Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Shelters in Bunkers Amid Houthi Attacks

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known for his lavish lifestyle that includes a £400 million superyacht and a French chateau once described as the world's most expensive home, is reportedly sheltering in heavily guarded palaces equipped with bunkers. This retreat comes as Houthi rebels intensify attacks on Saudi airports and oil infrastructure, posing a threat to Red Sea shipping routes, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The reported security measures for the 41-year-old prince, widely referred to as MBS, stand in stark contrast to the opulent image he has cultivated. His reported acquisitions include the 439-foot superyacht Serene, purchased in 2015 for approximately £383 million, which features two helipads, an underwater viewing chamber, a cinema, and a nightclub. The yacht was previously rented by Microsoft founder Bill Gates for $5 million a week.

That same year, MBS reportedly acquired Chateau Louis XIV near Versailles for over $300 million (around £230 million). The modern mansion, designed to resemble a 17th-century palace, sits on 57 acres and includes gilded interiors, frescoed ceilings, a cinema, a swimming pool, and an underwater moat chamber. Its amenities, including fountains and lighting, are controlled via iPhone.

Further cementing his image of immense wealth, satellite images have revealed a sprawling palace complex within Saudi Arabia's Neom megacity project on the Red Sea coast. This development reportedly features private beaches, gardens, a golf course, and ten helipads.

MBS has also been linked to significant art acquisitions, including Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi," which sold for a record $450.3 million (approximately £340 million) in 2017. While reports identified another Saudi prince as the buyer acting on MBS's behalf, Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism later stated it had acquired the painting.

Beyond property and art, MBS's personal life has been marked by extravagant getaways. A July 2015 trip to the Maldives reportedly involved renting the Velaa resort island for a month at a cost of $50 million (£38 million), with numerous guests and performers flown in. During this retreat, staff were reportedly prohibited from carrying smartphones, with a $5,000 bonus offered to comply with the rule.

The Crown Prince has cultivated high-profile international connections, including relationships with former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he met during Trump's first foreign trip as president in 2017. MBS has also been photographed with figures such as Queen Elizabeth II during a 2018 visit to Britain, and technology leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.

His celebrity associations have also drawn attention, with reports of friendships with actresses Lindsay Lohan and Johnny Depp. Lohan's father described their relationship as platonic, while Depp reportedly spent extended periods in Saudi Arabia in 2024, utilizing royal transport.

In 2017, MBS oversaw a domestic anti-corruption campaign that led to the detention of princes, ministers, and businessmen at Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton hotel. Some detainees reportedly surrendered assets in exchange for their release, a move MBS characterized as necessary and not a political purge.

Despite the scrutiny of his wealth and lavish spending, MBS has largely maintained a private stance on his personal finances. In a 2018 interview, he acknowledged owning significant land but emphasized his charitable contributions, stating, "My personal life is something I'd like to keep to myself." He added, "As far as my private expenses, I'm a rich person and not a poor person. I'm not Gandhi or Mandela. I'm a member of the ruling family that existed for hundreds of years before the founding of Saudi Arabia."