A royal analyst predicts that Queen Elizabeth II will "distance" herself from Dubai's ruler after a court determined that he hacked the phones of his ex-wife and Prince Charles' former UK lawyer.
The High Court of London decided on October 6 that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum used government-grade malware Pegasus, developed by Israeli intelligence firm NSO Group, to hack Princess Haya.
UAE PM hacks Prince Andrew's lawyer
On the balance of probability, the UAE Prime Minister misused his position to snoop on Haya and her team, according to Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane.
Fiona Shackleton, a former partner at royal legal firm Farrer and Co, was among those hacked from the princess' inner circle. She was the lawyer for Prince Charles and has also represented Prince William and Prince Harry, as per Newsweek via MSN.
The controversy is the latest example of the British Royal Family's links to Middle Eastern governments with poor human rights records embarrassing them. During his time as a trade envoy, Prince Andrew was chastised on several occasions.
Even as outrage mounted over Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman's complicity in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Meghan Markle garnered attention by wearing chandelier earrings gifted to her by MBS.
The jewelry was initially worn by the Duchess of Sussex on a visit of Australia and the South Pacific in October 2018, and then again during a birthday celebration for Prince Charles the following month.
The current controversy involving Maktoum has prompted calls for a shift in the royals' position, as well as the UK government.
Queen Elizabeth II presided over the opening of the baton relay for next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, central England, on Thursday, her first big engagement at Buckingham Palace since the coronavirus pandemic began a year and a half ago.
The 95-year-old queen passed the baton for the "friendly games" to Kadeena Cox, a four-time Paralympic gold medalist who recently won two events in Tokyo. Cox, 30, ran a lap around the adjacent Queen Victoria Memorial in downtown London before passing the baton to another contender, USA Today reported.
Prince Charles to face many challenges once he inherits the crown
Meanwhile, a royal historian has cautioned that when Prince Charles takes the throne, he will confront massive issues. The Firm has had to overcome a lot of severe obstacles in recent years, as per Express.co.
Prince Andrew, Prince Charles' younger brother, is presently facing a legal lawsuit launched against him by one of Jeffrey Epstein's victims.
While Prince Andrew has categorically rejected all of the allegations leveled against him, they have severely tarnished his image, and he stepped down from Royal responsibilities in 2019 after a widely panned interview with the BBC.
Despite rumors that Andrew requested the Queen for permission to temporarily step down as a senior royal after the death of his father, Prince Philip, Prince Charles is said to be "adamant" that the Duke of York will not return.
Following the dramatic departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the Royal Family last year, the Royal Family was given yet another blow. The Queen has maintained her neutrality during the previous royal problems, but a Politico article from April cautioned that when Prince Charles becomes king, he would face enormous obstacles.
Related Article: Queen Elizabeth Speaks About Prince Philip For the First Time as Her Majesty Loses Grip on Royal Family Ahead of Platinum
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