After the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the whole world is turning its attention to Qatar right now. According to Bloomberg, since being chosen to host in 2010, the Middle Eastern country has spent $300 billion on building infrastructure and stadiums to prepare for the world’s largest football event. Achieving these things is thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Qatari Royal Family, the Thani family.
The Qatari royal family is known as one of the wealthiest dynasties in existence, headed by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Thani family has about 8,000 members, with a total net worth of about 335 billion USD. Besides rich natural resources, the Royal Family of Qatar makes money from investments in real estate such as the skyscraper Shard Olympic Village, the Harrods department store in London (UK) and the Empire State building in New York (USA). They also have shares in Barclays Bank, British Airways and the Volkswagen car company.
With this huge fortune, members of the Qatar Royal Family have the richest and most regal life that makes many people overwhelmed.
Gold-plated palace and many valuable real estate
The Qatari Royal Family lives in the gilded Doha Royal Palace. This project includes 15 different palaces and a parking lot that can accommodate more than 500 cars. Traveler’s Top estimates construction costs at about $1 billion.
In 2019, the emir of Qatar built another white palace in the Middle Eastern country of Oman, using the same materials as the Royal Palace of Doha.
Prior to that, in 2013, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, one of the three wives of former emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (in office 1995–2013), purchased three homes located in the Cornwall Terrace apartment complex overlooking Regent’s Park in Westminster, London, for about 140 million USD. According to BBC, Princess Sheikha plans to transform into a super villa with 17 bedrooms, 14 living rooms, a cinema, a drinks bar and a swimming pool.
Super yacht
According to SCMP, if not at home, members of the Qatar Royal Family have a hobby of sunbathing on their “floating palaces”. Emir Sheikh Tamim is said to own The Katara, one of the largest and most expensive superyachts in the world. With a price tag of nearly $ 400 million, the ship is 124 meters long, has a helipad and multiple decks that can accommodate up to 35 guests and 90 staff.
The Katara is not their only yacht. Back in 2019, Megayacht News reported that a fire at a shipyard in Doha destroyed 3 yachts of the royal family, each worth tens of millions of dollars.
Private airline
The world’s super-rich often show off their private jets, but compared to the Qatari Royal Family, they are far behind in terms of spending. In 1977, Qatar established its exclusive airline, Qatar Amiri Flight, which serves only members of the country’s royal family and high-ranking government employees.
According to Plane Spotters, the airline currently has 14 planes, including three giant Boeing 747-8s, its most expensive commercial jet at more than $400 million each. The rest comes from Airbus, including: an Airbus A340-300 worth between $350-500 million and the rest between $100-$300 million.
Supercar
The Thani family also owns a huge fleet of supercars. Royal members love cars from the most expensive brands. Among them, the Emir has an entire collection, including: several Bugatti cars such as Divo, Veyron and Chiron; a red LaFerrari Aperta coupe; a white Lamborghini Centenario coupe and Centenario Roadster; a Mercedes AMG 6×6 and a Rolls-Royce Phantom, according to Select Car Leasing and Qatar Just.
Priceless work of art
Besides super yachts, super cars and planes, art is another passion of the Thani family. Insider reported that they spent billions of dollars on thousands of paintings and collectibles over the years. Some of them cost tens of dollars, such as Mark Rothko’s White Center for $72.8 million or Andy Warhol’s Men in Her Life for $63.4 million.
According to The Art Wolf, in 2011, the Royal Family of Qatar purchased The Card Players by Cézanne for $250 million, making it the most expensive painting in the world sold at the time. Currently, it remains the third most expensive painting after Willem de Kooning’s Interchange ($300 million in 2015) and Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi ($450 million in 2017).