An Emirati prince has defected to his country’s enemy, Qatar, via its London embassy, according to sources close to the royal.

The incident threatens to cause a diplomatic crisis between the two Gulf states, which are locked in a bitter dispute after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and four other Middle East countries launched a blockade against Qatar a year ago.

The prince, Sheikh Rashid bin Hamad Al Sharqi, is the son of the Emir of Fujairah, one of the kingdoms of the UAE.

A source close to the Emir and a senior diplomatic source both said the prince, 31, fled to Qatar’s capital Doha three weeks ago, after requesting political asylum at the Qatari embassy in London.

As the eldest son of the…

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