WHEN it comes to the world’s richest dynasties, few can compare to the wealth of the Qatar royal family.
Thanks to their staggering £276billion net worth they live a life of luxury filled with yachts, supercars… and football.
This week it was reported the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is set to put in a £4billion bid for Manchester United.
According to reports, the 42-year-old ruler believes the English Premier League club is not worth more than £4.5billion, and is expected to submit his bid before Friday’s deadline.
Sheikh Tamin, who masterminded Qatar’s World Cup bid and famously draped a traditional Arab men’s cloak around Argentine winner Lionel Messi’s shoulders during the trophy presentation, has been head of state since 2013.
He has established himself as a shrewd businessman – and already owns French side Paris Saint-Germain.
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Worth a whopping £1.4billion individually, Sheikh Tamin – who has three wives – and his family are known to enjoy a taste of the finer things in life. Here we delve into his opulent lifestyle.
Vast wealth
Named the most influential Muslim in the world last year by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Sheikh Tamim came into power when his father abdicated and his older brother renounced his rights to the throne.
He owns a string of properties – including Dudley House, once one of Britain’s most expensive mansions.
The home, now nicknamed Sheikh Shack, is on London’s Park Lane and is said to be worth a mind-blowing £200million.
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It took him six years to refurbish the 44,000-square-foot, 17-bedroom home, which boasts a 50ft ballroom, an 81ft long picture gallery, £100million worth of furniture and breathtaking views of Hyde Park.
When he hosted Queen Elizabeth II there, she was so impressed she reportedly told Sheikh Tamim: “This place makes Buckingham Palace look rather dull.”
The Emir also owns two homes on London’s Cornwall Terrace – the most expensive row of houses in the world.
His main residence is the Emiri Diwan Palace, a sprawling complex located in the country’s capital city, Doha, built to reflect the state’s power and wealth.
The Qatari royals travel in style and have owned multiple private jets – including a £165,000 aircraft dubbed a “flying palace”.
It came equipped with a huge dining table, luxurious remote-controlled beds and gold fittings and fixtures.
Sheikh Tamim is also renowned for his fleet of luxury cars, and is proud owner of a limited edition red LaFerrari.
Italian luxury car makers Ferrari only produced 499 and slapped an eye-watering £888,000 price tag on it.
Sheikh Tamim also owns the luxurious Al Lusail superyacht, said to be worth £400million. It boasts an onboard beauty salon, guest elevator and private cinema.
He instructed designers to build it a foot shorter than his father’s own superyacht, The Katara, as a mark of respect.
Three wives
In accordance with traditional Sunni and Shia Islamic laws, Muslim men are permitted to marry multiple women.
Dad-of-13 Sheikh Tamim has three wives – his first, Sheikha Jawaher, who he married in 2005, serves as his First Lady and accompanies him on official trips including to the Queen’s funeral last year.
The couple are second cousins and share four children – two daughters and two sons.
Sheikha Jawaher’s father was once a powerful government official and has served as a deputy foreign minister and minister of Public Health.
Sheikh Tamim married his second wife, Sheikha Al-Anoud bint Mana Al Hajri, with whom he shares five kids, in 2009 – she was the daughter of Qatar’s ambassador to Jordan.
A year after he took over as ruler in 2013, it was announced that he had married his third wife, Sheikha Noora bint Hathal Al Dosari, who he shares four children with.
Investments
The Qatari royal family hold investments in some of the world’s most iconic properties including London’s The Shard, Harrods department store, Canary Wharf and New York’s Empire State Building.
They also own shares in Barclays Bank, British Airways, Volkswagen, Porsche and Louis Vuitton.
Their investments in the UK alone come to a whopping £40billion.
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Among his lucrative ventures, Sheikh Tamim is the current owner of Paris Saint Germain, having ploughed £1.5billion into the club.
If his deal with Manchester United is confirmed, he will own two of the biggest clubs in football.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
