Sheikh Hamdan, crown prince of Dubai – 4 things to know about the politician, philanthropist, car collector and thrill-seeking heir

Dec 27 , 2019

Falconry is a traditional pastime in the UAE, where Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum is Crown Prince. Photo: Instagram

He enjoys jumping from skyscrapers, attended Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and owns 1,000 horses and several gold-coloured cars – meet the next in line to be ruler of Dubai

Gone are the days when the lives of royal families in the Middle East were not made public under the excuse of strict protocol. In today’s digital age, where information is just a click away, things have changed for the better. Royals no longer live a remote existence away from the masses they rule – instead embracing progressive attitudes and sharing their once-cloistered lives with the world through social media.

Enter Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai living life to the full, in clear view of his 8.8 million Instagram followers. Here’s four things you need to know.

Sheikh Hamdan was educated in Dubai and London

He went to school at Dubai’s Rashid School for Boys and the Dubai School of Government. For further studies, he attended Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he graduated in 2001 after undergoing rigorous training designed to instil self-discipline, commitment, virtue, responsibility, endurance and teamwork.

Sheikh Hamdan also pursued further academic studies at the London School of Economics, and is known to loved ones and close friends as “Fazza” – the same nickname he publishes poetry under.

He keenly loves adventure sports

Away from his professional commitments, Sheikh Hamdan has demonstrated an instinct for the extreme. He is a skyscraper jumper, as has often been evidenced on his Instagram page, and he also enjoys diving, jetpacks and zip lines.

As an Emirati, Sheikh Hamdan’s love for horses is palpable, and he proudly owns some 1,000 of them the world over – after all, he is an award-winning horse rider. As the namesake of the Dubai Crown Prince Camel Festival, he also boasts more than 120 camels at his farm – as well as big cats he apparently enjoys playing with. He is also a keen world traveller with his own chartered plane taking him to different corners of the globe. This is where his passion for photography comes into its own.