Dubai ruler's wife Princess Haya applies for forced marriage protection order in court battle over children

Jordanian princess also seeks wardship of children and non-molestation order from High Court

A princess who is one of six wives to the ruler of Dubai is seeking a forced marriage protection order at London's High Court.

Details of Princess Haya bint Hussein’s application were not revealed, but her estranged husband Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum's attempt to restrict reporting of the case was refused.

The 45-year-old daughter of King Hussein of Jordan attended the preliminary hearing in proceedings between the pair over their children.

Sheikh Mohammed, the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, did not.

The pair issued a statement confirming they were parties to proceedings following a private hearing before the president of the High Court’s family division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, earlier this month.

“These proceedings are concerned with the welfare of the two children of their marriage and do not concern divorce or finances,” they said.

The judge allowed the media to reveal that Princess Haya has applied for a forced marriage protection order, for wardship of their children and a non-molestation order in relation to herself at Tuesday's hearing.

Sir Andrew rejected an application by Sheikh Mohammed's lawyers for those details to be subject to reporting restrictions.

Forced marriage protection orders can be imposed by British authorities to stop families taking steps towards non-consensual weddings, such as by taking victims abroad.

More than 1,800 orders were imposed between 2008 and 2018 to prevent the illegal practice and the UK saw its first successful prosecutions last year.

The court also heard that Sheikh Mohammed, 70, has applied to the High Court for the summary return of the children to Dubai, after they reportedly left the United Arab Emirates with Princess Haya earlier this year.

The founder of the successful Godolphin racing stable last month received a trophy from the Queen after one of his horses won a race at Royal Ascot.

Additional reporting by PA