Have you ever wondered what royals do in their free time? It should come as a little bit of a surprise that a number of Arab royal athletes are professional competitors, balancing their sporting careers with demanding busy schedules and royal responsibilities.
From Sheikha Latifah Al Maktoum, who has represented the UAE at the Olympics, to Sheikha Asma Al Thani, who travels the world to climb the highest summits and break records, many of our arab royal athletes have dedicated years of their lives to sport, taking their passion all the way to a professional level.
Villa88 looks at the Arab royal athletes who have showcased their sporting prowess on the world stage. Discover them below.
Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
Sheikh Hamdan is one of the most accomplished equestrian endurance riders in the world. He has been competing from a young age. In 2014, he won the FEI World Endurance Championship title. Besides that, he has numerous other titles, both individually and as part of the UAE team.
The most impressive is the discipline, as Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence Sheikh Hamdan has a very demanding schedule, yet continues to make time for elite competitions. His approach is one of strict time management, strategic delegation and a highly structured daily routine, proof that even a royal calendar requires some serious organisation.
Sport remains a constant in his life, and he has long championed its wider role in society. As he puts it: “Sports are a lifestyle that shapes a healthier and happier community.”
Sheikha Asma Al Thani
When it comes to extreme sports, Sheikha Asma Al Thani is a Qatari legend. What began as a climb for a noble cause soon became a passion, leading her to take on the world’s 14 “eight-thousanders”. As of August 2026, she has conquered 11 of them. Her achievements are beyond extraordinary. In 2025, she became the first Qatari woman to summit Pakistan’s notorious 8,126-metre K2, while in 2024 she became the first Arab woman and Qatari to complete the Explorers Grand Slam. She has also become the first Arab climber to summit an 8,000-metre peak without supplemental oxygen.
Sheikha Asma holds a position at the Qatar Olympic Committee and uses her expeditions to raise awareness for humanitarian causes, regularly carrying the UNHCR flag to the world’s highest summits.
The royal would later describe mountaineering as “inspiring”, saying: “I climb not just to conquer mountains, but to inspire the next generation to dream bigger, push past boundaries, and realise that no peak is too high if you have the courage to try.”
Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Much like his brother-in-law, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Bahraini royal Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa is an elite athlete who thrives on discipline, sport and, naturally, a little competition. As Commander of Bahrain’s Royal Guard and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, his schedule is hardly short of commitments, yet he still finds time to train and compete, not in one or two sports, but several.
A competitive triathlete and endurance rider, Sheikh Nasser has also recently turned his attention to golf tournaments. His competitive streak has taken him to the top of several disciplines, including the 2018 Ironman World Championship and two consecutive FEI Endurance World Championship titles.
Sheikha Latifah Al Maktoum
Some royals balance demanding responsibilities with their sporting ambitions, while others have made competition a pursuit in its own right. Emirati royal Sheikha Latifah Al Maktoum falls firmly into the latter category, having built an outstanding career as an international showjumper.
The niece of the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikha Latifah made history in 2008 as the first female athlete to represent the UAE at the Olympic Games. She continues to compete at elite show-jumping events, both in the UAE and on the international circuit and gain titles.
For Sheikha Latifah, however, success has never been a solo pursuit. As she puts it: “Success in sports is never entirely an individual achievement; it is a reflection of the team, the environment, and the support system that lifts you up.”
Sheikh Daij bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
For Bahraini royal Sheikh Daij bin Khalifa bin Daij Al Khalifa, endurance is clearly not limited to the sporting arena. In 2016, he became the first Bahraini to complete the gruelling Marathon des Sables, one of the world’s toughest endurance races, crossing Morocco’s Sahara Desert while carrying his own equipment and battling extreme heat, sand and fatigue across multiple stages.
Away from the desert, Sheikh Daij serves as an officer in the Bahraini Armed Forces and, proving that his ambitions extend beyond sport, earned a master’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 2024.
Sheikha Maryam Al Sabah
Sheikha Maryam Al Sabah began showjumping in 2014 and has been steadily developing her skills ever since. Besides showjumping, the Kuwaiti royal competes in dressage as well. She works on her academic career while pursuing her passion. In a sport where experience and consistency matter, she is still working to carve out a name for herself on the competitive show-jumping and dressage circuit.
