When little
Mohammed bin Ahmed Jaber Al Harbi approached the Queen for a handshake
at the Derby on Saturday, he melted hearts around the world.
Politely
doffing his top hat, a video posted on Instagram shows the child
beaming broadly, his mission complete, as he walks away - clearly
unfazed by his royal encounter.
But
now the MailOnline can reveal that far from being an unusual
occurrence, Mohammed is no stranger to the company of royalty - in
particular his 'best friend', Dubai's Crown Prince Hamdan.
Mohammed is the son of Ahmed Jaber 'AJ'
Al Harbi, a close friend of the Emirati prince, and spends much of his
time traveling the world with his father and the royal.
Indeed,
32-year-old Hamdan, who is known as Fazza to friends and fans, has an
Instagram account peppered with pictures of the child and his sister
Hind.
One
shows Mohammed's big moment, accompanied by the approving caption
'Nothing defines respect better than a proper handshake!', while another
shows the two driving home in a Mercedes G55 SUV - average price
£145,000.
In
it, the little boy, perhaps a little overtired, sits in the back next
to his father and looks glum while the prince smiles from the front
seat.
Tiring
though it might be, neither Mohammed, Hamdan or AJ are any stranger to
either travel or the races and are familiar faces as far as flat racing
insiders are concerned.
Last year, all three attended Royal Ascot with both Hamdan and AJ faithfully documenting their exploits on Instagram.
One
shot, which shows the Prince and Mohammed arriving at the Berkshire
racecourse by - what else? - helicopter, is captioned: 'This is
Mohammed, my best friend'.
Another
shows the two walking through the paddock, Hamdan protectively
clutching the boy's hand, and both wearing near-identical morning
suits.
Other
photos show the pair hanging out in Dubai, the emirate that Hamdan is
in line to inherit, and inspecting the prince's stable of endurance
horses.
Endurance,
the equine equivalent of running a marathon, is a royal favourite and
is thought to be the link that connects the Al Harbi family with the
ruling Al Makhtoums.
Hamdan
is a top rider and former world champion, while the International
Federation for Equestrian Sports lists a Saeed Ahmed Jaber Al Harbi
among the UAE's contingent of registered athletes.
The
18-year-old, who is thought to be a relation of little Mohammed, rode
until recently for the Crown Prince's endurance team, Fazaa, but is
currently suspended.
Although
not thought to be guilty of any wrongdoing himself, Al Harbi was banned
from competing in March along with every other Emirati endurance rider -
the result of a mass FEI action following accusations of doping and
mistreatment.
Despite
the controversy, Hamdan, who has posted cute pictures of Mohammed
petting one of his Arab horses and 'overseeing' training gallops from
the roof of an SUV in recent months, hasn't been put off the sport as
his Instagram account makes clear.
But
like Hamdan, Mohammed's life isn't all horses and helicopters. Photos
posted on his own Instagram account show him spending time with friends
his own age as well as enjoying swimming lessons and tucking into an
ice cream at a cafe in Dubai.
Others
hint at more exotic activities: giving one of Hamdan's racing camels a
cuddle, posing for a selfie with the prince and a giraffe during an
African safari and beaming alongside the catch of the day after a
fishing trip.
Many are
hobbies of Hamdan's. In his native Dubai, the royal is famous for his
action man adventures, which range from scuba diving to wing walking
and, more mundanely, cycling.
The
royal, who is also a keen sailor, writes poetry too - many of which are
published on his personal website in both written and recorded formats.
However,
as photos detailing his life reveal, much of Hamdan's time is spent
pursuing his sporting passions - usually with AJ and Mohammed in tow.
Close though Mohammed and Hamdan might be, the Emirati Crown Prince isn't the only royal in the little boy's life.
As
photos posted on Mohammed's own and his father's Instagram accounts
show, he is often seen with Dubai's long-serving emir, Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid al Makhtoum.
In
one touching shot, the little boy is seen being hoisted up by his
father for a hug with the 65-year-old royal while another shows him
posing for a picture while clutching the emir's hand.
But
for all his brushes with royalty, Mohammed is most frequently seen with
his father who appears touchingly proud of his son's exploits.
He
might live a life that most children can only dream of but mop-haired
Mohammed is clearly a normal - if precociously confident - little boy at
heart.
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