The post claims Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum — the vice president and prime minister of the UAE, of which Dubai is one of the seven emirates — made the comments after being asked about the “future of his country” during an “exclusive BBC interview”.
“My father was on a camel, I’m in a Mercedes, my son is on a Land Rover, and my grandson is going to be from Land Rover, but my great grandson will be back on a camel,” he purportedly said.
According the post, the interviewer followed up asking him to clarify the statement, to which Sheikh Mohammed replied: “Tough times create strong men, strong men create easy times. Easy times create weak men, weak men create tough times. Many won’t understand but you have to raise warriors, not parasites.”
Billionaire Sheikh Mohammed is known for his involvement in the global horseracing industry, and is owner of the world’s largest team Godolphin.
He has come under scrutiny in recent months over the disappearance of his daughter Sheikha Latifa, who has not been seen in public since a foiled attempt to escape Dubai in March 2018.
The sheikh’s alleged quote has circulated in Facebook posts around the world, including in Japan and Bangladesh.
However, the claim is false; Sheikh Mohammed did not make the alleged comments that his great-grandson would ride a camel in the BBC interview.
