New photo of Dubai’s Princess Latifa in Madrid airport posted online

A new image of Princess Latifa, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, has been posted on Instagram suggesting she was at a Spanish airport.

Several pictures of the princess appearing alive and well have been posted by the same person, Sioned Taylor, in recent months.

Princess Latifa had not been seen in public since her failed attempt to flee the UAE in 2018.

In secret video messages released to Sky News in February this year, the Dubai royal claimed her father was holding her hostage.

The latest image shows Latifa, 35, wearing a face mask indoors – a measure enforced due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Her long-term friend, Ms Taylor, captioned the post: “Great European holiday with Latifa. We’re having fun exploring!”

Ms Taylor, a teacher in Dubai, is asked whether Latifa is okay, to which she replied: “She is great.”

She also confirmed the picture was taken in Madrid Barajas airport.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has consistently denied his daughter has been kept hostage, saying she is safe and well.

Calls had been made for the sheikh to provide “proof of life” of his daughter after the tapes were published.

Ms Taylor’s latest photo of the princess is the fourth recent image posted online.

The last image of her was shared around four weeks ago showing Ms Taylor and the princess at a Dubai restaurant.

Without offering more context, Ms Taylor wrote: “Lovely food at Bice Mare with Latifa earlier.”

Many followers have been dubious about the credibility of the images, with many asking why Latifa cannot say she is okay for herself.

But another photo from several weeks ago shows Latifa with Ms Taylor and another woman sitting in a Dubai mall with a visible date in the background and face masks on the table, indicating it had been taken recently.

And a photo of Latifa was also posted in May by Fiona Day, who describes herself online as an intuitive consultant and a psychic medium.

Ms Day posts regularly online about animals and veganism, and it is understood Princess Latifa is also passionate about animals, veganism and has an interest in psychic healing.

Sky News has not been able to independently verify the photos but understands they are thought to be legitimate.

The princess attempted to escape from her family in March 2018, by trying to sail across the Indian Ocean, but she was brought back to Dubai in what the royal family said was a rescue mission.

She had not been seen or heard from in public until earlier this year, when she claimed she was a “hostage” in secret videos released to Sky News.

In the videos, she claimed she had been beaten, drugged and imprisoned, locked away in a royal villa and placed under armed guard.

The sheikh had claimed Latifa was tricked into escaping by criminals who wanted money and that returning her to Dubai was a rescue mission.

He insisted she was safe and well and that the family wanted to maintain her privacy.