Dubai’s royal family lives a life of such extravagance that even billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos cannot imagine – despite their “modest” net worth of $18 billion. Their 531-foot yacht has its own submarine, their residence is the size of an airport, and they once spent $2 million on strawberries while on a family vacation.
The House of Maktoum makes the wealthy appear impoverished, opulence appear mundane, and millions of dollars appear insignificant. Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the current governor of Dubai, and his family have a net worth of $18 billion, making them the richest in Dubai. With six spouses and 23 children, the family patriarch leads an extraordinary existence. Their residence, interests, and activities are all extraordinary. Sheikh Maktoum’s first wedding set the Guinness World Record for ‘Most Expensive Wedding.’ This is a lesser-known fact. The month-long celebration cost $100 million, and a special stadium was constructed for the wedding. He has been the absolute governor of the Emirate for the past seventeen years, with Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum as his apparent successor. Below are awe-inspiring details about the animal-loving, art-obsessed, and lavish lifestyle of Dubai’s illustrious House of Maktoum.
Sheikh Mohammed, the third of four sons of Dubai’s sovereign, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, was a prince who was not princely. Before the opulent palaces, enormous man-made islands, and sky-touching skyscrapers, Dubai was nothing more than a simple fishing village.
During his childhood, the sheik lived in a home without electricity, and his large family had to sleep in one room with a fan on occasion. Even then, over a hundred people, including guards and slaves, resided in his home.
His sons, Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan and his junior sibling Mansoor bin Mohammed Almakhtoum, are an exception. In 1966, Dubai discovered hydrocarbon, resulting in rapid growth. In the subsequent years, Dubai evolved into a modern city and commercial hub. They were born into wealth and lived lavishly. They began their journey at Dubai’s esteemed Rashid School for Bo. Later, they immigrated to the United Kingdom to attend Sandhurst, a prestigious school for British military officers that is favored by royals from the Middle East.
Sheikh Mohammed is both incredibly wealthy and immensely responsible, as great wealth comes with great responsibility. The 73-year-old Emirati politician has been defined as “one of the most renowned real estate developers in the world.” The one-man army is steering the transformation of Abu Dhabi into a global city comparable to Dubai. His government-owned businesses include Emirates Airline, DP World, and the Jumeirah Group.
The enormous Burj Khalifa.
Dubai Holding owns a portion of these. Sheikh Mohammed conceived the Palm Islands, the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel, and the world’s tallest structure, the Burj Khalifa.
The Emirates Group founded in 1985, comprises Dnata, and the largest airline in the Middle East, Emirates Airline, that flies to over 150 destinations. The award winning airline is often touted as the most luxurious in the world with its aircrafts offer private suites and onboard shower spas to its first class passengers.
Private suite in first class.
The enormously successful company has approximately $28.3 billion in annual revenue and over 105,000 employees worldwide.Emirates announced that it ended the fiscal year 2023 with an exceptional level of cash assets of $ 10.2 billion, a 79% increase from 31 March 2022.
Where do the royals reside?The monarch, queens, princes, and princesses of Dubai reside in a $2 billion, 27 times larger than the White House palace. Approximately 44 hectares in size, the palace encompasses an area of approximately 1.5 million square feet. The royal family are avid animal lovers; their residence features a private zoo containing exotic animals such as tigers, lions, giraffes, and elephants. The colossal mansion features a large swimming pool surrounded by meticulously manicured gardens and palm trees. In addition to providing comfortable accommodations for the royal family, the palace features a banquet hall for 1,000 guests and a private cinema with 80 seats.
While there are no publicly accessible images of the palace’s residential areas, Jabeel. The royal family occasionally entertains distinguished guests at the Majlis. The Arsenal football team as they visited the United Arab Emirates. Image Source: Facebook / Screengrab.From Facebook / @Arsenal
The Zabeel Palace is an impressive achievement of design and architecture, with 22-karat gold accents, 200 chandeliers, and marble imported from thirteen countries. Outside, there are numerous miracles, including a tennis court and horse stables for accomplished equestrians who ride the finest Arabian horses.
They are owners of several properties in the UK –The extensive real estate portfolio of the wealthy Maktoum family provides context for their vast wealth. The proprietor of the most successful thoroughbred horse racing stables in the world, Godolphin stables, purchased a 63,000-acre estate in Surrey for $100 million. He purchased the legendary Longcross Estate in the 1990s to escape the oppressive heat of Dubai. In 2009, an additional $60 million was invested in Dalham Hall for use as a stud property near the Newmarket racetrack.
Sheikh Mohammed’s isolated estate in Scotland.
Sheikh Mohammed purchased the Highland estate in Wester Ross for $3 million nearly two decades ago. The exceptional property is a palace with 58 bedrooms, a triple helipad, and a luxury hunting retreat with 16 bedrooms. The portfolio of HH Sheikh Mohammed comprises multiple apartments in the One Hyde Park development in London.
The family also possesses the 3,300-acre Dalham hall estate in the United Kingdom.
Outside of the United Kingdom, the Maktoum family possesses a number of properties in France, including a large estate in the vicinity of Chantilly. When visiting Amman, Jordan, they relax in a Swiss chalet in the exclusive ski resort of Verbier and reside in their own palace. Regarding vacation residences, Sheikh Mohammed and his family vacation in their Tangier, Morocco vacation palace.
Dubai megayacht. Image – Yacht marina
Stunning and magnificent superyachts – Are you even a sovereign if you don’t have palaces on land, in the air, and on the water? The Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates possesses a number of yachts, including the Dubawi and the Smeralda. The most notable, however, are the 400 million dollar Dubai and the 180 million dollar megayacht Quattroelle, which are floating Burj Al-Arabs owned by the Crown Prince.
The 531-footer Dubai boasts 50 lavish guest rooms, a disco, a squash court, and a swimming pool embedded with fiber optic lights
The eight-decker sleeps 115 guests across its 88 cabins and is staffed by a crew of around 90 people. Lurssen Quattroelle is a humongous ship that dedicates an entire deck to her royal owner while accommodating 12 guests in 6 luxury cabins.
Palatial private jets-
The wealthy ruler of Dubai possesses an entire fleet of private aircraft. The Boeing 747-400, also known as Dubai Air Wing One, is utilized for both official and personal travel. It is the hotel of choice for Sheikh Mohammed and his family when traveling abroad due to its expansiveness, opulent amenities, and cutting-edge technology.
Alberto Pinto designed the private Boeing 747 cabins. Image used for illustration purposes only.
It goes without saying that the world’s largest private jet has a master stateroom with a king-size bed and en suite. Walk-in showers and a vanity with a mirror and luxurious amenities are standard.
Other private aircraft owned by the royal family. Image – DAEP.
Upstairs, next to the salon for the royal children, is the main lounge. In addition, there are several guest cabins, a private office that functions as a formal dining area, meeting and conference rooms, and a formal dining area. Sounds extravagantly lavish, right? According to reports, Sheikh Mohammed also owns a Boeing 737 and a Gulfstream G650.
Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya, his ex-wife.
Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed enjoyed traveling together during sunnier times, as we have just discussed. They once lavished $3 million on strawberries and $850,000 on an Italian summer vacation. In Greece, the couple piled up a hefty hotel bill of $311,000. The Dubai ruler was required to pay his U.K.-based ex-wife a divorce settlement of a staggering $700 million, making it one of the most expensive divorce settlements in British history.
During the Dubai art week, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was present.
The Zabeel Palace walls clearly demonstrate that the House of Maktoum values exquisite art. The opulent walls display an outstanding art collection, including pieces by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Auguste Rodin. This passion is on display outside the palace walls at the Etihad Museum, which contains works from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s private collection. The art of Dia Azzawi, Baya Mahieddine, Naziha Selim, Abdul Qader Al Rais, and Fateh Moudarres from the 20th century is highlighted.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a prominent racehorse owner and breeder known for his passion for horses. His son, Crown Prince Mohammed Al Maktoum, also known as Fazza, shares this characteristic. Their breeding operations are among the most successful in the world, with Godolphin Stables having produced more than 5,000 champions worldwide since its founding in 1992.
Crown prince Fazza has never been reluctant to demonstrate his affection for creatures.Via Instagram / @faz3
Their compassion for animals is evident in the state-of-the-art facilities and superior care given to the horses. Huge investments in technology and apparatus guarantee the horses’ health and well-being.
Other stud farms that Dubai’s royal family own are Darley Stud in Newmarket, England, Jonabell Farm in Kentucky, USA, and Kildangan Stud in County Kildare, Ireland.