Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Born (1975-06-30) 30 June 1975 (age 48)
Riffa, Bahrain
SpouseShaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa
Issue
Issue
  • Shaikh Isa
  • Shaikh Salman
  • Shaikha Noora
  • Shaikha Hessa
HouseKhalifa
FatherHamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
MotherSabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa

Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (Arabic: عبد الله بن حمد آل خليفة; born 30 June 1975) is the second son of the present King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah and his first wife, Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

Like all members of the royal family, Abdullah sits as a senior member of the civil judiciary.[1]

In addition to his government positions, Abdullah is chairman of the Bahrain Motor Federation and the Commission Internationale de Karting.[2] He is eighth in line to succeed his father as ruler of the Kingdom of Bahrain. His son HRH Shaikh Isa bin Abdullah bin Hamad Alkhalifa is a successful racecar driver and co-team owner to a GT3 team with the name of 2 Seas motorsport.

Friendship with Michael Jackson

A long-time friend of American pop legend Michael Jackson, Abdullah loaned Jackson $2.2 million to pay legal fees after the singer was tried for child molestation in California in 2005. After a successful defense and the dismissal of all charges, Abdullah invited Jackson, his children, and his personal staff to stay in Bahrain; Jackson took him up on the invitation on 30 June 2005.[3][4]

As part of a plan to revive Jackson's career with the release of a new album,[5] after Hurricane Katrina Sheikh Abdullah suggested that Jackson record a song Abdullah had written as a charity single at a recording studio in London, "I Have This Dream".[6] Jackson undertook the recording session in London, but the single was never released through the co-owned record label 2 Seas Group.[7] Jackson left Bahrain in May 2006 for Ireland.[8]

In November 2008, after trying to recover from Jackson £4.7 million in costs that the singer had said were gifts, Abdullah sued the singer through the mutually agreed High Court in London.[9] Abdullah claims that despite having paid the $2.2 million (£1.5 million) cost for Jackson to record a song intended to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the singer failed to show up at the studio for the final recording and the song was never released. Bankim Thanki QC, representing Abdullah, told the High Court that the day after Jackson's criminal trial ended in California, he recorded one of the songs that Abdullah had wanted released as a charity single to help victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami,[citation needed] and that Abdullah felt "a strong sense of personal betrayal" after forming "a close personal relationship" with the singer.[9]

Marriage and children

Abdullah is married to Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, who from 2002 to 2004 was a member of the Supreme Council for Women, and has been a permanent member of the Board since 2004.[10] Since 2006, she has been the executive director of Injaz Bahrain,[11] a Member of Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement, and a member of the Young Arab Leaders of Bahrain.[12]

Together Abdullah and Hessa have four children, two sons and two daughters:

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ "History of the Judiciary". Kingdom of Bahrain, Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  2. ^ "BMF's Chairman participates in regional meeting". Bahrain News Agency. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Michael Jackson 'in Bahrain trip'". BBC News. 30 June 2005. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  4. ^ "Jackson settles down to his new life in the Persian Gulf". Gulf News. 28 January 2006. Archived from the original on 19 October 2006. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
  5. ^ "Jackson to make album in Bahrain". BBC News. 19 April 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  6. ^ "Sheikh 'planned Jackson revival'". BBC News. 17 November 2008. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  7. ^ "Bahrain prince sues Michael Jackson in UK court". Reuters. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Michael Jackson Gives Bahraini Prince Royal $$$ Pain". Fox News. 15 October 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Jackson 'too sick' for court case". BBC News. 18 November 2008. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  10. ^ "Members of Supreme Council for Women's seventh session (2019-2022)". Supreme Council for Women. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Board of Directors Chairperson's Message". INJAZ Bahrain. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Young Arab Leaders come together for first annual meeting". Khaleej Times. 3 December 2005. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
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