A billionaire Sheikh, whose half-brother is the owner of Manchester City football club, had Evian put into the water tanks of one his multimillion-pound mansions, according to reports.
Court papers claim Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, had water tanks at his £60million Berkshire mansion filled with the famous mineral water, which he had shipped in from France, according to reports in The Times.
But, apart from occasional day visits, the 71-year-old, who is also the current ruler, known as the Emir, of Abu Dhabi, has never occupied 18 century-built Ascot Place, near Windsor Great Park, the newspaper, quoting court documents, reports.
The papers are part of a bitter High Court battle between Berkeley Square Holdings, a set of companies whose ultimate beneficial owner is Sheikh Khalifa and his family, and the British directors of Lancer Property Asset Management, the former managers of his £5.5 billion London property empire, report The Times.
Court papers claim Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, had water tanks at his £60million Berkshire mansion filled with the famous mineral water, which he had shipped in from France, according to reports in The Times
But, apart from occasional day visits, the 71-year-old, who is also the current ruler, known as the Emir, of Abu Dhabi, has never occupied 18 century-built Ascot Place, near Windsor Great Park, the newspaper, quoting court documents, reports
Sheikh Khalifa: The head of the UAE and chairman of one of the world’s biggest sovereign estates
Sheikh Khalifa has been the president of the UAE since 2004, following the death of his father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – who was the founding father and the principal driving force behind the creation of the UAE.
As well as being the president of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa is the supreme commander of the UAE armed forces and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADAI).
Britain’s then-Prime Minister David Cameron greets Emirati President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan at 10 Downing Street
It manages more than £875billion in assets across the world, including many top buildings in London, including the Berkley Square Estate in London and the former BHS building on Oxford Street.
In 2010, the Queen presented Sheikh Khalifa with the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, while he conferred on her the Order of Zayed, the UAE’s highest civil decoration
Sheikh Khalifa has taken a step back from public life since 2014, when he suffered a stroke.
Though he is still the president, his half-brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, carries out most of the public affairs and day-to-day running of the UAE.
Among his other relatives including his half-brother Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the owner of Manchester City football club.
The Al Nahyan family is believed to hold a fortune of $150 billion.
According to a report in the paper today, the Sheikh sacked the firm in 2017, before the management firm was replaced by an Abu Dhabi-owned company.
The two sides have since been locked in a ‘bitter’ legal battle with lawyers representing the Sheikh, whose half-brother is Manchester City’s billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, accusing the directors of Lancer of charging excessive fees, as well as dishonesty, it is reported.
They have also accused the company of ‘siphoning’ of more than £30million from money received for managing Sheikh Khalifa’s London property empire – said to contain at least 120 properties – say The Times.
Lancer’s directors have denied the allegations and are counter-suing Berkeley Square Holdings for unfair dismissal as well as unpaid fees.
As part of the court papers, Lancer’s directors have accused Sheikh Khalifa of ‘profligacy’.
The Times reports that in the documents it is claimed Sheikh Khalifa, spent more than £450,000 a year on 15 permanent staff for a country house north of Madrid – despite the Sheikh or his family not visiting for 17 years.
Other claims include that the Sheikh bought a £5million house in Ham Gate, south west London, but was unable to use it because it was ‘too small’ for his personal security team and staff.
Agents were instructed to purchase a neighbour’s property, but they were knocked back by the owners, say The Times.
Sheikh Khalifa is Emir of Abu Dhabi and the current president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country which consists of seven emirates.
These are: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Abu Dhabi serves as the capital of the UAE.
Sheikh Khalifa has been the president of the UAE since 2004, following the death of his father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – who was the founding father and the principal driving force behind the creation of the UAE.
As well as being the president of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa is the supreme commander of the UAE armed forces and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADAI).
It manages more than £875billion in assets across the world, including many top buildings in London, including the Berkley Square Estate in London and the former BHS building on Oxford Street.
In 2010, the Queen presented Sheikh Khalifa with the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, while he conferred on her the Order of Zayed, the UAE’s highest civil decoration
Berkeley Square Holdings, a set of companies whose ultimate beneficial owner is Sheikh Khalifa, owns properties around the world, including in Cannes (pictured)
Other business owned by Berkeley Square Holdings include the former BHS building on Oxford Street
The London property empire is said to be worth at least £5.5billion – but it is a small fraction of the £875billion owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADAI)
Sheikh Khalifa has taken a step back from public life since 2014, when he suffered a stroke.
Though he is still the president, his half-brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, carries out most of the public affairs and day-to-day running of the UAE.
Among his other relatives including his half-brother Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the owner of Manchester City football club.
The Al Nahyan family is believed to hold a fortune of $150 billion.