Meriam Al KhalifaBahrain Princess Meriam Al Khalifa: 18-year-old Sheika Meriam Al Khalifa made international headlines in 1999 when the royal princess was whisked out of Bahrain by her boyfriend, U.S. marine Lance Cpl. Jason Johnson. She sought asylum in the U.S. on the grounds that her subsequent marriage -- to a non-Muslim [Tecnorati Tag] -- could have her killed if she returned to Bahrain. She was granted permanent residency in 2001. "This is my home now," she told US Weekly magazine that same year. "I miss my family, but most days I am happy. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing." Meriam Al Khalifa filed for divorce in 2004 and has since reportedly returned to Bahrain where she received a royal pardon and was forgiven by her family.
