His natural affinity with all creatures great and small has been well-documented over the years, and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum this week made a particular new friend. The Crown Prince of Dubai shared a short clip with his 6.4 million Instagram followers on Sunday, one which swiftly went viral with more than 570,000 views to date.
The royal, who is also the chairman of the Executive Council for Dubai Government, was filmed holding a small bird, as he was joined by his father, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. After several seconds in the Crown Prince’s hand, the bird quickly flew onto the royal’s head, where it perched for some time, much to the Ruler of Dubai and Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE’s amusement.
However HH Sheikh Mohammed also drew the attention of said bird, which hopped from Sheikh Hamdan’s crown over to the Ruler of Dubai’s for a flying visit. Neither royals appeared perturbed by their new acquaintance, rather, both seemed touched by the familial display. The video has since been shared by HH Sheikh Mohammed, HRH Princess Haya, and many other members of Dubai’s royal family.
As we await another suitably sweet clip from the Crown Prince, we’ve rounded up some of his most memorable moments with animals of the land, air and sea. Scroll on and enjoy.
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