A video of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, meeting with a group of Dubai residents in London is going viral.
The Dubai royal is in the UK for a summer break and took time out to meet the two fans, posing for selfies with them from the front seat of his car.
The video was posted by Ahmad Jaber Al Harbi, a friend and regular travel companion of the Crown Prince, and was captioned: "When a Dubai resident spotted @faz3 in #London".
"Please can I take a picture?" the excited fan asks Sheikh Hamdan, who instantly replies, "Yes, yes."
Sheikh Hamdan then helps the fan take the selfie, by focusing the shot on her iPhone.
The male fan, who is wearing a green and white football kit, then goes in for a selfie and says, "Sorry to bother you", and Sheikh Hamdan replies, "No, it's OK", and shakes his hand.
The Crown Prince traditionally spends time in the UK each summer.
Scroll through the gallery below to see Sheikh Hamdan at Royal Ascot
In September 2021, a chance meeting between Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, on a London street went viral online.
Sheikh Hamdan was wearing a casual hooded top and chinos and kissed Sheikh Humaid on the forehead and said "marhaba al saa".
"I couldn't but stop when I saw you," he says in Arabic.
Sheikh Hamdan also embraces Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, president of the UAE Football Association. The encounter was near Selfridges department store in Oxford Street.
It was also from the UK that Sheikh Hamdan shared some of the earliest photos of his son, Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan. The images, taken at the Godolphin stables in the UK, show the father and son interacting with star racing horse, Adayar.
Sheikh Hamdan shared the photos on Instagram and wrote: "Training and education should start early on. Rashid and Sheikha came to see Adayar and wish him the best!"
Sheikh Rashid and his twin sister, Sheikha Sheikha bint Hamdan, were born in May 2021.
In the first photo, the Crown Prince is holding his baby boy up close to Adayar, the Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Epsom Derby.
In the relaxed photo, Sheikh Hamdan is wearing light grey jeans and a tan hooded jacket, with a green T-shirt visible. Sheikh Rashid is wrapped up in a teal onesie and fluffy blue coat, with a white and grey hat. The photo was taken on an overcast day in the UK.
In a second photo, he can be seen posing with his son in front of the Godolphin logo.
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The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
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Cracks in the Wall
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
