Haya bint Hussein
Encyclopedia
Haya bint Al Hussein, is one of King Hussein I of Jordan
's daughters and a wife of Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
. She is known as Her Royal Highness
Princess Haya of Jordan , a title derived from her father.
for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School
in Dorset
and later St Hilda's College
, Oxford University, from which she graduated with a BA
Honours degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
(PPE).
, the ruler of Dubai
On 2 December 2007 in Dubai
, Princess Haya gave birth to her first child, HH Sheikha Al Jalila bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The baby's birth coincided with the United Arab Emirates
' 36th celebration of its National Day.
in Sydney, Australia representing Jordan in show jumping
, where she was also her country’s flag bearer.
Princess Haya was elected president of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) in 2006 for an initial four-year term in the FEI’s first contested presidential race. She made history a second time in 2010, when dissatisfaction with her record led to her becoming the first sitting FEI president to be challenged in a re-election bid. She succeeded, however, in refuting the criticisms and in winning a second and final four-year term receiving an overwhelming mandate of 75 percent of the vote soundly defeating her most vocal critics.
On 7 June 2008, New Approach
, a three-year-old colt owned by Princess Haya, trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger
and ridden by Kevin Manning, won the Derby Stakes
. On 25 October 2008, her three-year-old colt, Raven's Pass
, won the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic
. After being named the European champion 2-year-old in 2007 and winning the 2008 Epsom Derby, New Approach was retired at the end of the 2008 racing season.
In 2009, due to her contribution to the equine world, she was made the first Patron of Retraining of Racehorses
.
, the first Arab NGO dedicated to overcoming local hunger, in her native Jordan. She now chairs Dubai's International Humanitarian City
which is now the world's largest operational center for the delivery of aid in emergencies. She was an ambassador for the World Food Programme
2005-2007, and then appointed a UN Messenger of Peace in July 2007 by Secretary-General Ban-Ky Moon. She was a founding member of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Global Humanitarian Forum
based in Geneva, writes editorials and articles on hunger, nutrition and the UN Millennium Development Goals, and serves on the boards of many non-profit organizations.
In 2009, in the middle of the FEI’s campaign to eliminate doping and horse abuse in equestrian sport, Princess Haya’s husband and stepson were both convicted by the FEI for serious doping violations. Princess Haya ceded presidential powers to a senior colleague for the FEI disciplinary processes on the matter. She later complained that the issue would be used to "injure and damage the reputations of myself and my family."
Hussein of Jordan
Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict...
's daughters and a wife of Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and absolute monarch of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...
. She is known as Her Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
Princess Haya of Jordan , a title derived from her father.
Education
Princess Haya studied in Britain, where she attended Badminton SchoolBadminton School
Miriam Badock established a school for girls in 1858 at Badminton House in Clifton. By 1898 it had become known as Miss Bartlett's School for Young Ladies....
for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School
Bryanston School
Bryanston School is a co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils in Blandford, north Dorset, England, near the village of Bryanston. It was founded in 1928...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and later St Hilda's College
St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.The college was founded in 1893 as a hall for women, and remained an all-women's college until 2006....
, Oxford University, from which she graduated with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Honours degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, politics, and economics is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines...
(PPE).
Marriage
On 10 April 2004, Princess Haya wedded HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al MaktoumMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and absolute monarch of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...
, the ruler of Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
On 2 December 2007 in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Princess Haya gave birth to her first child, HH Sheikha Al Jalila bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The baby's birth coincided with the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
' 36th celebration of its National Day.
Sports
Princess Haya participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney, Australia representing Jordan in show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
, where she was also her country’s flag bearer.
Princess Haya was elected president of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) in 2006 for an initial four-year term in the FEI’s first contested presidential race. She made history a second time in 2010, when dissatisfaction with her record led to her becoming the first sitting FEI president to be challenged in a re-election bid. She succeeded, however, in refuting the criticisms and in winning a second and final four-year term receiving an overwhelming mandate of 75 percent of the vote soundly defeating her most vocal critics.
On 7 June 2008, New Approach
New Approach
New Approach is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active stallion. He won the 2008 Epsom Derby, and was rated the best racehorse in the world in the 2008 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings....
, a three-year-old colt owned by Princess Haya, trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger (racehorse trainer)
James S. "Jim" Bolger is an Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and breeder based in Coolcullen in County Kilkenny. For many years now he has been recognised as one of the racing greats in Ireland...
and ridden by Kevin Manning, won the Derby Stakes
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. On 25 October 2008, her three-year-old colt, Raven's Pass
Raven's Pass
Raven's Pass is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse most notable for being the first English-trained winner of the Grade I Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California....
, won the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
. After being named the European champion 2-year-old in 2007 and winning the 2008 Epsom Derby, New Approach was retired at the end of the 2008 racing season.
In 2009, due to her contribution to the equine world, she was made the first Patron of Retraining of Racehorses
Retraining of Racehorses
-History:The British Horseracing Authority launched Retraining of Racehorses in April 2000.RoR is the official charity for the welfare of horses who have retired from racing through injury, old age or a lack of ability....
.
Charitable activities
Princess Haya has engaged in a range of humanitarian activities and founded Tikyet Um AliTkiyet Um Ali
Tkiyet Um Ali , is a Jordanian non-governmental organization initiated by HRH Princess Haya Bint Al-Hussein to fight hunger and poverty in Jordan in a sustainable manner...
, the first Arab NGO dedicated to overcoming local hunger, in her native Jordan. She now chairs Dubai's International Humanitarian City
International Humanitarian City
International Humanitarian City is a global humanitarian and aid hub, which aims to facilitate aid and development efforts by providing local and international humanitarian actors with facilities and services specifically designed to meet their needs.An independent free zone authority created by...
which is now the world's largest operational center for the delivery of aid in emergencies. She was an ambassador for the World Food Programme
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
2005-2007, and then appointed a UN Messenger of Peace in July 2007 by Secretary-General Ban-Ky Moon. She was a founding member of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Global Humanitarian Forum
Global Humanitarian Forum
The Global Humanitarian Forum was a non-profit foundation in Geneva, Switzerland, active from 2007 to 2010. Presided over by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, its secretariat was led by CEO and Director General Walter Fust. The Forum intended to serve as an independent platform...
based in Geneva, writes editorials and articles on hunger, nutrition and the UN Millennium Development Goals, and serves on the boards of many non-profit organizations.
FEI controversies
Before her re-election in 2010, Princess Haya faced persistent and highly public criticisms from some members of the FEI Bureau for behaving dictatorially and violating the organisation’s democratic principles and procedures to pursue her own agenda. Some members of the FEI Bureau and the international press expressed the opinion that her behaviour reflected her background as a member of an unelected ruling family accustomed to unquestioning obedience, rather than an elected president of a democratic institution. Her re-election campaign was opposed by both of her personally chosen vice presidents and a majority of the FEI Bureau members who had worked with her.In 2009, in the middle of the FEI’s campaign to eliminate doping and horse abuse in equestrian sport, Princess Haya’s husband and stepson were both convicted by the FEI for serious doping violations. Princess Haya ceded presidential powers to a senior colleague for the FEI disciplinary processes on the matter. She later complained that the issue would be used to "injure and damage the reputations of myself and my family."
Titles and Styles
- 3 May 1974 – 10 April 2004: Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan
- since 10 April 2004: Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, Sheikha of Dubai