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Fresh details have emerged about one of last year’s most unexpected engagements between Her Highness Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and rapper French Montana.
And who’s spilling the details, you ask? Well, none other than the Moroccan-American artist himself.
Speaking candidly on the Joe and Jada Podcast, French Montana – whose real name is Karim Kharbouch – revealed that the pair were introduced through mutual friends while he was visiting Dubai.
“It was one of my homeboys,” he shared on mic. “He plugged me with her in Dubai.”
What truly caught the rapper’s attention wasn’t just the introduction, but a moment that had already sparked widespread conversation online. French Montana admitted he first noticed Sheikha Mahra after her now-viral Instagram post announcing her divorce.
“I just happened to be in Dubai, and I remembered I saw her post,” he said. “And I’m like, I like her now, because it takes a lot of guts to throw that up.”
The moment sparked an intense online conversation, and her Instagram following surged to over one million users in a matter of days, placing her firmly in the global spotlight.
Since then, Sheikha Mahra has continued to attract attention on her own terms, most recently with the launch of her beauty brand, Xtianna, including a debut fragrance titled Divorce – a name that quickly became a talking point both regionally and internationally.
In August last year, that story took a new turn when Sheikha Mahra confirmed her engagement to French Montana, sharing a close-up of a diamond ring on Instagram and tagging the rapper – instantly making headlines around the world.
According to People magazine, the proposal took place two months prior, with representatives confirming that while wedding plans are underway, details are still being finalised by both families.
The couple were first spotted together in Dubai before making their public debut at Paris Fashion Week in June, where they were photographed hand-in-hand in the French capital.
For Sheikha Mahra, the engagement marks a new chapter following her divorce from Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum. The former couple married in June 2023 and share a daughter, born in May 2024.
