WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Dubai royal insider breaks silence on escaped princesses | 60 Minutes Australia

[Applause] up until three weeks ago Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Al Hussein seemed to be living a glamorous and exciting life the sister of the king of Jordan higher was the former Olympian and high-profile UN Ambassador there un each other you become an icon for female empowerment in the Middle East but then the fairy tale shattered from the outside anything Wow they've got everything that you could have ever imagined but actually the things that we take for granted which is the most important thing that they haven't gone now the 45 year old princess along with her two young children has fled to London apparently trying to escape this man her husband the powerful billionaire ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum there's a so much luxury but no freedom no freedom yeah no not freedom and is the basic freedom Marcus's Sabri is one of the very few people who understands what the secretive Dubai royal family is really like he knows because he spent years living inside the palace not that it was an enjoyable experience if I had stayed there if I will or have been kept there I don't think I could have survived because I don't fit in I don't take their boxes well Marcus no member of Dubai's royal family has spoken out like this before it's quite brave from you brief I wouldn't call it brave I think that's the right thing to do with all the circumstances that they're having at the present point as you'll see tonight privilege and wealth don't guarantee happiness and the latest probably permanent departure from Dubai by a high-ranking member of the royal family he's actually not that surprising princess hire and her children are holed up here at the family's hundred and fifty million dollar mansion and security he's ever-present there on one side of the road and Kensington Palace is on the other but it's a fitting hideaway for this princess who's close friends with the Queen and powerful figures right around the world how they got here is an extraordinary story escaping from Dubai under the cover of darkness on a private jet to Germany reportedly assisted by foreign diplomats before eventually seeking refuge here in London Oh Hussein is said to be in fear for her life while it's obvious the princess and the Sheikh have had a massive blow-up leaving her husband without warning and taking 56 million dollars with her there falling out is about to get a whole lot more volatile he's requested asylum and filed for divorce next week a British Court will begin hearing a bitter custody battle over the couple's two children 11 year old daughter gelila and seven year old son Zayed whether both enormously rich and he is worth about five billion and his head of a funeral Kingdom in effect and she of course is a Royal Jordanian family about Australian Geoffrey Robertson he's a prominent barrister in London and he says there could be fireworks in custody battles of this kind the judge has to display the wisdom of Solomon do you find sometimes that in high-profile cases like this fear for the clients ego is big thing well there is no settlement ego is usually the cause and sometimes of course most massive ego can fall flat on its face that's the danger of going head and I like to welcome for this dispute might look like a straightforward marriage breakdown albeit one involving large egos and obscene wealth it is actually much murkier than that at the center of this drama is why Princess Haya decided to run away from Dubai and her husband in the first place the upcoming court case has the potential to really expose what goes on inside that family I think it does not just that family but it's it's a huge diplomatic problem watching the case closely in London here's another human rights lawyer David Hague what does this say about the way that Sheikh Mohammed is running that family we are very worried about Princess Haya he believes princess hire may have left to buy after finally learning the truth about one of Sheikh Mohammed's older daughters 33 year old Princess Latifah in particular with latifa's case people look at this and they're that copy true and now you've got a situation where there's going to be an English Court looking at whether or not it's appropriate to return two children to the father when their mother is saying their life is at risk and the tifa's evidence is now very very important coming up if you are watching this video it's not such a good thing what happened to Princess Latifah she was so fed up with her life in UAE her dramatic attempt to escape d'Ivoire which sounded like gunshots they mean the head blood was pouring out of my head and how it could be the reason behind one of the biggest royal divorces the world has ever seen sham sir Latifah hired three princesses have all fled that's next on 60 minutes my name is lit - Moo - Moo I was born on December 5 1985 Princess Latifah is the 33 year old daughter of one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed and I'm making this video because it could be the last with you I make last year Latifah tried to flee the royal palace but before she did probably as a form of insurance she recorded this astonishing 38 minute video my father is a prime minister of UAE and in it she made serious allegations about her father which if true could derail the sheiks looming custody dispute with his estranged wife princess hire who herself has now fled to buy and is in hiding in London with the couple's two young children my vision is the way to be number one all my father cares about is his reputation and if you are watching this video it's not such a good thing either I'm dead or I'm very very very bad situation just like princess higher to outsiders Princess Latifah seemed to have it all an adrenaline junkie who loved living the high life but she kept a secret and it wasn't until she became friends with tenedor Heinen that Latifah spoke about it she said when she was a teenager she tried to leave to buy but was caught and then severely punished so in total I was in prison for three years and four months it was some constant torture constant torture even when they weren't physically beating me up they would torture me she basically had no freedom she was not allowed to have certain friends even talked to certain family members her life was just very restricted [Music] Latifa felt trapped and oppressed here in Dubai's eventually she hatched an extraordinary escape plan with her best friend Tina it was equal parts Thelma and Louise and James Bond at first fleeing by Road to a man then by boat and jetski to India and finally flying to the United States where the princess was going to seek political asylum the reward was freedom at last but if both women were caught well the consequences would be dire she would often say this this is life or death for me she was willing to take the risk even if she would not make it to assist with her escape Princess Latifah hired former French spy Herve Chabert after months of planning Latifah launched her daring bid for freedom in February last year her friend Tina was by her side Farah we got in the car were like this is it it's really happening we were hugging each others and whatever happens we're both doing this because we want to do it they drove to neighboring Oman before facing the most dangerous part of this escape plot a five-hour trip by dinghy and jet skis to international waters where ovae's yacht the Nostromo was waiting I saw a woman who knew what she was doing she was absolutely determined to get away from there they set a course for freedom Goa in India but on the second day of that voyage Latifah made a foolish mistake she messaged her family to let them know that she'd escaped she didn't think there was any any trouble coming before they got to India now she was aware of some trouble coming but imagine being living in a colon cage all your life when trouble did arrive it arrived in force nearing India Herve noticed his yacht was being tracked by air and by sea at 11 p.m. on March the 4th last year it was raided by commandos there was a guy in front of me with a gun to my face somebody grabbed me by him in the back they handcuffed me when I was uncovered saw me on the floor take me in the head blood was pouring out of my head amid the chaos Tanner and Latifah were handcuffed and hauled up to the boats deck exchanging one last look before the princess was dragged off at gunpoint what was the look in her eyes at this stage I was full of fear but she was still fighting she was not planning to give up taken against her will Princess Latifah was returned to Dubai human rights lawyer David Haig led the chorus of international condemnation but for months all he received in return was silence what do you think it might take for the world to actually step in here and say what is going on I think ultimately the only person that can let Latifah go because it is a dictatorship is a father today David Haig remains as angry about Sheikh Mohammed's iron rule as he did when I met him a year ago when 60 minutes first reported on Latifah's disappearance that part of his anger is personal I was beaten severely there was sexual abuse as well which is very difficult to talk about still David was the managing director of Leeds United Football Club in 2012 it was taken over by a Dubai business but when a dispute erupted over finances he flew to Dubai only to find himself locked up in jail on charges he would eventually be acquitted off so severe was what they did to me that when I was released I spent six months in hospital recovering from the broken bones from and as well as the broken mind to help in the fight for Latifah's freedom David has gathered a network of like-minded supporters and it now includes the princess's own cousin who for the first time he's talking about life inside the palace why have you decided to speak because it was very hard for me to ignore it I couldn't sleep at night you know I have to do something I I believe that everything that anybody does will help lot effect these are the other of the kids that they have they're unlike most men in Dubai Markus acai berry knows the hardships often faced by women in the royal family that's because he used to be one of them you're Marcus now I have who did you grow up as I grew up as fucking on it was it apparent to you from a very young age that boys were treated very differently to girls in Dubai yeah yes yeah big time yeah and I think that's why I didn't last there like siblings really more than cousins you know Marcus who transition to life as a man 10 years ago me and Hamza thing videogame says he shared a special bond with not only Latifah but also her sister shumsa another Dubai princess who tried but failed to escape the royal family all I'm saying is that I made up my mind at the moment I have hope I have a goal but to get there I'll have to sacrifice some of the things I have shams obviously trusted you I mean you're always too confidant in those letters yeah what did she say to you when she opened up that she would rather die then carry on the life they're from he's very tough to talk about this because I feel I've let her down it was July 2018 year-old shumsa was holidaying at the family's hundred and thirty million dollar country estate in Surrey in England she managed to escape the compound and was free for several weeks before eventually being caught and sent back to Dubai she was in prison for eight years and then I was a lot to visit her in the video Latifah recorded in the lead up to her own bid for freedom she talked about her sister's treatment right now she's she has a psychiatrist with her and she's surrounded by nurses they watch her take her pills they make sure that she takes all of her pills these these drugs to control my mind I don't know what they are and so her life is how you control while it's impossible to verify princess latifa's claims about her sister Markus believes every single word do you think the way that shumsa was allegedly taken back to Dubai from the UK would be playing on princess tires mine nil I hope so I I hope there must be a reason why she left he just shows you that we're not safe it whatever we got coming up disturbing clues begin to emerge about the face of princess Latifah what did you see when you looked at her I don't know she was dragged or despair and just how much more scandal can the Dubai family take his power is falling people are no longer scared of him as they once were that's next on 60 minutes something is not right in Dubai's privileged and wealthy royal family it began 19 years ago when the ruler Sheikh Mohammed's daughter princess Hamza tried to flee but failed my name is last year her sister Princess Latifah was similarly foiled in a bid for freedom if you are watching this video it's not such a good thing either I'm dead I'm very very very bad situation but then just three weeks ago one of the sheiks wives the glamorous princess higher fled to London with her two young children the billion dollar question is why and I don't want to go any more deeply into it because for the for the protection of Leticia herself one of the biggest clues lies in an extraordinary radio interview Princess Haya gave in January under pressure to publicly explain what had happened to Latifah hire tried to tow the family line when what's important to us is the families is to ensure that that that she's alright she rejected any suggestion of ill treatment if I thought for a single second that any shred of this was true you know I wouldn't I wouldn't put up with it or a song true Princess Haya had invited former UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson to visit Latifah in Dubai I dedicated my presidency to having a space for those who felt marginalized but that's done backfired when disturbing photographs of the meeting were released did you see the photo recently that was released of Latifah Marcus's Sabri is Latifah's cousin what did you see when you looked at her somebody that was there but not there there was something missing it's like there's no life I don't know if she was drugged or despair emptiness in an extraordinary twist one month after these photos were released higher also fled the royal palace first to Germany and then on to London shumsa Latifah hire three princesses have all fled Dubai why no princess because there they have the freedom to come in and out whenever they do they have the freedom the women that haven't got the freedom that the men have Marcus believes higher left her husband because she finally realized the truth about what had happened to Latifah it's very sad somebody's taking like her life away from her it's like you have you are living but you have no right to live is she being locked up is she being beaten is she being fed I wouldn't treat and even an animal the way she has been treated lawyer David Hayek says allegations Latifah has been mistreated will prove crucial in hires custody case because whereas before they were just essentially trying to cover up hide her away you know hope it goes away we're here later we know it's not going to go away now her evidence it would seem to me is going to become incredibly important in the UK court the stage is now set for the next chapter in this battle royale Sheikh Mohammed is taking princess higher to Britain's High Court and what will be one of the most extraordinary custody cases the world has ever seen all of a sudden the private lives of the rulers of Dubai are about to play out very publicly here in London this is gonna be the biggest custody battle of the world's almost ever seen between Sheikh Mohammed and higher do you think it's safe for those two kids to go back to Diwali absolutely not and and I hope one day that the Latifah is free to be able to answer that question as well and she can tell you why not in detail given the amount of negative headlines that are really starting to pile up around what's happening in Dubai first Sheikh Mohammed do you get a sense that he might feel like he's Castley starting to crumble around him I think it has we're also seeing people you know that were around the family that for the first time ever are prepared to speak because his power is falling people are no longer scared of him as they once were Mayim my hope my daddy that I can hug them see them make sure that they already okay you know silent for so long Marcus says he'll now keep on talking until he's holding his cousin's shams and Latifah safely in his arms do you believe it'll happen one day I do I wouldn't be here I wouldn't do this if I didn't believe it could happen what would it mean to you to hug your cousins again really amazing amazing hugging them will be just amazing definitely hello I'm Liz Hayes thanks for watching to keep up with the latest from 60 minutes Australia make sure you subscribe to our channel you can also download the 9 now app for full episodes and other exclusives 60 minutes content

Channel: 60 Minutes Australia

Views: 3,620,903

Rating: 4.587883 out of 5

Keywords: 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes Australia, Liz Hayes, Charles Wooley, Tara Brown, Liam Bartlett, Allison Langdon, Tom Steinfort, Ellen Fanning, Peter Overton, Ray Martin, Jana Wendt, Jeff McMullen, Jennifer Byrne, Mike Munro, Richard Carleton, Tracey Curro, Peter Harvey, George Negus, Ian Leslie, Gerald Stone, Sarah Abo, Dubai royal family, Marcus Essabri, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Princess Latifa, Dubai, England, Queen

Id: 9lQLXArjNs8

Length: 23min 28sec (1408 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 21 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/1nkontrol]

It's crazy to think the "civilized, modern" world I live in is just a circumstance, not a rule. I take it for granted, but we're blessed.

[u/narfnas]

The Shareef don’t like it...

[u/stemid85]

Honestly Latifas video message and failed escape, and now this new princess, has made me feel more emotional for a decadent royal family than I ever thought capable of.

So in that sense it has been great PR, but at a terrible cost. The patriarch simply doesn't view it that way because he's old school.

He could redeem himself in the eyes of the world community if he freed his family and allowed them to make their own choices. It would literally have no effect at all on his trade empire. All his sons would still grovel at his feet for their inheritance.

[u/alwayscomplimenting]

I’ve been following this. It’s insane. I feel so sorry for her. All signs point to her being captured (and likely tortured).

Here’s the 60 Minutes Australia documentary on her. So chilling.

[u/KeavesSharpi]

Am I the only one to kind of cringes to see 60 minutes running what amounts to a glorified National Enquirer piece? I mean, fuck Arab royalty and all, but the dramatic music, the cuts... it feels more like something from TMZ than CBS News.

Fuck, I hate getting old.

[u/sand313man]

I feel for her so much.

But I am just dumbfounded, how stupid she was sending that sms. Wtf did she expect? She not only endangered her own life, but that of the French spy Joubert who orchestrated her escape.

I’m just dumbfounded, how she organizes such an intricate mission to escape, gets highly trained operatives to help her... then completely sells her self out because she can’t wait to send an sms.

It’s like she does not know her husband controls the entire military and territory by land and sea.

Hope she finds freedom and justice. But she also deserves a Darwin Award.

[u/thetomahawk42]

It's a skill to take something that could be said in about 2 minutes, and extend that out into a 23 minute video.

tl;dr Royal life looks great from the outside, but inside the palace life was more like a prison with no freedoms whatsoever. So she left and took her kids with her.

[u/nbdude75]

I don’t understand why people use Sharpie pens to color in their beard. It looks so fake and weird. What’s wrong with a few gray hairs or a lot of gray hairs?

[u/randomusername02130]

Yo why's that dude look like Ringo though?