Football, travel, jogging: A peek into the likes of Prince Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed

Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan — prince from the Abu Dhabi royal family — describes himself as a happy and social man. The 28-year-old, who was on a short trip to Mumbai for a sporting event, was looking forward to the simple pleasures the city had to offer, including a meal of aloo gobi and chapatis and visiting Haji Ali and Siddhivinayak Temple. In an exclusive interview, he shared details about his royal life, sports and his thoughts on women’s liberation.

What’s in a name?
“When you come from a royal family, you have to make sure you don’t do anything wrong that could scratch your family name. Our family name is very important — especially in our side of the world. You have to represent your family in the right way. On what motivates me, seeing people happy motivates me. When people are happy, it motivates you to do more.”


Pitch perfect
“I like watching football. Not playing! I don’t have a specific team that I support but I enjoy watching the game. During the World Cup, I was supporting the Arabic countries, of course. But I was expecting France to win. (Lionel) Messi is my favourite player. I would like to try anything in water sports. Surfing is probably something I would try first. Who would I like a game against? Of course, not someone better than me.”


Jet, set, go
“London is my favourite place to holiday. Since I was a child, my family and I have travelled to London during the summer. I have made a lot of good memories there and also, I know a lot of the places to visit. Knightsbridge is one of my favourite areas.”

Adventure overload
“My one-year service in the army was one of my most adventurous experiences. I learned a lot. You have to go through all the levels. It teaches you how to be stronger too. It teaches you patience and endurance. When I first joined I didn’t know we were allowed just one litre of water every day and so I finished it soon. The rest of the day was tough but it did teach me endurance.”

Down time
“A few laughs with friends over dinner is my idea of fun.”


Car pool
“I like watching them in the garage rather than taking them out (laughs). I like classic vintage cars. I’ve lost count of how many cars I have. I know it’s a double-digit collection somewhere between 10 and 99. I like to have collector cars. I often take my four-wheel drive out in the desert too.”

Equal measure
“I don’t see a difference between women and men in sports. They all should be seen the same as they do the same thing. We should encourage women as much as we encourage men. When it comes to Saudi Arabia and their changes, I think it is a very big step. I am very happy for them and I hope they do more such things.”

For the mind, body and soul
“I love to go jogging. For my mind, I read a lot. And for my soul, I connect with God and stay close to God.”.