Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

{{Infobox royalty

| name = Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|6|30|df=y}}

| birth_place = Riffa, Bahrain

| spouse = Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa

| issue = {{plainlist|

Sheikh Isa
Sheikh Salman
Sheikha Noora
Sheikha Hessa

}}

| issue-link = #Marriage and children

| issue-pipe = Issue

| house = Khalifa

| father = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

| mother = Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa

}}

Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa ({{langx|ar|عبد الله بن حمد آل خليفة}}; born 30 June 1975) is the second son of the present King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah, and his first wife, Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

Like all members of the royal family, Abdullah sits as a senior member of the civil judiciary.{{cite web |url=http://www.moj.gov.bh/en/default.asp?action=category&ID=205 |title=History of the Judiciary |publisher=Kingdom of Bahrain, Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs |access-date=18 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706143813/http://www.moj.gov.bh/en/default.asp?action=category&ID=205 |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}

In addition to his government positions, Abdullah is chairman of the Bahrain Motor Federation and the Commission Internationale de Karting.{{cite web |url=http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/657014 |title=BMF's Chairman participates in regional meeting |author= |date=4 March 2015 |website=Bahrain News Agency |access-date=7 June 2015}} He is the eighth in-line to succeed his father as ruler of the Kingdom of Bahrain. His son, Sheikh Isa bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, is a successful racecar driver and co-owner of a GT3 team, 2 Seas Motorsport.

Friendship with Michael Jackson

A long-time fan and personal friend of American pop legend Michael Jackson, Abdullah had loaned Jackson $2.2{{nbsp}}million to assist in the singer's legal fees after he was tried for child molestation in California (2005); after a successful defense, and the subsequent dismissal of all charges, Abdullah invited Jackson (with his children and personal entourage) to vacation in Bahrain. Jackson took him up on the invitation on 30{{nbsp}}June 2005.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4638383.stm |title=Michael Jackson 'in Bahrain trip' |work=BBC News |date=30 June 2005 |access-date=18 November 2008}}{{cite web |url=http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/01/23/10013403.html |title=Jackson settles down to his new life in the Persian Gulf |access-date=11 November 2006 |work=Gulf News |date=28 January 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019092730/http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/01/23/10013403.html |archive-date=19 October 2006 |url-status=dead }}

Following the 2005 tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, and wanting to help revive Jackson's music career,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4921506.stm |title=Jackson to make album in Bahrain |publisher=BBC News |date=19 April 2006 |access-date=18 November 2008}} Sheikh Abdullah suggested that Jackson record a song (which Abdullah had written lyrics for) as a Katrina charity single, entitled "I Have This Dream".{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7733608.stm |title=Sheikh 'planned Jackson revival' |publisher=BBC News |date=17 November 2008 |access-date=18 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111114331/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7733608.stm |archive-date=11 January 2009 |url-status= live}} Jackson attended recording sessions for the track in London; however, the single was never officially released through the Sheikh's co-owned record label, 2{{nbsp}}Seas Group.{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/people-us-jackson/bahrain-prince-sues-michael-jackson-in-uk-court-idUKTRE4AG68S20081117 |title=Bahrain prince sues Michael Jackson in UK court |date=2008-11-17 |work=Reuters |access-date=2021-01-19 |language=en}} Jackson then left Bahrain in May 2006 for Ireland.{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/michael-jackson-gives-bahraini-prince-royal-pain |title=Michael Jackson Gives Bahraini Prince Royal $$$ Pain |date=2007-10-15 |work=Fox News |access-date=2021-01-19 |language=en}}

In November 2008, after trying to recover from Jackson £4.7{{nbsp}}million in fees that the singer had said were "gifts", Abdullah sued him through the mutually agreed High Court in London.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7735729.stm|title=Jackson 'too sick' for court case |work=BBC News |date=18 November 2008 |access-date=18 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111124001/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7735729.stm |archive-date=11 January 2009 |url-status= live}} Abdullah claimed that, despite having paid the $2.2{{nbsp}}million (£1.5{{nbsp}}million) cost for Jackson to record a song intended to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the singer failed to show at the studio for the final recording session, and thus song was never released. Bankim Thanki{{nbsp}}QC (representing Abdullah) told the High Court that, the day after Jackson's criminal trial ended in California, he recorded a song which Abdullah had wanted released as a charity single to help the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami,{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} and that Abdullah felt "a strong sense of personal betrayal" after forming "a close personal relationship" with the singer.

Marriage and children

Abdullah is married to Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, who, from 2002 to 2004, was a member of the Supreme Council for Women, and has been a permanent member of the Board since 2004.{{Cite news |url=https://www.scw.bh/en/AboutCouncil/CouncilLeaders/Members/Pages/default.aspx |title=Members of Supreme Council for Women's seventh session (2019-2022)|date=|work=Supreme Council for Women |access-date=2021-01-19 |language=en}} Since 2006, she has been the executive director of Injaz Bahrain,{{Cite news |url=http://www.injazbh.org/inner.aspx?PMID=4| title=Board of Directors Chairperson's Message |date=|work=INJAZ Bahrain |access-date=2021-01-19 |language=en}} a member of the Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement, and a member of the Young Arab Leaders of Bahrain.{{Cite news |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/young-arab-leaders-come-together-for-first-annual-meeting |title=Young Arab Leaders come together for first annual meeting |date=2005-12-03 |work=Khaleej Times |access-date=2021-01-19 |language=en}}

Together, Abdullah and Hessa have four children, two sons and two daughters:

Shaikh Isa bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 1999) is a professional racecar driver and owner of the racing team 2 Seas Motorsport, and ninth in the line of succession to the Bahraini throne.
Shaikha Noora bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 2002).
Shaikh Salman bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 2008) is tenth in the line of succession to the throne.
Shaikha Hessa bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 2010).