Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan.

خليفة بن زايد آل نهيَّان

Born 7 Sep 1948 Al-Ain

Died 13 May 2022

Citizenship United Arab Emirates

Would Be 77 yr If Living

5 min read

Reading time

916

Words

Jun 9, 2026

Published

Awards

TL;DR

Second president of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan died in 2022. He was born in Al-Ain in 1948, attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and received 18 awards including the Order of Zayed and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Identity & family.

KIN · 15

Names, aliases, and relatives of Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Native Name خليفة بن زايد آل نهيَّان

PARENTS: Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
SPOUSES: Shamsa bint Suhail Al Mazrouei
CHILDREN: Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan
SIBLINGS: Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Sultan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hazza bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

At a glance.

STATS

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan by the numbers — life, work, and family.

73 Years lived

18 Awards

1 Marriage

2 Children

Who was Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan?

BIOGRAPHY

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan entered the world in 1948 in Al-Ain, the eldest son of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His family groomed him for leadership from childhood. He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for military training.

Career

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan served as the second president of the United Arab Emirates, representing the nation in foreign affairs. He collected 18 major awards, including the Order of Zayed and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, plus honors from Spain, Finland, and Ukraine.

Personal life

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan married Shamsa bint Suhail Al Mazrouei. They had two children: Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. He was one of twelve siblings, including brothers Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Legacy

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan served as the UAE’s second president until his death in 2022. He earned the Order of Zayed, the nation’s highest honor, plus 18 awards from other countries. His Sandhurst training and leadership influenced the modern UAE.

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 18

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Order of the Golden Eagle
Order of Saparmurat Türkmenbaşy the Great
Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
Collar of the Spanish Order of the Civil Merit
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class
Order of the Star of Palestine
Order of Zayed
Dostyk Order of grade I
Order of the Bath
Order of the Netherlands Lion
Order of Merit
Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
Order of the Southern Cross
Grand Order of Mugunghwa
Order of the White Rose of Finland
Order of the State of Palestine

Did you know?

FACTS · 1

Little-known facts about Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan served as the second president of the United Arab Emirates.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 26

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan.

When was Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan born?

Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan was born on September 7, 1948 in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Where was Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan born?

He was born in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
When did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan die?

He died on May 13, 2022. The UAE government announced his death.
How old was Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan when they died?

He was 73 years old at the time of his death.
Where did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan die?

He died in the United Arab Emirates. The specific location was not publicly disclosed.
How did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan die?

The UAE government did not disclose the cause of death.
What is Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan's name in their native language?

His native name is خليفة بن زايد آل نهيَّان.
What nationality is Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan?

He was a citizen of the United Arab Emirates.
What language does Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan speak?

His native language was Arabic, which he used in daily life and official duties.
Who are Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan's parents?

His father was Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His mother is not named in the source.
Who is Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan married to?

He married Shamsa bint Suhail Al Mazrouei.
Does Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan have children?

He had two sons: Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.
Does Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan have any siblings?

He had 11 siblings, including Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Where did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan go to school?

He studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
What awards has Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan won?

He received 18 major awards from numerous countries, including the Order of Zayed, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, and the Order of the White Rose of Finland.
How many awards has Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan won?

He won 18 major awards, including orders from the UAE and other countries.
What position did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan hold?

He served as the second president of the United Arab Emirates.
What is Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan known for?

He was the second president of the United Arab Emirates. He also earned 18 international awards and attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
What Spanish honors did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan receive?

He received the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and the Collar of the Spanish Order of the Civil Merit.
What award did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan receive from Palestine?

He received the Order of the Star of Palestine.
What award did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan receive from Ukraine?

He received the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class.
What award did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan receive from Turkmenistan?

He received the Order of Saparmurat Türkmenbaşy the Great.
What award did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan receive from Finland?

He received the Order of the White Rose of Finland.
What award did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan receive from South Korea?

He received the Grand Order of Mugunghwa.
What award did Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan receive from Brazil?

He received the Order of the Southern Cross.
What is known about the death of Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan?

He died on May 13, 2022 in the United Arab Emirates. The cause of death was undisclosed.

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If something's wrong in a profile, Daniel will find it. With 7 years of research experience, he's developed an almost unreasonable eye for inaccurate career timelines, misattributed credits, and dates that don't quite add up. He doesn't publish anything he can't verify. The profiles on Famousy are as accurate as they are largely because of work you'll never see his name on.

Published on June 9, 2026

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