Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Celebrates 76th Birthday

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, celebrated his 76th birthday on July 15, 2025. The occasion highlighted a life dedicated to public service and the transformation of Dubai and the UAE into a global hub for business, culture, and politics.

Warm tributes poured in, particularly from his children. Dubai Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, marked the day by sharing a collection of family photographs on Instagram. His brother, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance, expressed his congratulations on social media platform X, describing their father as the “heart of the nation and a legend of generations.” Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, called the birthday celebrant “the best father one could wish for,” emphasizing that he is a “source of pride and inspiration” for her.

Born on July 15, 1949, in the Al Maktoum family home in the Shindagha area, Sheikh Mohammed began learning Arabic and Islamic studies at the age of four and commenced his formal education at six. His educational journey included distinguished military training at the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, UK (now part of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst), where he excelled as the top student. He further trained as a pilot in Italy.

Demonstrating exceptional capability early on, Sheikh Mohammed made history in 1968 when, at just 19 years old, he became the world’s youngest Minister of Defence, taking charge of Dubai’s police and public security forces. Following the formation of the UAE in 1971, he assumed the role of the nation’s first Minister of Defence.

Sheikh Mohammed has consistently attributed his wisdom and guidance to his father, the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. After Sheikh Rashid’s passing in October 1990, Sheikh Mohammed’s elder brother, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid, became Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed himself was named Crown Prince of Dubai in 1995. Eleven years later, following the sudden death of his brother during a visit to Australia in 2006, he ascended to become the Ruler of Dubai, continuing his decades-long legacy of leadership and nation-building.

Source: The National