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It was one of the hottest days in Abu Dhabi – an unexpected heatwave at the end of May – when the UAE seemed to hold its breath in anticipation of a sweltering summer.
I arrived early and waited in the majlis of her palace, gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the stillness of the expansive gardens, relieved to be in the cool indoors.
Sheikha Sabha Alkhyeli, 77, walked into the room with the calm confidence of someone who has known the desert all her life. The heat didn’t faze her.
Born in the desert in 1948, she spent her childhood moving from place to place, living with her family in tents stitched by her mother’s hands using goat hair and wool.
At the age of 16, she married Sheikh Saeed bin Shakhbout – the son of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1928 to 1966.
Now, decades later, she is a poet and celebrated author and has built a museum in Al Ain – one she designed herself, modelled not after her early desert camps, but after the palace home that first brought her into modern life.
Hers is a life that makes for an extraordinary story.
Thank you for reading,
Shireena Al Nowais
Sheikha Sabha Alkhyeli on growing up in a tent and living in Qasr Al Hosn
Before there were roads, towers and electricity, there was the rhythm of the sand and the silence of the desert, broken only by the bleat of a goat, or the crackle of fire beneath a pot of coffee.
It was the only world Sheikha Sabha Alkhyeli knew. Born in 1948, she remembers when the UAE was a borderless land of tribes, tents and faith.
“I was born in the desert,” said Sheikha Sabha, 77. “And we didn’t know anything better than it. We grew up in it. We were happy in it. That was our life.”
She was raised in a black tent woven from goat hair, stitched by hand by her mother, Hamda Al Khyeli. However, her life changed forever when, at the age of 16, she married Sheikh Saeed bin Shakhbout – the son of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1928 to 1966.
Her father, Mohammed Alkhyeli, passed away when the youngest of the sisters was still an infant. There were three daughters – Qadhma, Maryam and Alyazia, and a half-brother, Mattar Alkhyeli. Her mother raised them alone, with the fierce strength and strict discipline of the desert.
“Our house wasn’t made of walls,” she said. “It was made of effort. My mother stitched it from wool and goat hair. Each section was cleaned, sun-dried, combed and spun by hand. It was long and wide, with six or seven panels. It had to be – we were many.”
Their lifestyle was mobile. “We didn’t stay in one place,” she said. “We’d move every few months, depending on the water. Three months here, six months there, sometimes less if the grass dried up. In the summer, we stayed near water. In the winter, we went where the grazing was good.”
Did you know?
Qasr Al Hosn is a crucial pillar of the nation's rich heritage and is believed to have been constructed in 1760. The historic structure has over the years undergone a remarkable evolution from watchtower to grand palace.
UAE from the air: Stunning archive images capture country's rapid transformation
Archival images of Abu Dhabi
Rows and rows of simple, metal canisters had been kept on archive shelves for decades.
But inside each canister was a treasure trove of priceless aerial photographs that chronicles the awe-inspiring transformation of the UAE.
The photographs, taken from the 1940s onwards, trace the sand dunes, water wells, forts and barasti homes of the past, as well as the emergence of towns, cities, airports, roads, hospitals, reclaimed land and much more against the backdrop of the discovery of oil, the unification of the UAE and rapid change since then.
But these images had been rarely seen by the public, never digitised, or made available online. Until now.
The UAE’s National Library and Archives has unveiled the first results of its landmark project with the UK’s National Collection of Aerial Photography, in a move that not only ensures the permanent survival of the unique collection but potentially transforms our understanding of the Emirates’ past.
The images were taken by the UK’s Royal Air Force, the US Navy and a private company called Hunting Surveys, who together undertook more than 780 photographic aerial reconnaissance missions over the region.
Inside the UAE's plant biobank: The green heart of conservation in the desert
Salama Al Mansoori, specialist in plant conservation at the Plant Genetic Resource Centre. Antonie Robertson / The National
Tucked away in the outskirts of Al Ain, scientists at the UAE's Plant Genetic Resource Centre – part seed vault, part futuristic lab – are working to protect the botanical future of a nation better known for its desert than its native flora.
The centre, run by the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, is not just a store for seeds, it is a living archive of the UAE's natural resilience.
"We have more than 600 native species of plants in the UAE," said Salama Al Mansoori, a specialist in plant preservation at the centre. "What makes our work unique is the integration of traditional conservation methods with cutting edge technologies preserving DNA, tissue, live plants and seeds under one roof."
From the outside, the building is striking in its circular-design, inspired by the national Ghaf tree – with curved outer walls patterned to mimic the veins of a leaf.
The structure is kept cool using natural terracotta, with solar panels generating a quarter of the centre's electricity. But it's inside that the UAE's most ambitious efforts to conserve plant life are quietly blooming.
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
Travel distance: Limited
Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
Duration: Can linger for days
Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
