Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd Al Saud, the youngest son of the late King Fahd, grew up surrounded by immense affection and unimaginable wealth. King Fahd passed away in 2005 at the age of 82 after a 23-year reign over Saudi Arabia, and it’s widely believed that Prince Abdulaziz was his favorite son out of six. Lovingly called Azouzi, the prince roamed the globe with his vast entourage in tow. He frequently graced the pages of international publications for his sporadic appearances in the West, his extravagant parties, and his enigmatic persona. Let’s delve into the opulent aspects of his life.
Early Life of a prince born with a diamond-studded spoon-
Born in 1973, Abdulaziz bin Fahd Al Saud studied Administrative Sciences in Riyadh at King Saud University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. As the king’s son, he was appointed Minister of State without portfolio in May 1998 at the age of 25. A decade later, he took on the role of head of the Office of the Council of Ministers. His older brothers have held important positions in the Kingdom; Faisal bin Fahd Al Saud was the president of Youth Welfare in Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 1999. Muhammad bin Fahd Al Saud served as governor of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia from 1985 to 2013.
Devastated by his father’s death at 32, Prince Abdulaziz began dividing his time between Saudi Arabia and a lavish residence in Switzerland. A little-known fact about his teenage years is that at barely 14 years old, Prince Abdulaziz received an astounding $300 million—not for frivolities, but to invest and manage. Growing up in the lap of luxury, Prince Abdulaziz’s early life was nothing short of extraordinary.
The wealth of Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd Al Saud-
In 2016, Prince Abdulaziz’s net worth was estimated at nearly $10 billion by The Post. Coming from a ruling family, he commands a personal business empire, co-owning and controlling fifty percent of the Middle East Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) with his maternal uncle Waleed bin Ibrahim al Ibrahim.
Besides his Swiss residence, this affluent prince resides primarily in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He also owns palatial homes in Jeddah, a share in the Heron Tower in London, and allegedly also listed a mansion on Kensington Palace Gardens in west London for $145 million in 2013. His property portfolio in the United States alone is valued at over $1 billion, according to HouseofSaud.com.
This affluent family, worth nearly $25 billion in 2002, owned a multi-million-dollar holiday home in Marbella, Spain. Abandoned and rotting today, it was an epitome of wealth, a replica of the White House replete with marble and gold. A summer playground for the prince and his siblings, the sprawling 200-acre estate was dotted with luxury villas, swimming pools, a heliport, a private clinic, and a mosque, among other amenities.
He loved to live, splurge and party in New York –
What good is a prince who doesn’t indulge in luxury? That’s certainly not Prince Abdulaziz, who unabashedly lives life to the fullest. From annual trips to New York where he spends millions partying, mingling with high-profile friends and models, to living life king-size. On one memorable trip to Manhattan, he rented out the entire Lucky Strike bowling alley on 42nd Street until 3 a.m., filling it with top models, including Naomi Campbell, and climate champion Leonardo DiCaprio. Page Six described him as the dressed-down prince (read: slob) who hosted a lavish private party for 200 of his “closest friends.”
Wherever he is, he travels in style with a convoy of luxury cars. He’s been spotted in the Big Apple with a fleet of about 15 Mercedes-Benz sedans, most occupied only by drivers. On another occasion, this generous billionaire left an $87,000 tip at a restaurant on the Spanish island of Ibiza, reported by the Daily Mail.
He and his 10-car convoy was ambushed by armed thieves in a high-stakes Paris heist-
Is there a downside to immense wealth? Perhaps when someone tries to steal it. This playboy Saudi prince with multi-billion-pound investments in Britain experienced a dramatic robbery. At 41, Prince Abdulaziz was caught in a movie-style heist despite being part of an armed 10-car convoy. En route from the $3,000 a night George V hotel to his private jet at Le Bourget airport, his entourage was attacked. At least eight balaclava-clad thieves forced the lead car to a halt, pointing their guns and looting $250,000 in cash, documents and even medications from the royal. While the monetary loss was negligible for the prince, the incident must have been deeply unsettling.
His superyacht dwarfs Jeff Bezos’ Koru sailing yacht-
The man who lives in a grand palace on land enjoys the same opulence at sea aboard the Prince Abdulaziz mega yacht. At a staggering 483 feet in length (Jeff Bezos’ Koru superyacht is 416 feet long), this luxurious vessel, commissioned by King Fahd in 1984, was one of the largest motor yachts in the world for nearly 22 years until the Dubai yacht was launched in 2006.
Designed by Maierform, it accommodates up to 64 guests and 65 crew members. Despite its size, this colossal yacht boasts a speed of 22 knots, powered by 12-cylinder Plystick engines. According to AIS data, this magnificent pleasure craft has been regularly spotted in Spain, the French Riviera, and Ibiza.