Throwback photos of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed to mark 59th birthday

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, celebrated his birthday on March 11.

Sheikh Mohamed turned 59 on Wednesday, and received bundles of birthday wishes across social networking sites in the UAE. Sheikh Mohamed was born in Al Ain, and is the third son of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first President of the UAE.

The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince was educated at The Royal Academy in Rabat, and is said to have been a classmate of King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

He was further educated at schools in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi and a summer at Gordonstoun, England, until the age of 18.

In 1979, he joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst graduating in April 1979. During his time at Sandhurst, he completed a fundamental armor course, a fundamental flying course, a parachutist course, and training on tactical planes and helicopters.

In November 2003, his father Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan appointed Sheikh Mohamed as Deputy Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. After November 2004, Sheikh Mohamed became Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and was appointed Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces in January 2005.

In an effort to promote tourism and to diversify the local art scene, Mohamed bin Zayed has supported the construction of art museums—including the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi—as well as cultural heritage sites such as Qasr Al Hosn.