In 1971, the leaders of six emirates came together to create the United Arab Emirates. A year later, a seventh emirate joined the federation, completing what we now know as the UAE, which is made up of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah, Ajman, and Ras al-Khaimah.
Each of the seven emirates is ruled by its own Sheikh, all of whom descend from the country’s founding families. Together, these seven Sheikhs form the Supreme Council of Rulers, the highest authority in the UAE, responsible for major decisions including appointing the president and prime minister. The unique system means the UAE is a federation of not one but seven monarchies, led by six different royal families (two emirates are governed by separate branches of the same family).
From some of the richest families in the world to lineages with centuries-old tribal roots and marriage alliances, these are the six UAE royal families.
Who are the six royal families in the UAE?
The Nahyan family
One of the most influential royal families in the world, the Nahyans rule over Abu Dhabi, the richest and largest emirate of the UAE.
The family has deep and ancient roots in the region. Their presence in the area goes back much further than the unification of the seven emirates, as members of the family have been highly involved in Abu Dhabi’s politics and economic activities since the 1790s. Their influence expanded further as they led the discovery and eventual production of oil in the emirate. By the 1970s, the Nahyan family had accumulated enough wealth and power for Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then head of the family, to emerge as a central figure in the unification of the UAE. Since then, the rulers of Abu Dhabi have consistently held the position of UAE president.
Today, the family is led by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (widely known as MBZ), the third son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who served as ruler of Abu Dhabi and UAE president until his death in 2004. After completing his education between the UAE and the UK, where he attended Gordonstoun for a summer and graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, MBZ joined the Emirate Air Force. He is now the most powerful political and economic figure in the UAE.
The rest of the house of Al Nahyan is just as active. MBZ’s brother, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the emirate’s deputy ruler and security chief and is the chairman of one of the largest state-owned funds in the world. In 2024, he made the cut in Spear’s power list of the most influential people in the world of private wealth.
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Sheikh Mohamed is married to Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, who is known for her philanthropic work, especially through her family foundation which supports local artists and public education. The couple have nine children together, and adopted two more. They have more than 20 grandchildren. Their eldest son, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, has been the crown prince of Abu Dhabi since March 2023 and is behind several innovative projects in the emirate, spanning art to education.
MBZ’s family is not only large but also one of the wealthiest in the world. In 2023, Bloomberg ranked it first on its list of the world’s richest families, estimating its net worth at $305 billion, fuelled by ownership of approximately 6 per cent of the world’s oil reserves, as well as assets like Manchester City Football Club and investments in companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The Al Maktoum family
The Al Maktoums are the royal family of Dubai, the second largest emirate in the UAE after Abu Dhabi, and the most populous in the country.
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The Al Maktoum family has been influential in the region since at least 1833, with roots in earlier tribal heritage. Their prominence was further established during the rule of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum from 1958 to 1990, one of the UAE’s founding figures. The late Sheikh Rashid is considered to be the main figure behind Dubai as we know it today, having built ports, an international airport, and encouraged the development of international companies such as Emirates Airlines.
Today, the head of the family is ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as the country’s vice president. The billionaire Sheikh owns a significant part of the government’s real estate, and his government is the sole owner of Emirates Airlines, among other international companies. He is well known for his interest in thoroughbred horseracing and he also owns the Godolphin Stables, which have facilities in the UAE, England, Ireland, Australia, Japan and the US. He has more than 20 children with his six wives.
The House of Al Maktoum made international headlines in 2018 when one of the Sheikh’s daughters, Princess Latifa, secretly recorded videos while she was forcibly held by her father in a barred villa in Dubai. After one failed attempt to escape from her family, Princess Latifa is now believed to live in Europe. But she is not the only one who has accused Sheikh Mohammed of abuse. The ruler’s sixth wife, Princess Haya, fled to the UK in 2019 alleging abusive behaviour, and now resides in the country with sole custody of their two children.
The Al Qasimi family
The Al Qasimi is the only one of the UAE royal families to run two different Emirates: Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah.
The royals are part of one of the most ancient Arabian royal families, as their presence has been recorded in the area since the 18th century. Until the first world war, the Al Qasimi family had significant wealth and power through their involvement in the pearl fishing industry. This influence waned with the decline of the pearl trade and relatively limited oil resources in Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah.
Today, the Al Qasimi family is headed by Sharjah ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi and Ras al-Khaimah ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi.
Sheikh Sultan has held the position since 1972, a long reign during which he also followed an education in the UK, studying at the University of Exeter and Durham University. He was married at least twice and had more than five children, two of which died due to a drug overdose in 1999 and 2019 while staying in the UK.
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Sheikh Saud has been ruler of Ras al-Khaimah since 2010 when he succeeded his father in a highly publicised succession quarrel with his half-brother Sheikh Khalid bin Saqr Al Qasimi, who lost his claims to birthright sheikhdom.
The Al Nuaimi family
The smallest emirate of the UAE, Ajman has been ruled by the Al Nuaimi family since the early 1800s.
The current ruler, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, has made it a priority to modernise the area since the beginning of his reign in 1981 – and not without results. The city of Ajman went from being a small fishing town on the coast to the fifth-largest city in the country, known for its leisure and cultural activities.
Sheikh Humaid is married to Sheikha Fatima bint Zayed, with whom he has at least five children including Ammar bin Humaid, who is the Crown prince of the emirate.
The Al Mualla family
The Al Mualla royal family rules over Umm Al Quwain, the least populous of the seven emirates. Its ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, has held the position since he succeeded his father in 2009. He is married to Sheikha Sumaya bint Saqr Al Qasimi, the sister of Ras al-Khaimah’s ruler, and their son Rashid is the emirate’s crown prince.
As the Umm Al Quwain economy is mainly based around fishing, it is no surprise that it is an activity that the Sheikh is known to be particularly passionate about.
The Al Sharqi family
Fujairah has been ruled by Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi since 1974. The son of former ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Sheikh Hamad was educated in the UK. He first attended the English Language School in Eastbourne and then went on to the Mons Officer Cadet military school in Hampshire. There, he honed his English language skills, returning to the UAE as a fluent speaker, making him one of the main representatives of his country in international diplomatic events.
Sheikh Hamad’s mother was Sheikha Fatima bint Rashid Al Nuaimi, a princess of the Emirate of Ajman and sister of the current Ajman ruler.
