Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Al Hussein is the daughter of King Hussein Bin Talal of Jordan (1935-1999) and Queen Alia Al Hussein (1948-1977). HM Queen Alia gave birth to Princess Haya on May 3rd 1974 and to a son, HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein on December 23rd 1975, and in 1976 the King and Queen adopted a little girl, Abir Muhaisen (b. 1972). Queen Alia died tragically in a helicopter crash in February 1977 leaving behind her three young children.

On April 10th 2004, Princess Haya married HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai, and She now resides in the Emirate of Dubai travelling often to Her homeland, Jordan. Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed were blessed with the birth of HH Sheikha Al Jalila Bint Mohammed Al Maktoum on December 2nd, 2007. The birth of Sheikha Al Jalila coincided with the 36th anniversary of the confederation of the United Arab Emirates.

Worldwide Affiliations

Princess Haya's work and interests focus on humanitarian issues and human development concentrated primarily on the areas of health, education, youth and sports. She works on raising awareness of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially those of eliminating poverty and hunger. In the course of Her duties the Princess works closely with a number of regional and global organizations, aid foundations and UN agencies. Princess Haya’s duties and status in Her various fields of interest are:
 

Humanitarian:
• In September 2007, appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a UN Messenger of Peace.
• Chosen by Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan to become a founding member of the Geneva-based Global Humanitarian Forum, an international organization aimed at addressing humanitarian problems.
• From 2005 to 2007, represented the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Programme.
• Chairperson of the International Humanitarian City – IHC, Dubai.
• In 2003, founded Tkiyet Um Ali, the first food aid NGO in the Arab World, and is the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
 

Sports:
• In 2010, became a member of the International Relations Committee at the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
• In 2007, became a member of the IOC.
• On May 1st 2006 was elected as President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) having previously represented Jordan at the FEI General Assembly, and having held the position of Chairperson of the Middle East and Western Asian Sub-Group from 1992 - 1996. She is the first Arab in history to occupy the position of FEI president.
• Prior to membership of the IOC was a member of the IOC Athlete’s Commission (2005-2010) and remains a member of the IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education and is a member of the 2009 Congress Commission Editorial Committee.
• Currently a member of the Honorary Board of Directors of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
• President and Founder of the International Jordanian Athletes Cultural Association.
• President and Founder of the International Jordanian Athletes Cultural Association.
• Member of the Advisory Board of The Economist Global Sports Conference.
• President of the Princess Haya Initiative for the Development of Health, Physical Education & School Sports.
• President of the Dubai Equestrian Club.
• Honorary Patron of the Dubai School Alliance.
• Patron of the Princess Haya Award for Special Education (PHASE).
• President of the Dubai Organizing Committee for SportAccord 2010.

Health and Science
• Honorary President of the Princess Haya Biotechnology Centre – The University for Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
• Honorary President of the Queen Alia Foundation for Hearing and Speech Impaired, Jordan.
• Honorary President of INDEMAJ educational integration program for special needs children in Dubai.
• Global Patron of the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa (WSPCCA).
• President of the UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council.
• Patron of the Arab Children Health Congress (ACHC).
• Chair of the International Advisory Board of the Aswan Heart Centre.
• Board Member of the Cleveland Clinic International Leadership.
• Honorary President of the Chain of Hope Foundation.
• Special Advocate Ambassador to the Global Health Workforce Alliance.
• Patron of The Princess Haya WIDEX Congress for Paediatric Audiology.

Culture
• Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Haya Cultural Centre, Jordan..
• President and Founder of TIBA (Traditional Islamic Book Art), Jordan.
• Honorary President of the Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein Cultural and Islamic Centre, Dubai.
• Honorary President of the Jordanian Land Transport and Mechanical Union.
• Patron of the Dubai-London Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Honorary President of the Dubai Business Women Council.

Sporting Career

At age 13, HRH Princess Haya was the first female to represent her country internationally in equestrian sport in Show Jumping. She won an Individual Bronze Medal in the Pan-Arab Equestrian Games in 1992, and is the only female ever to have won a Pan-Arab medal in equestrian sport.

In 1994 King Hussein created ‘Team Harmony’ – a string of international show-jumping horses and he appointed Princess Haya as athlete director of the Team. At that time, the King also instructed Princess Haya to study the structure of international sports in order for her to direct the restructuring of sports in Jordan when her competing career ended. Between 1995 and 2002, Team Harmony won 36 international classes, eight national Grand Prix, seven International Grand Prix, and 1 Volvo World Cup Qualifier. Highlights of Princess Haya’s equestrian career include:

• In 2000, competed in the Sydney Olympics, riding the Team Harmony mare Lucilla II.
• As a competing athlete was Jordan’s Flag Bearer during the 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony.
• Competed for Jordan in the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, which made her the first Arab woman to qualify for and compete in an equestrian World Championship.
• In the equestrian sport of Endurance, qualified and competed in the World Endurance Championships 2005 in Dubai.

Team Harmony Training Bases
In the years 1995 to 2002, Princess Haya competed internationally at an average 39 competitions a year from training bases throughout Europe.

1995 – 1997 Ireland: the late Paul Darragh / Alain Storme
1995 – 1997 Ireland: Tommy stack
1997 – 1999 Germany: Paul Schockemohle
1999 – 2000 Holland: Hans Horn
2000 – 2001 France: Katie Monahan Prudent / Alice Debany Clero
2001 – 2002 France: Patrick Caron

Princess Haya was the first Jordanian athlete to turn professional, signing a commercial contract with the Italian designer Loro Piana, Italy in May 2000, competing in those colours until October 2001. Jordan has no professional status for athletes, and Princess Haya has been advocating for change since 1992.

Awards and Nominations

• In December 2009, and on the International Volunteer Day, Good Word Organization in Manama, Bahrain awarded Princess Haya “Al Saaoon fi Al Kair” award which honors the GCC women leaders for their voluntary and community work in their countries.
• In October 2006, Princess Haya was presented with the Guirlande d’Honneur (the Laurel Wreath) and ‘Celebrity of the Year Award’ by the Milan International FICTS Festival (International Federation Cinema Television Sportifs), an international festival dedicated to sport television and sport movies, in recognition of her leading role as an international athlete and president of the FEI, as well as for her meaningful promotion of cultural and ethical values, and the image of sport.
• In February 2006, His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan bestowed the Bejeweled Grand Cordon of Al Nahda (Order of the Renaissance) on Princess Haya in recognition of her notable humanitarian profile and for her distinguished role in efforts to alleviate hunger and poverty on global and regional levels.
• Princess Haya was the first, and is to date, the only woman in Jordan to hold a heavy goods and articulated vehicle licence, and as such was named Honorary President of the Land Transport and Mechanical Union by Jordan’s Taxi and Truck Drivers. She is the only a member of the Jordanian Royal family to be member of a trade union.
• In March 2000, Princess Haya became the youngest person to receive the International Golden Helm Award from the International Association of Golden Helmsmen of Tourism, after setting up a tourism campaign at the request of King Hussein during her equestrian training in Germany between 1997 and 1999. The campaign resulted in a rise in the numbers of German and German-speaking tourists to Jordan from two per cent to 12.5 per cent in a two-year period.
• In 1996 Princess Haya received an award from the Spanish Equestrian Federation as the Equestrian Personality of the Year.
• Was voted ‘Athlete of the Year’ by the Jordanian Public in 1993, and nominated ‘Athlete of the Year’ by Arab BBC Radio in 1994, after winning numerous national and international events in the Middle East and Asia.
• Twice decorated (1988 and 1992) by King Hussein for excellence in international equestrian sport.
• Nominated by the International Femmes Mythique Association as one of the ‘Legendary Women’.
• Won the Jordanian National Show Jumping Championships in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1992.

Education

HRH Princess Haya received her early education in Jordan. In 1985, she attended Badminton Boarding School for Girls in Bristol, England, where she accomplished 14 GCSE’s. She next attended Bryanston School in Dorset, and there completed 4 ‘A’ Levels in: Classical Arabic; English Literature; Politics and Government; and History. In June 1995, she graduated from St. Hilda’s College, Oxford University with an Honours Degree BA MA, in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

For details on Princess Haya’s projects and affiliations, please visit www.princesshaya.net