In 1979, at the age of 17, Hind Bint Maktoum married her cousin, Sheikh Mohammed Rashid, almost 13 years older than her. Their wedding was Dubai's first major public event. Elaborate arrangements were made to celebrate the event. A 20,000 seater stadium was built to host the wedding which featured displays of horse and camel riding, and an aerobatics display by the Dubai Air Force. The total cost of the wedding celebrations was estimated to be around $100 million. She is rarely seen in other public events. Even her photograph has never been shown publicly. Being the Sheikh's senior wife and consort, Sheikha Hind is the royal family's chief matriarch and resides with her family in the Zabeel Palace in Dubai. The Sheikh's junior wife leads a separate existence. Sheikha Hind oversees the upbringing of her children and orphans she has adopted.
Children
Sheikha Hind has 12 children
Sheikha Hind Women’s Sport Tournament
The tournament was launched on December 17, 2012, at the Dubai World Trade Centre and was organized by the Women's Sport Committee of the Dubai Sports Council, under the patronage of Sheikha Hind, and under the guidance of her son, Shiekh Hamdan, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council. The sports tournament is meant to encourage women to come out and actively participate in fitness and sports activities.
Charity work and donations
In January, 2013, Sheikha Hind, donated three planes to airlift the United Arab Emirates national football team’s fans from Manama in Bahrain to Dubai following UAE's 1-0 victory over Kuwait in the semi-final of the 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations. In June 2013, The Mohammed bin Rashid Charity and Humanitarian Establishment distributed 4100 smart cards of Ramadan Ration by donation of Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum in its charitable programmes for the Holy Month of Ramadan, aiming at distributing basic foodstuff to the needy and poor families in the emirate of Dubai and northern areas. Ibrahim Boumelha, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, expressed his gratitude and thanks to Sheikha Hind for her moral and material support for various charitable projects, undertaken by the Foundation for the benefit of the citizens and residents expatriates, particularly during Ramadan.