A dispute between the ruler of Dubai and his estranged wife will play out over the next two days in a London courtroom amid reports the princess has fled.

The case beginning Tuesday in Britain's High Court pits Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum against Princess Haya, daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan.

The hearing will focus on the welfare of their two young children now that the princess has left Dubai. She is believed to be in Britain, where she owns a gated mansion.

The clash between Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya is the latest sign of trouble in Dubai's ruling family.

Sheikh Maktoum's nephew Marcus Essabri says the divorce will show how his uncle has mistreated Princess Haya and his cousins Princess Latifa and Princess Shamsa.

Speaking to Australia's TV news show '60 Minutes', Essabri said: 'The one person who knows the truth about what happened to my cousins Latifa and Shamsa is Princess Haya.

'I hope that she uses the court case to tell the world how they have been treated. She has the opportunity to do some good for these poor women.'

In his TV interview being aired in Australia on Sunday Essabri, 48, will says the hearing is likely to expose the real goings on inside Dubai's royal family – as he reveals how as his favourite cousin Shamsa confided in him her plans to escape.

'She sent me letters asking me for my help and told me how she was not allowed to attend University. Her life was not her own.'

After receiving Shamsa's plea for help Essabri spoke to his aunt to tell her how unhappy her daughter was with her life.

As a result he was shunned by other members of the Dubai royal family.

'The family did not like being told that something was wrong and all contact was broken,' he said.

' I have had nothing to do with them ever since. They did not like anyone speaking about Shamsa.'

Essabri, who has lived in the UK since he was 14, believes Princess Haya's decision to flee from Dubai and seek sanctuary in London showed there was a pattern of women close to the Sheikh wanting to leave.

'With Princess Haya leaving people will see that there is a pattern. Three women in his life have all fled from his control. What does that tell you about the man and what he is like' he said.

Source:LONDON (AP) /Daily Mail