Two decades ago, 19-year-old Princess Shamsa was snatched from a street in Cambridge, according to evidence presented in a UK family court. The daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, had fled her family's summer residence in Surrey before being forcibly returned to Dubai.
In August 2000, Shamsa escaped the Longcross estate near Chobham, Surrey, and made her way to a hostel in south London. She sought advice from an immigration solicitor about remaining in Britain. She then travelled to Cambridge, where she was abducted.
According to an email smuggled out of captivity, Shamsa alleged she was caught by her father's men. She claimed four armed men forced her into a car, drove her to Newmarket, and gave her injections and tablets. The next morning, she was flown by helicopter to a private jet and taken to Dubai.
Police records show the investigating officer spoke to someone purporting to be Shamsa, who confirmed the abduction details. The family court judgment notes that police were aware of the abduction as it happened. Shamsa has not been seen in public since 2000.
The case of Princess Latifa, another daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, also featured in the court proceedings. Latifa attempted to escape Dubai in March 2018 but was intercepted and returned. A video she made described her father as someone who would kill to protect his reputation.
