Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a visit to Brunei and Singapore to strengthen India’s bilateral ties with Southeast Asian nations. His first stop is Brunei, where he will spend two days and meet Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. The Brunei visit is the first-ever by an Indian Prime Minister.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the second-longest reigning monarch in the world after the late Queen Elizabeth II, will host the Indian PM. He is renowned for his extravagant lifestyle and vast wealth. With an estimated net worth of around $30 billion, he was once recognised as the world’s richest person.
His primary home, the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, is the world’s largest residential palace according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Covering over 2,00,000 square metres, the palace has 1,700 rooms, 257 bathrooms, and five swimming pools. The palace was completed in 1984 for $1.4 billion. It also features 110 garages.
Hassanal Bolkiah is also known for his impressive car collection. He owns over 7,000 vehicles, including 600 Rolls-Royces, 450 Ferraris and 380 Bentleys. His collection includes rare and custom-made vehicles such as a gold-coated Rolls-Royce and a Ferrari 456 GT Venice, one of only seven in the world. This collection is valued at over $5 billion.
His private aviation fleet is equally remarkable. The Sultan owns a Boeing 747-400, a Boeing 767-200, and an Airbus A340-200. His Boeing 747-400, known as the “flying palace,” is lavishly decorated with gold and Lalique crystal. The aircraft is said to have cost around $400 million.
His art collection includes significant pieces like Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s 1892 masterpiece ‘Young Girls At The Piano’, which he purchased for $70 million.
Known for his extravagant personal indulgences, Hassanal Bolkiah reportedly spends up to $20,000 per haircut. He flies his favourite barber from London to Brunei for grooming sessions.
He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the same institution attended by British Royals Princes William and Harry.
Beyond his lavish lifestyle, he has also been involved in various charitable activities and governance reforms.
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