Dubai ruler’s son dies at 33

Dubai has announced a three-day mourning period after the 33-year-old son of the Gulf emirate’s ruler passed away, the UAE’s official state news agency WAM said on Saturday.

Those also present included Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, Sheikh Maktoum, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed – Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation – Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed and Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed. The most special thing about him was his name [Rashid] and that he is Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid’s eldest son.

Sheikh Rashid was the first son of Sheikh Mohammed from his senior wife, Sheikha Hind.

Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan additionally conveyed his heartfelt condolences to Sheikh Mohammed and the Al Maktoum family.

Sheikh Rashid is the well known sport person in UAE. He was also a person well-known in the figures of sports taking part on global and local equestrian endurance competitions and acquiring two gold medals 120-kilometer Endurance Individual and Team Mixed events at Doha Asian Olympics in 2006.

Funeral prayers for Sheikh Rashid will be offered at Zabeel Mosque. “You will be missed”, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said in a statement.

The Prince of Dubai studied at the Rashid School for Boys and attended the Sandhurst Military Academy in the United Kingdom graduating in 2002.

Sheikh Rashid was a keen football fan. He was appointed President of the Dubai Cultural and Sports Club in 1997 and served as President of the UAE National Olympic Committee from 2008 to 2009.

His personal wealth was estimated by Forbes magazine in 2010 at $1.9b U.S. dollars.