HH Sheikha Mahra On Her Love For Animals | Exclusive Interview
“My passion for animals, particularly horses, is a significant part of my life”
HH Sheikha Mahra On Her Love For Animals | Exclusive Interview
How does one successfully project a regal air? Not just through sophistication, or glamour, or indeed elegance – which, whilst all necessary ingredients, also happen to be 10 a penny. No… how does that rarefied quality of true majesty assert itself in the real world? In the case of Her Highness Sheikha Mahra Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, it is certainly via all of the above, but it is a quiet confidence and her ability to command a room without fuss that really sets her apart. A true royal – someone who is as beloved as they are respected.
It makes Her Highness’ preternatural knack for putting those around her at ease all the more impressive. She arrives on our Bazaar Arabia cover set with a genuine smile, a graceful willingness to try all our chosen looks, and a kind word for each of our – rather awe-struck – crew. The only daughter of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai, and Zoe Grigorakos, Sheikha Mahra reflects both the generosity of spirit of her father’s Emirati roots, and the famed warmth of her mother’s Greek heritage.
Demonstrating this even further is the 29-year-old’s well-documented love of animals. She talks to us about her pets – there’s one “naughty one,” she shares, namechecking Pablo, her white pomeranian with an affectionate laugh. Her Highness’ natural synergy with animals becomes all the more clear as the shoot continues, as she poses effortlessly with the two falcons and two salukis we have brought to set. Between shots, she regales us with tales of the beautiful, storied connection both have with her homeland of the UAE. It’s heart-warming to witness, and is just one small insight into what has made her such a highly regarded member of the royal family.
A shining example of Emirati elegance, Her Highness Sheikha Mahra Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum shares her true love for animals with Bazaar Arabia’s Editor in Chief Olivia Phillips…
HH Sheikha Mahra On Her Love For Animals | Exclusive Interview
HH Sheikha Mahra: My passion for animals, particularly horses, is a significant part of my life. I am dedicated to supporting and advocating for all animals, and I actively contribute my time and resources to make a positive impact on these magnificent creatures who have a profound impact on our lives.
Photography: Vladimir Marti. Styling: Nour Bou Ezz. Editor in Chief and Words: Olivia Phillips. Make-Up: Alberto at Alberto Make-Up. Hair: Ebraheem AlSoleman. Senior Producer: Steff Hawker. Hair Stylist’s Assistant: Sam Asaad. Lighting Assistant: Mark Anthony Navarro. Fashion Assistants: Charlotte Marsh Williams & Christina Leighton.
Special thanks to Sofia Khan and Al Seef Heritage Hotel.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s January 2023 issue.
