Dubai's 'runaway Princess' smiles as she is seen for the last time fleeing her billionaire father's strict Arab country in failed bid to begin new life abroad

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Smiling for the camera, this is the last known photo of Dubai's 'runaway princess' as she fled the country and her father's kingdom to begin a new life abroad. 

Princess Sheikha Latifa posed for a 'selfie' just hours before she boarded a yacht in the hope of escaping the authority of her father, the billionaire ruler of Dubai.

But eight days after the photograph was taken the 33-year-old was seized from a chartered yacht off the coast of India - and forcibly returned to the Arab kingdom.

The selfie photo is the last time the Princess has been seen since her capture. She took it as she drove to Oman for the first part of her escape.  

She was accompanied by her friend Tina Jauhainsen before they were met by former French spy Herve Jaubert on his yacht Nostromo anchored in international waters. 

Princess Latifa (left) smiles as she takes a selfie alongside friend Tina Jauhainsen (right) as she is seen for the last time since fleeing her father's strict regime to start a new life abroad

Latifa recorded an emotional video before she left Dubai earlier this year explaining her reasons for wanting to escape her father Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Princess Sheikha Latifa posed for a 'selfie' just hours before she boarded a yacht in the hope of escaping the authority of her father, the billionaire ruler of Dubai 

But eight days after the photo was taken, the 33-year-old, who used her passport to escape, was seized from a yacht off the coast of India - and forcibly returned to the Arab kingdom 

The photo will be seen in a new BBC documentary chronicling her failed escape bid and questioning if the glitz and glamour of Dubai enjoyed by millions of tourists hides a more sinister country.

It reveals how the Dubai authorities spent millions on a security system developed by Israel that allows them to locate anyone in the country by tracking their phone.

The hour-long film 'Escape from Dubai – The Mystery of the Missing Princess' features unseen video footage of Latifa taking part in skydiving jumps.  

An hour-long BBC documentary 'Escape from Dubai – The Mystery of the Missing Princess' chronicles the Princess's escape bid

Latifa planned to sail to India before flying to America where she would claim political asylum and start a new life.

As MailOnline first revealed last March Latifa was seized by armed coastguard and forcibly taken back to Dubai.

Finnish martial arts instructor Jauhiainen and Jaubert were also taken back to Dubai and interrogated for days and accused of kidnap.

Jaubert said they were only released after MailOnline revealed Latifa's capture.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his Government have refused to make any comment about Latifa's whereabouts despite pressure from human rights groups and the United Nations.

Jane McMullen, director of the BBC documentary, said the treatment of Latifa showed another side of the country unknown to tourists visiting Dubai.

'The film takes a narrative about Dubai that we have in the UK as a place where lots of British tourists go on holiday but we show the other side and how the laws can affect people visiting, she said.

'We have known they have a camera system called Falcon Eye but they have increased their surveillance systems with the help of contractors from America, Israel, Russia, the UK and China. They increased all their surveillance capacity after the Arab uprising.'

Jane, who has made films on Harvey Weinstein and North Korea for BBC Current Affairs, said the whereabouts of Latifa remain unknown.

'No one has seen or heard from her since March 4 this year. None of her friends have had any messages. We just do not know if she is still alive or dead' said Jane.

Latifa planned to sail to India before flying to America where she would claim political asylum and start a new life. She met former French spy Herve Jaubert (pictured) on his yacht Nostromo anchored in international waters and headed towards the Indian coast

But just eight days after she tried to escape her father's kingdom, Latifa was seized by armed coastguards on board the Nostromo sailing yacht and forcibly taken back to Dubai

Finnish martial arts instructor Tina Jauhiainen (left) and Herve Jaubert (right) were also taken back to Dubai and interrogated for days and accused of kidnap. Jaubert said they were only released after MailOnline revealed Latifa's capture

The Dubai authorities refused to cooperate in the making of the film which will be screened in America and also distributed by BBC Worldwide.

It will not be shown in the United Arab Emirates whose justice system has come under criticism after British academic Matthew Hedges was jailed for life having been falsely being accused of spying. He was set free by a pardon and is now back in the UK.

The BBC film was made with the cooperation of the pressure group Detained in Dubai.

Princess Latifa had contacted the group and sent them a series of videos where she talked about her life in Dubai and desperation to flee the clutches of her father.

She said a previous escape attempt when she was a teenager saw her tortured and jailed for three years.

The Princess lived under a strict curfew and was accompanied by minders each time she left her royal palace, she claimed.

Latifa's father Sheikh Mohammed, 68, the patriarch is on close speaking terms with the Queen over their shared passion for horse racing and meet at Royal Ascot each year

Maktoum, pictured talking to Prince Charles, loves horse racing and he is the owner of the Godolphin stables, which has produced some of the leading thoroughbreds in the sport

Latifa is one of 30 children the Sheikh has had with his six wives.

David Haigh, from Detained in Dubai, said he hoped the BBC film would bring further pressure on the country to reveal what has happened to Latifa.

'It is over eight months since the Princess went missing. No one has heard anything from her and of course there are great concerns,' said Haigh.

Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, added: 'When the BBC2 documentary airs, Latifa will have been missing for 277 days. The UAE has refused to acknowledge their illegal attack on the American vessel from which she was abducted, and completely ignored a United Nations enquiry into her enforced disappearance.' 

She added: 'After working on Latifa's behalf for nearly a year, we are very glad BBC2 has produced this film to bring her story to a global audience.'

Escape from Dubai - The Mystery of the Missing Princess will be shown on BBC2 Thursday December 6 at 9pm.