Watch: Dubai royal family princess Shaikha Latifa who jumps out of planes for thrills

Dubai - Seems like Dubai Crown Prince Shaikh Hamdan isn't the only adventurous spirit in the royal family.

Published: Thu 19 Jan 2017, 11:55 AM

Updated: Fri 20 Jan 2017, 6:57 PM

By
Yousuf Saifuddin Kapadia

UAE has become a hub for adventure sports in the region, attracting adventurers from all over the world, including members of UAE's royal families.
If you thought His Highness Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince Dubai, was the only intrepid spirit in the Dubai royal family, then here's another member of the Maktoum family taking to the skies as probably the only woman from the royal family who shares Hamdan's love for skydiving.
The young Crown Prince - a fitness enthusiast - is often seen cycling, jogging around Dubai, and when he gets bored of that - he heads to Skydive Dubai to skydive with his entourage and regularly makes jumps.
But he isn't the only one, Shaikha Latifa Al Maktoum has emerged as one of the most active skydivers in the royal family and often collaborates with Juan Mayer - a skydiving photographer - for her jumps.

Here are some recent breathtaking skydiving shots of the young Shaikha, posted by Mayer:

Celebrating UAE Flag Day...

Happy UAE Flag Day! ?????????????????? Latifa and her Wingsuit team, flying the UAE flags over Dubai! ????? ?????? Thank you so much @latifa_1 for keep pushing the limits!!!!! Photo by ??: @juanmayerphoto ?? #juanmayerproductions #uae #flag #day #wingsuits #flying #over #dubai #mydubai #celebration #ultimatehigh #book #skydiving #photography #juanmayer #nikon #panasonic #wonderful_places #sony #nikontop #happiness #november3rd @hipaae #HIPAcontest #MyNationalDay #HIPA_MyNationalDay
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Nov 2, 2015 at 8:39am PST

...and National Day in the open sky

Happy 44th UAE National Day!!!!! ????????????????????????????? Its just a short clip of a special project that @latifa_1 organized, to celebrate the UAE National Day!!!! 3 Wingsuit Flyers, including her, flying with UAE Flags over Dubai!!! ????????The complete video coming soon.....?? Video by: @juanmayerphoto #44th #uae #national #day #latifa #wingsuits #flying #over #dubai #amazing #mydubai #respect #happiness @mydubai @mmrm1 @latifa_1 @fazzasky3 @faz3 @fhd6400 #skydivedubai #ultimatehigh #book #skydiving #photography @hhsheikhmajid @ah
A video posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Nov 29, 2015 at 11:01am PST

Happy 44th UAE National Day!!!! Once again @latifa_1 pushing the limits, this time just holding a huge UAE flag ???????????????? in freefall while she is flying her Wingsuit over the Palm Jumeirah ?????????? Photo by ??: @juanmayerphoto #latifa #uae #national #day #celebration #flag #freefall #mydubai #ultimatehigh #book ???? #skydiving #photography #palm #jumeirah #dubai #juanmayer #wonderful_places #happiness #challenge #bluesky #skydivedubai #paracaidismo #paracaidas #extremesport @mydubai
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Dec 2, 2015 at 7:46am PST

Happy 44th UAE National Day ???????????????????????? Once again @latifa_1 being so proud of her flag, taking it in freefall over Dubai ????????????????? Video by ??: @juanmayerphoto #uae #national #day #44th #flag #wingsuit #palm #jumeirah #mydubai #uae #ultimatehigh #book #skydiving #photography #souq #juanmayer #nikon #panasonic #sony #latifa #extreme #athlete #freefall #caidalibre #happiness @faz3 @fazzasky3 @mmrm1 @mydubai
A video posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Dec 3, 2015 at 11:32pm PST

After 1,000 jumps!

H.H. Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum ??? Only 2 years skydiving, more than 1000 jumps, ballon jumps, wingsuit flights, freefly, tracking, hybrids and the First Emirati Woman getting an AFF Instructor rating ????????????CONGRATULATIONS and thanks for being an example of passion and determination ????????????????Video by ??: @juanmayerphoto #only2years #morethan1000jumps #firstemiratiwoman #skydiving #determination #uae ????????????#mydubai #ultimatehigh #book #freefall #happiness #teammate @latifa_1 @mmrm1 @fazzasky3 @mydubai @dubailifetv @dubaiculture #flyaerodyne @mffi462 @micahcouch @flyaerodyne
A video posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Apr 28, 2016 at 7:29am PDT

Photograph taken by @juanmayerphoto "Freestyle" one of my favourites skydiving disciplines to photograph, it's super fun but it also looks so elegant! It's HH Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum ????? during a training jump over the desert in Dubai! Amazing flying teammate ?????? #freestyle #latifa #extremesports #skydiving #freefall #desert #dubai #uae ???????????? #photography #sony #nikon #panasonic #paracaidismo #flyaerodyne #happiness #fotografo #argentino ????????????
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Jun 9, 2016 at 5:35am PDT

Freestyle skydiving

H.H. Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum, doing freestyle over the desert in Dubai ?????? Photograph taken by @juanmayerphoto #freestyle #latifa #dubai ???????????? #emirati #woman #skydiver #uae #stunts #tvcommercials #sony #panasonic #happiness
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Jul 21, 2016 at 12:53pm PDT

If that wasn't enough, she is even a 'wingwalker'!

Latifa Al Maktoum pushing the limits again and representing UAE! This time she was flying on top of a plane, being part of the WingWalkers Team ???????????????????????????????????? CONGRATULATIONS ?????Photo by ??: @juanmayerphoto #latifa #wingwalkers #breitling #skywalkers #dubai #plane #acrobatic #atlantis #palm #jumeirah #ultimatehigh #book ?????? #skydiving #photography #byjuanmayer #argentinian ????????????#photographer #avion #acrobatico #mydubai #octopusdubai #extremesport #emirati #woman #adrenaline #happiness
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Feb 29, 2016 at 4:26am PST

Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum, really enjoying the wing walking over Dubai ????????????????????? ?????? Photo by ??: @juanmayerphoto #latifa #wingwalkers #emirati #woman #overdubai #pilot #flyaerodyne #cypres #ultimatehigh #book ??????#skydiving #photography #byjuanmayer #argentinian ???????????? #photographer #mydubai #dubai ???????????? #uae #sony #ripcurlusa #oakley #nikon #panasonic #argentino #happiness #adrenaline #adrenalina #fotografia #aerea
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Mar 15, 2016 at 10:16am PDT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to H.H Sheika Latifa Al Maktoum ???? I wish you a life full of happiness Amiga ????? Photograph taken by @juanmayerphoto #HappyBirthday #sheika #latifa #amiga #happiness #uae ????????????#proud #emirati #woman #dubai #passionate #skydiver #extreme #sport #talented
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Dec 5, 2016 at 12:03pm PST

Welcoming 2017 with - another jump!

H.H. Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum enjoying such a beautiful clouds during a training skydiving jump, today over the desert in Dubai ?????????????????? Photograph taken by @juanmayerphoto ?? #desert #clouds #sheikha_latifa #freestyle #training #freefall #skydiving #proud #emirati ???????????? #woman #extreme_sport #paracaidismo #juanmayer #photographer_from_argentina ????????????#sony_actiom_cam #x3000 #sonya7rii #happiness
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Jan 15, 2017 at 10:53am PST

And here's a teaser post for a 'cool wingsuit' stunt she attempted with Mayer

This is how I started my year 2017 ?????? It's one of the coolest things I did for a long time ?????? Stay tuned in my social network channels, videos coming soon..... ?????? Special thanks to H.H. Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum for organizing it ?????? #glider #wingsuit #squirrel #freak #flyaerodyne #skydivedubaidesertcampus #juanmayerphoto #aerosportsmedia #clouds #desert #freedom #happiness
A photo posted by Juan Mayer (@juanmayerphoto) on Jan 5, 2017 at 7:31am PST

Here's wishing the Shaikha more power and success in the new year. Fly high!
yousufk@khaleejtimes.com
(Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Shaikha Latifa might be His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's niece. She is his daughter. The error is regretted)

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