While the celebrity PR machine used to have strict rules when it came to announcing celebrity breakups – with meticulously planned and overly friendly joint statements – celebs are now increasingly going it alone. Just as the screenshot from a note app has become synonymous with apologies, the black-and-white Insta post has become the equivalent of breakups – and it doesn’t always follow the rules set by PR.
The most recent – and possibly most striking – example comes from none other than the Princess of Dubai, who apparently asked her husband for a divorce via Instagram. “Dear husband,” wrote Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. “Since you are busy with other companions, I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you. Farewell. Your ex-wife.”
The post draws on the controversial Islamic practice of triple talaq (which is banned in many countries), which allows husbands to divorce their wives instantly by simply saying “I divorce you” three times. The method is not applicable to women, but Sheikha Mahra’s use of it is a powerful symbolic – and mocking – statement.
Sheikha Mahra and her husband, Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum, have been married for just over a year. They tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in April 2023. Their first daughter was born in May, just two months ago. BBC News reports that the couple have removed all photos of each other from their respective Instagram accounts – although neither Sheikh Mana nor Sheikha Mahra’s father, UAE Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, have responded to the post.
The princess’ post is the latest example in a long line of celebrities and non-celebrities “pushing hard” over their breakups. And it’s not just breakups. Social media has become the default battleground for all sorts of debates, complaints and revenge – with no taboos, and users increasingly have the opportunity to air their own (and others’) dirty laundry. Just last week, women on TikTok made a trend out of lip-syncing their lousy exes’ voice messages, proving that even the most private conversations have been released to the public.
Women are leading the way in this change, using their personal platforms to bring bad or even abusive behavior—mostly by men—to light, breaking taboos in the process. Sheikha Mahra’s post is particularly notable because she does just that. Not only has she broken royal protocol—personal public statements are strictly forbidden for members of the royal family—but by seemingly using her post to tell not only the world, but also her husband, that she wants a divorce, she has also broken all societal norms. And what’s more, by publicly announcing her husband’s alleged infidelity—something that can be taboo to admit to—she is taking back the power, and as a social media influencer of sorts, she is doing so in the best way she knows how.
Sheikha Mahra is not the first princess of Dubai to express her dissatisfaction with her living situation. Two of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s other daughters previously attempted to flee the Middle East, but were captured and forcibly returned to Dubai.
Instagram users praised Sheikha Mahra’s resistance, commenting on her post, saying: “I find it encouraging when a woman recognizes her worth and stands up for herself with confidence,” “Bravo. A true feminist. A fighter. Sending love and admiration,” and “You have turned a new page for every Muslim woman (sic) in the world!!! Thank you Queen.”
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