Most of us are familiar with at least one royal family and their historic palaces, but there are more than 40 countries with monarchies across the globe, from Europe and Asia to Africa and beyond.
From Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, head of the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world, to Abu Dhabi’s House of Nahyan, the globe’s richest rulers, each royal dynasty has awe-inspiring estates with captivating stories to match.
Abu Dhabi’s House of Nahyan
With an estimated fortune of $305 billion, the Al Nahyan dynasty is thought to be the richest family in the world.
The family is headed up by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – MBZ for short – who is the President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi.
They own 6% of the world’s oil reserves and have investments in everything from Elon Musk’s SpaceX to Manchester City Football Club, as well as property and palaces around the globe.
The presidential palace
A jewel in the crown of their property portfolio is Qasr Al-Watan, the presidential palace of the UEA, which is located in Abu Dhabi. Built between 2010 and 2017, the mammoth property is estimated to have cost around $490 million to construct.
While MBZ and his family do not actually live there, instead residing at the nearby Al-Bateen Palace, it remains a working palace complex, hosting state visits and summits. Its gleaming white granite and limestone façade symbolises peace and was built to last hundreds of years.
Inside the spectacular Qasr Al-Watan
The palace is triple the size of the Pentagon and was opened to the public in 2019 to give visitors a greater understanding of UAE’s heritage.
Central to its interior design is the eight-pointed star, an important symbol in Islam, which features throughout the palace, not least in the Great Hall with its spectacular domed ceiling and intricately decorated marble flooring.
The real royal home
Very few photographs exist of the Qasr Al Bateen, where the Sheikh and his family live. The palace compound is surrounded by fences and gates and is said to have the most expensive security systems that money can buy.
Satellite photos show lush green grounds – no easy feat in a country where the average temperature hits 82°F – complete with swimming pools and a tennis court. The buildings are modern and built with huge arched windows, columns and shaded colonnades.
Istana Nurul Iman – Brunei
Nestled in the heart of the tropical jungles of Brunei, Istana Nurul Iman—translated as “Palace of the Light of Faith”—is the official residence of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the richest monarchs in the world. This architectural marvel holds the Guinness World Record as the largest residential palace on the planet.
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Size & Scale: With over 2,000 rooms, 257 bathrooms, a banquet hall that seats 5,000, and a garage housing over 100 luxury cars, the palace is extravagance personified.
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Design Notes: Islamic architecture meets modern opulence—domes adorned with gold leaf, sweeping marble staircases, and chandeliers that could dwarf small buildings.
Despite its monumental scale, the palace opens to the public during Ramadan, when thousands are welcomed by the royal family in a rare gesture of accessibility.
