Styles and Titles

[azrayy]

So what about Crown Prince Hamdan? His wife is going to be princess or sheikha if his wife would be out of country?

[maharata]

To my extent of knowledge, if his wife is non-Emirati, she is not going to get any title. Just like his father's wives.

[lady blue]

she would be shiekha

[dazzling]

Originally Posted by maharata

To my extent of knowledge, if his wife is non-Emirati, she is not going to get any title. Just like his father's wives.

They would get a title "Sheikha" only if he officially marries her.
If he marries and not make it official, then she does not get a title, if they have children, then they will get a title only.

[shaya]

If hamdan married a commoner what would her title be ? Crown princess or just sheikha ?

[Imanmajed]

Originally Posted by shaya

If hamdan married a commoner what would her title be ? Crown princess or just sheikha ?

Her title will not change. It remains at is was before the wedding. Her family name also does not change (if she not be a member from the al Maktoum family). The titel "crown princess" does not exist in UAE.

[lady blue]

But she will be given the title shiekha

[lady blue]

Even if she wasn't a shiekha befor she will be titled shiekha ..
Shiekh Zayed's wife Fatima was not a shiekha befor her wedding but she was and is since her wedding titled as shiekha.

[Imanmajed]

hm....... I think we have to ask the moderators of this thread for an correct answer. I don´t want to give you an answer, which will be not true or only half. In the case of Sheikha Fatima (3rd wife of the late Sheikh Zayed) the right is yours, but only on a half side. Because: Sheikha Fatima was the daughter of one of the Sheikhs from the Bani Qitab tribe, their tribe from different clans/sections consisted. So she is a Sheikha from birth. Another example from the past is the mother of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa al Nahyan (ruler from Abu Dhabi from 1855 to 1909 and grandfather of late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan).She was the daughter of Sultan bin Nasir, the highest-Sheikh of the Sudan tribe. In this way (from her father and not from marriage) she was a Sheikha too.

In modern times also I have never heard, that someone referred the second wife of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum al Maktoum as Sheikha Natasha (Sorry, I forgot her given muslim name) for example. Maybe the traditions from the past differs from to the traditions today. Who can explain this issue for modern times definitely??

[Imanmajed]

We have solve the "Sheikha-title-problem". The situation is as follows: In modern times the title "Sheikha" can be obtained in two ways:
a) you´re the daughter of a Sheikh
b) you get married officially with a Sheikh

Important when b) is:
First: a "commoner" receives the title "Sheikha" only if she is an official wife and the marriage was also officially. Wives from secret marriages are not be titled as "Sheikha". But a child from this kind of marriage can be titled as "Sheikha" (or "Sheikh") (see a)).
Second: that the title of the official´s wife not be higher than the title "Sheikha". Example: If someone has the title "Princess" before the marriage, it remains on this title because it is set higher than the title "Sheikha".

So the answer of lady blue in post # 284 was absolutly correct from the beginning.

[Littlehart]

Aren't sheikha and princess essentially the same thing?
I will try and converse with her through her facebook account and find out her name and everything. If she isn't willing, I will delete this thread. If she is, I will keep it. But that girl most definitely is the best looking UAE sheikha I have seen

[Imanmajed]

Originally Posted by Littlehart

Aren't sheikha and princess essentially the same thing?

No, it isn´t. The title Princess is higher than the title Sheikha. Princesses are royals, because there is a king, from whom they are descended directly or related in any form. Sheikhas are non-royals, but female members of a ruling family which often govern a region or/and a country since several generations.

[Littlehart]

This is interesting. Why do they call them members of the royal family then?

[blauerengel]

The Al Maktoum family calls themselves the "ruling" family not the "royal" family and most senior members of the Ruling families do not like the idea of being called royal. Maybe because royalty is a system/idea of the Western world while the UAE families are descendants of local Bedouin tribes (like the Bani Yas) and therefore they have very different mindsets and ways of governance compared to European royals.
For instance we have primogeniture or we have a rule that the first-born son must take over from the ruling monarch (King/Queen) while in the UAE or also in other Middle Eastern Ruling families (like Qatar) the Emir or the head of the family is chosing who is most suitable for taking over his position.
You may compare it to the situation in a family-run business,usually the head of the company who knows everyone and knows their ability and strengths will chose who leads the company when he/she is retired.

In traditional Royal families it is different, there is a little bit of a gamble because the firstborn or the first son is heir to the throne even if he is not the best person to fill this role.(There are different rules in different nations, most European RF allow females to inherit the Crown while in Japan only men are allowed to inherit the Chrysanthemum throne.)

To make things more complicated:In Jordan (a Royal family with Kings & Queens) they also use the tribal way of chosing a Crown Prince instead of the European first born/first son rule.

When they use the term Crown Prince for Sheikh Hamdan it is actually a little bit confusing because he will never become king. "Heir apparent" is a commonly used description for such a position which would be less misleading.
Nevertheless some young Sheikhas or Sheikhs often get called "Prince/Princess" or they sometimes even like to be addressed with that title.

Hope that my explanation helps to clear up some misunderstandings

[Imanmajed]

blauerengel: You hit the nail! I agree with you! Your explanation was perfectly in all its points.

Originally Posted by blauerengel

Nevertheless some young Sheikhas or Sheikhs often get called "Prince/Princess" or theysometimes even like to be addressed with that title.

I don't see that happening.....Do you know a specific example? (the bold print is meant)

[blauerengel]

Originally Posted by Imanmajed

I don't see that happening.....Do you know a specific example? (the bold print is meant)

Not in the UAE, but I know a few Arabic sheikhs & sheikhas who like to be called Prince/ Princess when they are in Europe even though they are not members of a royal family that carries such titles
The sheikhas of the UAE seem to be more down-to-earth and often don´t want people to know that they are from the ruling families.

[Imanmajed]

Originally Posted by blauerengel

Not in the UAE, ..... The sheikhas of the UAE seem to be more down-to-earth and often don´t want people to know that they are from the ruling families.

Anything else would have been very surprising .... It´s never happened that one of our Sheikhs want to be addressed with the title "Prince". During private travels abroad they keep their identity hidden as far as possible.

[saifhuraiz]

I think the Sheikha is just a royal highness only. it is not going to give any royal highness to their husband.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by saifhuraiz

I think the Sheikha is just a royal highness only. it is not going to give any royal highness to their husband.

Not Her Royal Highness but Her Highness.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza | Home

[Asdfghjkl12]

If Sheikh Hamdan becomes the ruler, will his wife be the First Lady of Dubai? Just like Sheikha Hind is.