Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud Height, Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Profession(s)	Businessman, Investor, House of Saud Royal
Physical Stats
Height (approx.)	5' 8" (173 cm)
Eye Colour	Dark Brown
Hair Colour	Salt & Pepper
Career
Awards, Honours, Achievements	Honorary Doctorates • 1992- Doctorate of Human Letters, honoris causa, University of New Haven • 1998- Honorary Doctorate in Business Management by the Kyungwon University in Seoul, Korea • 1999- Honorary Doctorate in Law by the Syracuse University • 1999- The Diplomatic Merit of the Heung Korean; awarded by President Kim Dae--Jung in recognition of the Prince’s investments in Korea • 2004- International Special Olympics Award (The highest honor bestowed up on Royalty and Heads of States) awarded for his contributions to people with special needs • 2004- Honorary Doctorate of Letters, honoris causa by the University for Development Studies in Ghana • 2004- Doctorate in Humanities by the Al-Aqsa University in Gaza • 2005- Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the Islamic University of Uganda • 2007- Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance in Malaysia • 2007- Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration with Distinction from the International Islamic University in Malaysia • 2007- Honorary Doctorate by the University of the 7th of November at Carthage in Tunis • 2008- Honorary Doctorate of Management Science by the Brawijaya University, Indonesia • 2008- Honorary Doctorate of Commercial Sciences by The St. John’s University, New York • 2008- Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from the Commission on Higher Education Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao & Wisdom International School for Higher Education Studies in Philippines • 2009- Doctorate, honoris causa, by the Bangui University in Republic of Central Africa • 2009- Doctorate, honoris causa, from Madagascar University in Antananarivo • 2009- Doctorate, honoris causa, from Thracian University in Bulgaria • 2010- Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the Lebanese American University, LAU, Lebanon • 2010- Honorary Doctorate of Science, honoris causa by the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Bosnia & Herzegovina • 2010- Honorary Doctorate, honoris causa, from Edinburgh University in Scotland, 2010. Received from the Chancellor, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh • 2011- Doctorate in Law, honoris causa, by the University of Monash, Australia • 2011- Doctorate in literature from the University of Khartoum • 2011- Doctorate from the Global Business School of Tarragona, Spain • 2014- Doctorate in Social Science from the University of Corvinus, Hungary, Budapest • 2014- Doctorate in International Business from the University of Jordan in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah • 2016- Honorary Distinction of University Benefactor, from Edinburgh University in Scotland Honorary Citizenships • 2004- Honorary Citizen of the Banjul City-The Gambia, awarded by the Mayor of the Gambian Capital, Banjul • 2004- Honorary Citizen of the City-Province of Kinshasa, awarded by the Governor of Kinshasa • 2004- The Key to the Golden Gate of the City of Banjul (Citizenship), presented by the Mayor of Banjul • 2004- Honorary Key to the Golden Gate of the City of Kinshasa (Citizenship), presented by the Governor of Kinshasa • 2005- Honorary Citizenship of Guinea-Bissau, presented by Guinea-Bissau Minister of Foreign Affairs, Soares Sambu • 2005- Honorary Citizenship and Key to the City of Abidjan, presented by the Governor of Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire • 2005- Honorary Citizenship and Key to the City of Praia, presented by the Mayor of Praia, capital of Cape Verde • 2006- Honorary Freeman and the Key to the City of Lusaka, presented by the Mayor of Lusaka Mike Elton Mposha, Zambia • 2006- Honorary Citizenship and the Key to the City of Ouagadougou, by the Mayor of Ouagadougou Simon Compaore, Burkina Faso • 2006- Honorary Citizenship and the Key to the City of Bamako by the Mayor of Bamako Moussa Badoulaye Traore, Mali • 2006- Key to the City of Monrovia by the Mayoress of the capital of Liberia Hon. Mrs. Ophelia Hoff Saytumah • 2006- Honorable Residency and the golden Key to the City of Dar Es Salaam by Mayor of the city of Dar Es Salaam Adam Kimbisa, Tanzania • 2009- Honorary Citizenship and the Key to the City of City of Kazanlak by the Mayor of Kazanlak, Mr. Stefan Damyanov, Bulgaria • 2009- The Key to the City of Sana’a; presented by Secretary General of Sana’a Local Council • 2011- Key to the City of Accra presented by the mayor of the city of Accra, Ghana • 2013- The title of Honorary Dean, by the Mayor of the city of Niagara Falls, Canada, in recognition of his visit to the city and to the Niagara Falls • 2013- A major street in Accra was named after Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal, in recognition of his commitment to investment support, as well as humanitarian and charitable support to the people of Ghana • 2015- Honorary Citizenship with Certificate and an honorary passport presented by Mr. Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister, Republic of Georgia Other Medals and Awards • 1996- Honorary Medal for Supporting Arab Singers by MOI and Culture Minister in the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed during the first Art Festival • 1996- Named Premier Saudi Businessman by Al-Eqtisadiah, after it conducted a public poll, in which the Prince won 52.4% of the votes • 1996- Named Premier Saudi Businessman by Al-Aalam Al-Youm daily after polling 600 Saudi Businessmen, receiving 91% of the votes • 1997- Businessman of the Year Award by Al Ahram Al Arabi Magazine • 1997- Most Prominent Business Personality in The Middle East Award by Arab Magazine • 1997- Investment Management Man of the Year Award by the Business Research Centre for the Middle East at the University of London • 1997- Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic as a recognition of the Prince’s highly successful career and outstanding business acumen • 1997- The Star Decoration of the First Order, awarded by the late, King Hussein Bin Talal of Jordan, in recognition of the Prince’s regional and international investments and philanthropy • 1998- Gold Medal of the City of Cannes, presented to Prince by the Mayor of Cannes in France, Maurice Delauney, as an acknowledgment by the city of the Prince’s annual summer visits • 1998- The National Cedar Decoration of the Commander Order, awarded by Lebanese President Elias Harawi in recognition of the Prince’s economic and social contributions to Lebanon • 2000- Ranked Wealthiest in Asia and Outside the U.S by the Guinness World Records Book • 2000- Medal of the Republic of Tunisia of the Great Order awarded by Tunisian President Zein Al Abidine Bin Ali in recognition of the Prince’s efforts in promoting bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Tunisia • 2000- Bethlehem 2000 Medal, awarded by Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat for his continuous support to the Palestinian cause • 2001- Ranked Wealthiest outside the U.S by Forbes Magazine • 2001- Ranked 6th Wealthiest in the World by Forbes Magazine • 2001- Laila Utama Darja Kerabat Seri Utama Yang Amat Dihormati (The most esteemed royal family order) presented by Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah to Prince Al Waleed for promoting bilateral relations between Brunei and Saudi Arabia • 2002- Order of King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia 2004 • Entertainment Personality of the Year Award by the Zahrat Al-Khaleej Magazine • Muhammad Islamic Foundation Trophy by former boxing Champion, Muhammad Ali • The Presidential Medallion of the Republic of Djibouti, awarded by the President of Djibouti • Medal with the rank of "Commander of the Order of the Grand Star of Djibouti", awarded by President of DjiboutiIsmail Omar Guelleh • Medal of "The Grand Cross of the National Order Of Merit" by the President of Gabon Col. Omar Bongo • Medallion of the 20th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Djibouti, awarded by the President of Djibouti • Medal with the rank of "Commander of the Order of the Star of Anjouan" by the President of the Union of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani • Medal with the rank of "Dignity of Grand Officer of the National Order of the Republic of Chad" by the President of Chad Idris Deby 2005 • Global Achievement Award by The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), United States • Legend of Economic Achievement Award at the Asdaf Magazine Awards • Damascus Award at the Tourism Investment Forum in Damascus • Lifetime Achievement awarded at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, Dubai • Medal with the rank of "The Commander of the National Order", awarded by the President of Mali, Amadou Toure • Medal of "The Star of Africa" with the Grade of Grand Band by the President of Liberia, President Gyude Bryant • Medal of "The Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya" by Kenyan President, Mwai Kibaki • Medal of "The Insignia of Grand Officer” by the President of Gambia, Dr. Yahya A. J. Jammah • Medal with the rank of “Grand Officer of the National Order” by Benin President Mathieu Kerekou 2006 • Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashed Almaktoum Islamic Finance Award for Lifetime Achievement: Socially Responsible Investment at the 9th International Islamic Finance Forum (IIFF) awards • Companion of the Order of the Volta Medal by the President of Ghana John Agyekum Kufuor • Commander of the National Order of the Grand Cross Star Medal by the President of Cote D'Ivoire/Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo • Order of the Merit of Niger Medal by the President of the Niger Mamadou Tandja • National Medal of Merit for Cooperative Development by the President of Guinea-Bissau João Bernardo Vieira • Grand Commander of the Order of the Pearl of Africa Medal by the President of Uganda Yower Museveni • Hilal-i-Pakistan Medal; the highest honor by the Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf • Medal of “Legion of Honor with the rank of Commander” by the French President Jacques Chirac. The medal is France’s highest civilian honor • Umayyah National Medal by the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. The medal is the country’s highest civilian honor 2007 • Best Manager, Good Governance and Humanitarian Contribution Award by the Business & Men Magazine • Outstanding International Contribution by a Middle East Business Leader Award at the Leaders in Dubai Business Forum in Dubai • Outstanding Contribution to the Saudi Arabian Economy Award by the Institute for International Research (IIR), Middle East • ‘Best IPO of the Year’ Award by the Institute for International Research (IIR), Middle East • Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award by Menlo College in recognition of his outstanding achievement in business since graduating in 1979 • Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon Medal by the President of Taiwan HE Mr. Chen Shui-bian. The medal is the country’s highest civilian honor • Order of the Golden Heart With the Rank of Grand Officer awarded by H.E President of the Philippines Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo • Medal of Major Patron of the Arts awarded by the French Minister of Culture and Communication HE Mrs. Christine Albanel 2008 • Leading Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Naseba Group • The Distinguished and Civilized Personality of the Year 2008 Award by Encyclopedia of Excellence and Civilization • HRH Special Award for Philanthropy at the Arabian Business magazine (ITP) awards • Golden Order of the Maronite General Council awarded by The Maronite General Council for his distinctive contributions to the Council and to Lebanon • Residential Coat of Arms, the Highest Honor granted by the State of Eritrea, awarded by the Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki • Genghis Khan Medal by President of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar • Pontifical Medal awarded by Pope Benedict XVI to the Alwaleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation during a ceremony held at the Vatican and presented to H.E. Mrs. Leila El Solh, Vice Chairman of the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation in Beirut 2009 • Most Prominent Leading Personality in the Television Media for 2009 Award from the Arab Youth Media Forum • Buthaina Innovation for 2009 Award from "Buthaina magazine"in Tunisia in recognition of his excellence at all levels and support the ongoing activities on the economic, humanitarian and scientific fronts • The Presidential Plaque;the highest honor granted by the Republic of the Seychelles, and awarded by the President of the Seychelles Mr. Michel to HRH in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the socio-economic development of the Seychellois people • Order of Izzudin by the President of the Maldives, Muhamed Nasheed • Grand-Croix National Medal by the President of the Republic of Central Africa François boziz • Grand-Croix National Malgache Medal, which is the ordre National in Madagascar by the President of the Republic of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina • The MADARA Horseman Medal, the Highest Honor granted by the State of Bulgaria, was presented by the Bulgarian President Geprgi Parvanov • The unification medal, awarded by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in recognition of the Prince’s efforts in investment and philanthropy • The President of France Medal; bestowed upon Prince Alwaleed by the President of the Republic of France, Nicolas Sarkozy 2010 • Medal of Honor, the highest honor granted by the Chairman of the State Peace & Development Council of the Union of Myanmar • Friendship Medal, the Highest Honor granted by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, presented by the President • Amilcar Cabral Medal by the President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau • Colinas De Boe Medal, which is the Highest Honor, and was granted by the Republic of Guinea Bissau, presented by the President • Medal of Honor; the Highest Honor granted by the Laos People’s Democratic Republic, was presented by the President • Commander of the Order of Adolf Nassau awarded by HRH Prince Guillaume, Crown Prince of the grand Duchy of Luxembourg • Presidential Plaque; awarded by the President of Lebanon, Michel Suleiman 2011 • The Royal Opera House of Muscat Medal; conferred by His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos bin Said • The Order of the Republic, which is the highest honor granted by the country and bestowed by The President of the Republic of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza • Republic Medal, First Degree presented by the President of the Republic of Sudan Omar AL Bashir • Grand Cross of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, which was the highest honor granted in the Kingdom of Morocco bestowed by His Majesty Mohammed VI • The Residential Coat of Arms, which is the highest decoration conferred by the President of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, in appreciation of his visit & contribution to the country • Medal of Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit, presented by the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in appreciation of his visit to their country 2012 • Certificate of appreciation from the ambassador of Japan, during the ceremony held on 11th of the current month, in commemoration for the big earth quake and its role in supporting Japan following the serious natur • Bengali Presidential Plaque presented by His Excellency the President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman • Order of Friendship, the highest decoration in the People's Republic of Bangladesh, presented by Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajed • Mahaujjwal Rastradeep Supreme Bright National Light Order by the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav • Bahrain First Class order 2013 • Honorary plaque granted by The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (57 countries) for his outstanding efforts in the humanitarian and philanthropic fields • Baden-Powell awarded by Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden • The National Order of Merit, Republic of Guinea- Conakry • Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic, Sierra Leone • Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion, Senegal 2014 • The National Order of Merit in the grade of companion by the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca • Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan • The Middle Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit by the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán • Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold by King of Belgium • High Class Medal of Honor star by the President, Mahmoud Abbas 2015 • The highest Medal of Monaco • Honor of the Companion of the Order of The Volta by the President John Dramani Mahama of the Republic of Ghana 2016 • Donor of the Year Award at the Global Donors Forum in Istanbul, Turkey • First-ever Global Philanthropic and Humanitarian Achievements Award by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (National Council) • The global philanthropic leadership award given by the Prince Albert II of Monaco • Laos Honorary Medal for his humanitarian work • Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres by the President Francois Hollande in Paris, France 2017 • Presidential Award Medal presented by the President of The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka • Highest Governmental Medal of Honor awarded by the President, Ashraf Ghani, of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 2018 • Arab Social Media Influencers for Community Service Category Award by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum • Golden Medal of Merit for the donation of the 16 Million Euro Castle of Castaneto Po in Turin by the Italian Red Cross • Medal for the Benefit of Humanity & Mankind by the Supreme International Awards Council, Russian Federation • Medal for Respect for the People by the Supreme International Awards Council, Russian Federation • 2020- Support of Private Sector Medal • 2022- Order of the Polar Star Medal
Personal Life
Date of Birth	7 March 1955 (Monday)
Age (as of 2024)	70 Years
Birthplace	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Zodiac sign	Pisces
Nationality	Saudi
Hometown	Lebanon
School(s)	• International School of Choueifat, Lebanon • Manor School
College/University	• Pinewood College, Beirut • Menlo College, California • Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, New York
Educational Qualification(s)	• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Menlo College • Master's Degree with Honors in Social Science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Religion	Islam
Controversies	• Taken into custody and released In November, 2017, Prince Al Waleed bin Talal was arrested in Saudi Arabia during a large anti-corruption campaign led by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, his cousin. Around 320 powerful people, including princes and businessmen, were held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. The suppression was seen as a move by the Crown Prince to strengthen his power. Al Waleed and most others were released after making secret financial deals with the government. Reports said the authorities asked Al Waleed for $6 billion to secure his release. He was freed in late January 2018 after nearly three months in detention. Around the same time, his cousin Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah was released after reportedly paying $1 billion. Just before his arrest, Al Waleed had contacted Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist living in the U.S. who had criticized the government, and invited him to return to Saudi Arabia to support the Crown Prince’s plans. ((The New York Times)) • Dispute with Forbes In 2013, Forbes estimated Prince Al Waleed’s wealth at $20 billion—less than what he claimed. He was very upset and said Forbes was unfair, especially toward Middle Eastern investors. He even had his company push Forbes to raise the number, and when they didn’t, he cut ties with the list and said he would sue. He later filed a defamation case in London against Forbes, claiming their report was biased and hurtful. Forbes stood by their story. In 2015, both sides settled the dispute peacefully. The opening of the Saudi stock market to foreign investors helped them agree on how to value Al Waleed’s company. ((The Guardian))
Social Media	Twitter
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Divorced
Family
Wife/Spouse	• Princess Dalal bint Saud (1976-1994) (Activist, Philanthropist) (Deceased) • Princess Iman Sudairi (1996-1997) • Kholood Al Anazi (1999-2004) • Ameera al-Taweel (2008-2014) (Philanthropist)
Children	Son- Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud (House of Saud royal, entrepreneur, investor) Daughter- Princess Reem
Parents	Father- Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz (Saudi Arabian Politician, Dissident, Businessman, Philanthropist, Member of the House of Saud) (Deceased) Mother- Mona Al Solh
Siblings	Brother- Khalid bin Talal Al Saud (Businessman, member of the House of Saud) Sister- Princess Reema
Other Relative	Nephew- Al Waleed bin Khalid bin Talal Al Saud (Sleeping Prince of Saudi Arabia) (Son of his brother)
Money Factor
Assets/Properties	• Boeing 747 • Airbus A321 • Hawker Siddeley 125 • 250,000-square-foot (23,000 m2) Kingdom Palace, in central Riyadh • 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m2) Kingdom Resort, in central Riyadh • 4,000,000-square-foot (370,000 m2) Kingdom Oasis, in central Riyadh
Net Worth (approx.)	$16.6 Billion, as of 2025 ((Forbes))

Some Lesser Known Facts About Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud

• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud was raised by his parents in a very rich Saudi family.
  

  Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud’s childhood photo

• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud’s father, Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, was Saudi Arabia’s finance minister during the early 1960s before he went into exile due to his advocacy for political reform.

• Al Waleed’s paternal grandmother, Munaiyir, was an Armenian, and she was presented by the emir of Unayzah to King Abdulaziz (Al Waleed’s paternal grandfather) in 1921. At that time, his grandmother was 12 years old and his grandfather, King Abdulaziz, was 45 years old.

• Al Waleed’s maternal grandfather, Riad Al Solh, was the first prime minister of Lebanon, and Al Waleed’s paternal grandmother, Fayza Al Jabiri, was the sister of the former Syrian Prime Minister Saadallah al-Jabiri.

• Al Waleed’s parents separated when he was seven years old, and after their separation, he started living with his mother in Lebanon.

• As a young boy, he used to run away from home for a day or two sometimes and used to sleep in unlocked cars, before attending the King Abdulaziz Military Academy in Riyadh.

• In 1974, he returned to Lebanon to finish his schooling.

• In 1976, Al Waleed moved to California for her higher studies and he finished his bachelor’s degree in just 2 and a half years.

• After his bachelor’s degree, he moved to New York to study at Syracuse University, where he finished his master’s degree with honours. He completed his master’s degree in just eleven months.

• Initially, Al Waleed ventured into his business career in 1979 after graduating from Menlo College, California. He then returned to Saudi Arabia in the midst of the 1974–85’s oil boom in the country.

• In 1980, Al Waleed founded a charitable and philanthropic organisation named ‘Alwaleed Philanthropies.’

• Al Waleed formed Kingdom Establishment in 1980, and he started operating his business from a small, four-room cabin in Riyadh and $30,000 start-up money, which was provided to him by his father, Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz.

• After all the money that was lent to him by his father ran out after a few months, Al Waleed took a $300,000 loan from the Saudi American Bank, which was partly owned by Citibank. Instead of getting a fee for helping with the contracts, like the law says he should, Al Waleed wanted to own a part of the project.

• He first became successful in 1982 when he partnered with a South Korean construction company, and from then on, his commissions were used to fund his real estate deals. He also stated in an interview that all the money he used to get from the construction, he would put it back into real estate, as well as in the stock market.

• After the Saudi oil boom came to an end, Al Waleed acquired the then-underperforming United Saudi Commercial Bank (USCB). By joining with Saudi Cairo Bank (SCB) to create United Saudi Bank (USB), and later merging with Saudi American Bank (SAMBA), it grew into one of the top banks in the Middle East.

• Soon after, Al Waleed secured a majority of a Saudi Arabian grocery retailing company named ‘Panda Retail Company,’ and merged it with the Saudi Arabian industrial company named the ‘Savola Group,’ and finally took over the National Industrialisation Company.

• In 1989, his net worth was reported to be $1.4 billion, and his net worth included stakes in different businesses, including Canary Wharf, Four Seasons Hotel Group, and News Corporation.

• In the same year, it was also reported that Al Waleed invested about $250 million in the American national bank ‘Chase Manhattan’, American multinational investment bank ‘Citigroup’, American bank holding company ‘Manufacturers Hanover,’ and the Chemical Banking Association ‘Chemical Bank.’

• After a few months, Al Waleed sold his stakes in the other banks and concentrated on investing in the American multinational investment bank and financial services company Citicorp. He acquired 4.9 per cent of the bank.

• Citicorp was the worst-performing bank of the four banks he invested in; however, Al Waleed Al considered Citicorp had the best potential, which is why he never backed out of it.

• In 1990, Citibank was not able to acquire the funds it needed due to real estate credit losses and exposure to Latin American debt. Holding a major banking experience in the Kingdom, Al Waleed agreed in the month of January 1991 to invest $590 million, which was about half his accumulated wealth.

• He agreed to the investment in a five-year convertible security under the condition of paying 11 per cent interest. Within a month, Al Waleed’s total investment in Citicorp went up to $797 million, or about 15 per cent of the company.

• Al Waleed got a special permission from the Federal Reserve to own a big part of the company Citicorp, but in 1993, Al Waleed sold some of his shares to bring his ownership below 10%. He was still the largest shareholder in the largest US financial institution at the time.

• In 1991, Al Waleed purchased the 65th-largest private yacht in the world for $20 million, which was named ‘Nabila’ and renamed it as ‘Kingdom 5KR.’ He purchased the yacht from Donald Trump, who named her the Trump Princess. Al Waleed bought the yacht after Trump experienced financial problems in the late 1980s.

• The yacht was initially built for Saudi billionaire Adnan Khashoggi. The name ‘Kingdom 5KR’ is derived from Al Waleed’s investment company, Kingdom Holding Company, and his lucky number 5, and his children’s initials ‘K and R.’ The yacht is 85.9 metres long (282 ft).

• In 1993, Al Waleed purchased a 10 per cent stake in the American luxury department store named ‘Saks Fifth Avenue’ for $100 million. Soon after, under his leadership, a flagship store of Saks Fifth Avenue was opened in Riyadh.

• In 1994, he acquired a 50 per cent controlling interest in the global chain of luxury hotels named ‘Fairmont Hotels & Resorts,’ and a 22 per cent stake in the Canadian luxury hotel and resort company named ‘Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.’

• In 1995, Al Waleed bought a 42 per cent stake in the New York Plaza Hotel, and around the same time, it was reported that he was working on a music channel for his satellite TV platform.

• In the same year, Kingdom Establishment for Trading and Contracting was changed into a new company called Kingdom Holding Company. Al Waleed then announced his plans to build the Kingdom Centre, Kingdom Hospital, Kingdom School, and Kingdom City.

• In 1995, he also acquired a 2.3 per cent share of an Italian mass media and television production and distribution company named ‘Mediaset,’ after previously acquiring a 30 per cent share of the Arab Radio and Television Network.

• In late 1995, Al Waleed became part of a group that bought control of Canary Wharf (a financial area of London, England) for $1.2 billion. His part of the deal was 6%, and he paid $66 million for it.

• In 1996, Al Waleed bought the luxury hotel in Paris named ‘Four Seasons Hotel George V’ for a price of $185 million, and he spent an additional amount of $120 million renovating it for a reopening in December 1999.

• In the same year, he purchased a 24 per cent stake in the international theme park named ‘Euro Disney’ for $345 million.

• In 1997, Al Waleed purchased a 5 per cent stake in an American multinational corporation and technology company named ‘Apple Inc.’ His investment made him the largest shareholder in the company.

• He also holds a ten-per-cent stake in Euro Disney S.C.A., which is the company which owns, manages, and maintains Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée.

• In the same year, All Waleed bought 1% of the American multinational telecommunications company ‘Motorola’ for $287 million, and 5% of the American independent computer services company named ‘Netscape’ for $146 million, before AOL bought Netscape and later joined with Time Warner.

• In 1997, it was reportedly said that Al Waleed acquired about five per cent of the American multinational mass media corporation named ‘News Corporation,’ which he purchased for $400 million. He became the third-largest shareholder of the company.

• In the same year, Al Waleed took over a 4 per cent stake in a themed restaurant chain named ‘Planet Hollywood,’ which was inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood. He bought his shares for $57 million, and another 16 per cent of shares in 1998 for $45 million.

• In 1997, he also acquired 27 per cent of the Swiss hotel management company named ‘Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts,’ which he increased to 33 per cent ownership in 2003.

• In the same year, Al Waleed invested $10 million into the Palestine-based public shareholding company named ‘Palestinian Investment and Development Company (PADICO),’ which works on investment and development in Palestine.

• Later, he also helped start another company called ‘Jerusalem Development and Investment Company’ (JEDICO) to support projects in Jerusalem.

• In 1999, he purchased an additional $200 million of preferred shares of ‘News Corporation.’

• In the same year, many media houses doubted Al Waleed’s source of income as they claimed that he didn’t make enough money from his investments to cover everything he spent during the 1990s.

• Soon after, Al Waleed gave a clarification and stated that he used only his own money. He started in 1979 with a $30,000 loan from his father. He also borrowed about $400,000 by mortgaging a house his father gave him. Additionally, since he’s the grandson of Ibn Saud, he also gets $15,000 every month.

• From 2001 to 2002, Al Waleed increased his stake in AOL Time Warner by another $540 million.

• In 2001, after the September 11 suicide attacks against the United States, Al Waleed submitted a cheque of $10 million to the then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, despite Saudi opposition.

• After his donation, Al Waleed made a public written statement stating that “I believe the government of the United States of America should re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stance toward the Palestinian cause.”

• After seeing his written statement, the then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani returned his cheque. Upon getting his cheque returned, Al Waleed was quoted as saying in an interview that
  

  The whole issue is that I spoke about their position [on the Middle East conflict] and they didn’t like it because there are Jewish pressures and they are afraid of them.”

• In 2002, Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud established a global hospitality investment company named ‘Kingdom Hotel Investments’ (KHI) to manage his hotel assets. Al Waleed and KHI’s operating philosophy is to expand their hotel portfolio and potentially seek a public offering.
  

  Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud at the ‘Kingdom Hotel Investments’ (KHI) headquarters

• In the same year, Al Waleed donated $500,000 to help fund the George Herbert Walker Bush scholarship at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

• Soon after, he donated £18.5 million to help Palestinian families during a TV fundraiser, which was started by the Saudi King Fahd, to help relatives of Palestinians after Israeli operations in the West Bank city of Jenin.

• By 2003, he acquired 100 per cent of the Saudi Arabian entertainment company named ‘Rotana Media Group,’ along with 40 per cent of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBC Sat).

• During the early 2000s, he also invested in MCI, Fox Broadcasting, and other technology and media companies. Along with his investments in companies like WorldCom, Priceline.com, Coca-Cola, and Ford Motor Company, which totalled almost up to $2 billion.

• Around the same time, in the asian region, he took over 5.9 per cent of the South Korean automobile manufacturer company named ‘Daewoo’ for $50 million, which he increased to 18 per cent with an additional $100 million investment.

• In Asia, Al Waleed also acquired 3 per cent of PROTON Holdings for $46 million, 3 per cent of Ong Beng Seng’s Hotel Properties Ltd., and $50 million worth of Hyundai Motor Company bonds.

• In 2004, Al Waleed sold half his shares in the New York Plaza Hotel, and after that, he invested in London’s Savoy Hotel and Monaco’s Monte Carlo Grand Hotel.

• In the same year, Al Waleed was ranked fourth on the 2004 Forbes list of the wealthiest people with a net worth of $21.5 billion, out of which $1.3 billion was in hotel holdings.

• In 2004, Al Waleed contributed $17 million to victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

• In 2005, Al Waleed purchased the London-based luxury hotel named ‘Savoy Hotel’ for an estimated price of £250 million to be managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Al Waleed’s sister, Sultana Nurul, owns a 16 per cent stake in the hotel.

• In the same year, he contributed $20 million to the private Jesuit research university named ‘Georgetown University’ in order to build the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) in the university’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C.

• The $20 million donation made by Al Waleed to Georgetown University was termed as the second largest donation in the school’s history.

• In 2005, Al Waleed’s stake in the American multinational corporation and technology company named ‘Apple Inc’ was sold.

• In 2006, Al Waleed, U.S. real-estate firm Colony NorthStar, and Kingdom Holding got into a partnership deal and acquired the Toronto-based Fairmont Hotels and Resorts for an estimated $3.9 billion.

• In 2008, he donated £16 million to Edinburgh University to fund a centre for the study of Islam in the contemporary world.

• Soon after, Al Waleed contributed funds to the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Centre for American Studies and Research (CASAR), which operates at the American University of Beirut (AUB). The centre focuses on American studies, with an emphasis on the connections between the United States, the Middle East, and the world. 

• The New York-based Institute for Computational Biomedicine at Weill Cornell Medical College was named after Al Waleed and was named as the ‘HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine.’

• The Centre of Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge, as well as the Islamic Studies Program at Harvard University, are also named after him.

• In 2008, Al Waleed was appointed as the honorary member of the advisory board of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, which is a private research university in Syracuse, New York.

• It was announced in 2009 that Al Waleed owns 35 per cent of Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), which is a large Middle East media company.

• Al Waleed topped the first Saudi Rich List in 2009, with assets worth $16.3 billion.

• In 2010, Al Waleed owned about 7% of News Corporation, worth $3 billion. By 2013, News Corporation invested $175 million in Al Waleed’s company, Rotana Group. It was also reported that he had sold his shares in AOL.

• In the early 2000s, Al Waleed ordered a yacht known as the ‘New Kingdom 5KR,’ which was about 173 metres (568 ft) long with an estimated cost of over $500 million. The yacht was designed by Lindsey Design and was delivered to Al Waleed in late 2010.

• In 2011, he announced that his company had made a deal with the Saudi Binladin Group to build the world’s tallest building, called the Kingdom Tower. It was announced that the building will be at least 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) tall and cost 4.6 billion Saudi Riyals.

• In the same year, he invested $300 million in Twitter by purchasing secondary shares from insiders. The purchase gave Kingdom Holding over 3% ownership in Twitter, which was worth $8 billion around late summer 2011.

• In the early 2000s, in Africa, he invested $50 million to buy parts of several banks, including 10% of Sonatel, 10% of Ecobank, 13.7% of United Bank for Africa, and 14% of CAL Bank. But some of his other investments didn’t do well, like WorldCom, Priceline, Teledesic, and KirchMedia.

• Al Waleed supports women’s rights in the Arab world. He also paid for the training of Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi, who became the first Saudi woman to fly a commercial aeroplane.

• He was the first individual to purchase an Airbus A380 and was due to take delivery of it in the spring of 2013, but it was sold before delivery.

• At Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi’s graduation, Al Waleed also stated that he in full support of Saudi ladies working in all fields. With Al Waleed’s support, Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi became certified to fly within Saudi Arabia in 2014.

• In 2015, he said he would give away all his money to charity someday, though he didn’t say exactly when. Prior to that, he had already given $3.5 billion to good causes over 35 years through his charity organisation named ‘Alwaleed Philanthropies.’

• Later the same year, Al Waleed announced his intention to donate $32 billion to charitable causes. He stated publicly that the funds would be used for many humanitarian projects, and some of them include the empowerment of women and youth, disaster relief, disease eradication, and building bridges of understanding between cultures.

• Among all his assets, 95 per cent of his assets are in Kingdom Holding Company, 91 per cent ownership of Rotana Video and Audio Visual Company, and 90 per cent ownership of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.

• Additionally, he has seven per cent ownership of News Corporation, about six per cent ownership of Citigroup, and a 17 per cent ownership of Al Nahar and a 25 per cent ownership of Ad-Diyar, which are the two daily newspapers published in Lebanon.

• Al Waleed was 19 years old when he first got married. HIs first wife, Princess Dalal bint Saud, was his cousin and the daughter of King Saud.