Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Arabic: حمدان بن محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم, romanized: Ḥamdān bin Muḥammad bin Rāšid Āl Maktūm; born 14 November 1982) is an Emirati royal and politician who has been the Crown Prince of Dubai since 2008. He is the Minister of Defence of the UAE since 14 July 2024. He served as deputy ruler of Dubai from 2006 to 2008. He is popularly known as Fazza (Arabic: فزاع), the name under which he publishes his poetry, which means "the one who helps" in Arabic. As an equestrian, Maktoum is a multiple world champion at the World Equestrian Games.

Early life and education

Hamdan bin Mohammed is the son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, the senior wife of Mohammed. He is the second male child of their twelve children and he is the third son of his father. Hamdan's elder full brother was Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed.

Hamdan bin Mohammed was educated in Dubai at the Rashid School For Boys and then at the Dubai School of Government. He continued his studies in the United Kingdom, where he graduated from Sandhurst in 2001; he later attended the London School of Economics.