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Her Highness Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum made waves last week with the announcement she was launching her very own perfume brand – Mahra M1.
It wasn’t just the launch of her own eponymous label that got people talking, it was the name of the scent. Entitled Divorce, the name of the new fragrance comes just a couple of months after the sheikha declared she was divorcing her husband of one year, His Highness Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum.
With a collection that sparked conversation from discerning followers, it’s undoubtedly a development that (the name alone) turned heads. But now it begs a question many are asking, “What does this all mean?”
Sheikha Mahra’s take on divorce has taken the Arab luxury scene’s attention, stirring both sceptics, but also support from her one million followers. It’s without a doubt a collection that contains deeper meanings and symbolisms.
At first glance, the name itself is bold—even controversial since it typically reflects negative connotations. But in Sheikha Mahra’s hands, she has reclaimed the word and instead used it as a source of empowerment. Even describing the scent as “embodying confidence and new beginnings,” a nod to her new-found independence since her split. Further emphasising that the fragrance is for those who appreciate elegance and change, another token of her life’s direction.
This extends beyond the realm of mere legalities but shakes the cultural aspects of divorce in the UAE. Despite divorce being permissible but not spoken highly of, it certainly has normalised a narrative not often talked about.
One commentator said, “It’s amazing how powerful women can turn bad experiences into passion and gain more power [from it].”
Sheikha Mahra’s divorce
It’s not known if Sheikha Mahra and Sheikh Mana have officially divorced, but Her Highness declared on Instagram back in July she was now the “ex-wife” of her husband.
The social media post from Sheikha Mahra’s verified Instagram account read: “Dear Husband, As you are occupied with other companions, I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you. I divorce, and I divorce you. Take care. Your ex-wife.”
The post went viral, receiving over 500,000 likes and garnering nearly 50,000 comments within just a couple of days and, to date, Sheikha Mahra now boasts over one million Instagram followers.
Sheikha Mahra & Sheikh Mana’s wedding
Sheikha Mahra’s shocking announcement comes just over a year after the pair tied the knot and just over a month after welcoming their first child together.
It was announced on March 22, 2023 by the Arabian Royal Agency that Sheikha Mahra and Sheikh Mana were engaged to be married. Mere weeks later the engagement was confirmed by the couple themselves in an official post with a poem by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Bin Mana Al Maktoum, the father of Sheikh Mana, congratulating them.
On May 28, 2023, the couple exchanged vows for their Katb Al-Kitab, the traditional Islamic marriage ceremony.
Following Sheikha Mahra and Sheikh Mana’s Katb Al-Kitab, the pair had a lavish wedding reception in Dubai in June 2023. On her wedding day, the bride was dressed in an ethereal white embroidered ballgown by Dubai-based designer Ezra Couture.
Sheikha Mahra gives birth
Sheikha Mahra and Sheikh Mana welcomed their daughter in May 2024.
The announcement of the birth of the royal couple’s daughter was made by Sheikh Mana himself via Instagram on May 2.
Sharing an Instagram story, he revealed his wife Sheikha Mahra had given birth. The baby girl is named after her mother with the same moniker, Mahra.
