Long an exclusive retreat for the rich and famous, Marbella seldom allows its sunny serenity to be ruffled by the arrival of one of its wealthy part-time residents. The advent of Saudia Arabia's King Fahd, however, is another matter.
Seven aeroplanes belonging to the Saudi royal house descended on the southern Spanish resort Thursday, bringing the 82-year-old king and his 400-strong entourage. Two of the planes carried not passengers, but food, armoured vehicles and luggage only.
King Fahd, flying in from Geneva where he has spent the past three months recuperating after a cataract operation, disembarked from his private Boeing 747 in a wheelchair via a specially-fitted lift. On the ground, he was carefully transferred into the back of one of the 122 luxury Mercedes cars waiting to whisk the royal visitors at top speed into Marbella, with three helicopters flying protectively overhead.
The king, who last summered in Marbella in 1999, is staying at his palace Mar-Mar, which is located on the aptly named Golden Mile. The main building on the estate is an exact replica of the White House in Washington.
During his residence, King Fahd is expected to receive numerous high-profile visitors at Mar-Mar, among them Spain's King Juan Carlos, the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Aznar, US Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Britain's premier, Tony Blair.
In order to keep the royal household - which will be spending part of its time on the two luxury yachts anchored nearby - supplied with familiar delicacies, a plane will fly in every week from Saudi Arabia with dates, lamb, rice and spices.
During the month-long stay, the king's household is expected to spend an average of well over £3 million every day.
Hundreds of locals hopeful of grabbing a lucrative temporary job in the royal summer household have been queueing outside the palace for up to a fortnight clutching their credentials.
Jewellers and luxury car dealers have been laying out their most expensive wares in glittering showcases in order to tempt the big spenders. And, at a time when tourism is still suffering the effects of September 11, Marbella's top hotels can boast full house because all the plushest suites have been reserved for the king's entourage.
And it's not only the jewellers and car dealers who can expect rich pickings during the king's stay: members of his entourage, which will swell to 2,000 now that he is actually in residence, will have carte blanche to purchase white goods, the latest generation mobile phones, televisions and luxury lingerie from select shops in Marbella and Puerto Banus.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
