The richest family in the world has a presidential palace that’s thrice the size of The Pentagon, they own eight private jets and have a net worth greater than that of Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani combined.
The Al Nahyan royal family, which rules the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and boasts of a fortune of $305 billion (Rs 25,38,667 crore) became the richest family in the world in 2023, surpassing the heirs of Walmart Inc. whose net worth cumulates to $232.2 billion (Rs 19,31,374 crore), Bloomberg reports.
The Abu Dhabi royal family, led by United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, owns about six per cent of the world’s oil reserves and has made strategic investments in some of the world’s most famous businesses — from Rihanna’s lingerie line Savage X Fenty to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, The New Yorker reports. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is popularly known by his initials MBZ, also owns the Manchester City football club and holds stakes in notable automobile companies. Another family member, Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan, has a collection of over 700 cars in museums in the UAE and Morocco, according to Yahoo Finance.
The richest family in the world also owns some of the world’s largest megayachts, outshining even Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in the process. Here’s a look at everything that contributes to the staggering wealth of the House of Nahyan and some of their most expensive possessions.
The richest family in the world has a Rs 25,38,667 crore net worth, a Rs 4078 crore presidential palace and the world’s largest superyachts
Business
UAE National Security Adviser Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is famously referred to as Sheikh Tahnoon, heads the International Holding Co. investment company which has seen its value increase almost 28,000 per cent in the last five years, Bloomberg reports. Yahoo Finance estimates its market value at approximately $235 billion, making it one of the largest firms in the Middle East. By all accounts, International Holding Co. employs tens of thousands of people and owns over a hundred businesses in various sectors like agriculture, energy, entertainment and maritime.
Presidential palace and other luxurious properties
While the Al Nahyan family’s property portfolio includes an array of glittering palaces, it is the Qaṣr Al-Waṭan, the $475 million (Rs 4078 crore) presidential palace in Abu Dhabi which takes the cake. Sprawling across 380,000 square metres, the palace comprises a 37-metre-wide dome and a chandelier made of 350,000 pieces of crystal, The New Yorker reports. While the eastern wing has a “House of Knowledge” housing some prized historic artefacts, the western wing has halls used for official purposes and meetings. The palace was opened to the public in 2019, in a ceremony presided over by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is considered one of the top landmarks of the Middle East.
