In the modern Gulf, no royal woman has built as visible an international profile as Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned. The second wife of former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa and the mother of the current Emir Tamim, she has been the founding figure of Qatar Foundation (1995), Education City in Doha, and the Sidra Medicine hospital.

The Family's Roots: The Al Missned Family

Mozah was born on 8 August 1959 in Al Khor, Qatar, into the Al Missned family — a prominent Qatari merchant family. Her father Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah Al Missned was a Qatari political figure who at one point was in exile because of differences with the ruling family before being reconciled.

Her Marriage to Sheikh Hamad

Mozah married then-Crown Prince Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 1977 — his second wife. Many anticipated tension between the Al Thani ruling family and the Al Missned line given her father's earlier history, but the marriage went forward. The marriage permanently reconciled the two families.

Her Seven Children

She and Sheikh Hamad have seven children:

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad (b. 1978).

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad (b. 3 June 1980) — Emir of Qatar from 2013.

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad (b. 1986).

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad (b. 1988).

Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad (b. 1983) — Chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority; widely considered one of the most influential women in global art.

Sheikha Hind bint Hamad (b. 1984).

Sheikha Al Mayassa: see above.

Her Public Roles

Qatar Foundation (1995) — comprehensive education and research initiative; built Education City with branch campuses of Cornell, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, Texas A&M, HEC Paris, UCL, and Virginia Commonwealth.

Sidra Medicine — major academic medical centre.

UN Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education (since 2003).

She is widely credited as the architect of Qatar's transformation into an education-and-knowledge hub.

The Al Missned Family Tree at a Glance

Family Origins: Al Missned merchant family of Qatar.

Father: Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah Al Missned (was in exile during Sheikha Mozah's early life).

Husband: Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (b. 1 January 1952) — Emir of Qatar 1995–2013.

Children (7): Sheikh Jassim, Sheikh Tamim (Emir, b. 1980), Sheikh Joaan, Sheikh Mohammed; Sheikha Mayassa (b. 1983), Sheikha Hind, Sheikha Al Mayassa.

What the Al Missned Family Story Teaches Us

A father who was once in exile from the ruling family. A daughter whose marriage reconciled two prominent Qatari families. A wife who became one of the most internationally visible Arab royal women. A son who is now Emir of Qatar. A daughter who runs the country's museums. A family whose foundation runs eight branch campuses of major US universities.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Al Missned story carries the same lesson. Marriages can heal earlier political tensions between families. Sheikha Mozah's marriage joined the Al Missned and Al Thani houses. Write down what your family's marriages have joined together. They are diplomacy at the smallest scale.

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