. This is compounded by the full weight of the state that he has available to him as seen by his ability to make use of the Pegasus software, which is only available to governments.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Sheikh stated, “He has always ensured that his children are provided for. The court has now made its ruling on finances and he does not intend to comment further. He asks that the media respect the privacy of his children and do not intrude into their lives in the UK.”