Many believe that all Oriental women only appear in public wearing burqas and rarely leave their homes, living a life confined to raising their children within four walls. However, this is far from true! The wives of Arab sheikhs lead vibrant lives and are even engaged in political activities.

Sheikha Haya Bint Hussein Al Maktoum

Sheikha Haya is the second wife of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamad Al Maktoum. Sheikha is of royal descent: her father is the King of Jordan. She was educated at Oxford. During one of the royal celebrations, she met Sheikh Mohamad Al Maktoumou and won his heart.

Hai, despite having two children, does not stay at home. She is actively engaged in community service, including establishing a fund to combat hunger in her native Jordan. Additionally, as the wife of Dubai’s ruler, she frequently attends horse races, reflecting her passion for horses. Sheikha embraces European fashion, regularly attends social events, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the Middle East.

Queen Fatima Kulsoom Zohar of Saudi Arabia

There is not much information about her: the girl was born in a very simple family, studied at Dubai International College. She has a law degree and graduated from King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

No one knows how the young woman captured the king’s attention and became his wife. Notably, King Abdullah has had over 30 marriages, yet none of his previous wives secured his favor to remain in his chambers—until Fatima. For many years, little was heard about her, but she recently surprised everyone by starting a Facebook page, which she maintains in English.

Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned

Sheikha Mozah, the second wife of the former Emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and mother of the current ruler, is deeply engaged in both charity and political activities. She serves as a special envoy for UNESCO, holds various government and international positions, and has been honored with the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

A mother of seven children, Sheikha has a perfect figure and a brilliant sense of style. In honour of her country’s traditions, the Sheikha dresses discreetly and modestly, but in line with global trends.

Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan

Wife of Jordan’s King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein Al-Hashimi and mother of heir to the throne Prince Hussein, the eldest of the couple’s four children, Rania is considered the world’s most famous Oriental queen.

She does not stay at home, she has become an activist for women’s rights in the Middle East, she is a fighter for the right of women to start their own companies and businesses, regardless of the opinions of their fathers or husbands. The queen insists on a gradual change in the traditional style of dress: Rania herself adores jeans and men’s style shirts, regularly appears in public with uncovered head, and among couturiers prefers Giorgio Armani. In 2008, Rania became the first Arab queen to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair in a rather revealing outfit for Eastern culture.

Queen Rania also holds the rank of Colonel in the Jordanian Army, a rank bestowed upon her personally… by her husband.

Amira al-Tawil, Princess of Saudi Arabia

Amira al-Tawil is often seen as a rebel and a disruptor of traditional values in Saudi Arabia. However, the princess remains undeterred by such labels. Before her marriage to the prince, she earned a degree in business administration from the University of New Haven in the United States, obtained an international driver’s license, and boldly drives her own car—an extraordinary act in Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, a few years after her marriage, Amira… divorced her husband! Her husband insisted on having children and she did not see herself as a mother. Gossipmongers said Amira was infertile. After the divorce, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal Al Saud never remarried, he sees Amira often, they remain good friends and do charity work together.

Princess Amira, along with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened the Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal Centre for Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge, where she accepted an award from Prince Philip for outstanding charity work. Amira subsequently led a relief mission to Somalia, where she and her ex-husband oversaw the distribution of the foundation’s funds.