Like a ray of sunshine, Queen Elizabeth II opened the new Elizabeth line on the London railway service in May, wearing a bright yellow outfit. Eagle-eyed royal watchers also noticed a splendid diamond and gold brooch, delicately depicting the bird of paradise plant, pinned to her coat.
This was a gift celebrating her diamond jubilee in 2012 from the government of Singapore. The brooch has since become a favourite of the queen’s, one she has pinned to vibrant pink, orange, lime and blue outfits at many official events during the past 10 years.
This brooch is part of a collection thought to number almost 100 in the royal jewel box. The queen has one of the most impressive jewellery collections in the world, full of dazzling diamonds, sapphires and pearls. Most of them are state jewels worn in her role as monarch. However, distinct from the crown jewels is the queen’s personal box of jewellery, and her working wardrobe is never complete without a carefully chosen pin attached to her dress or lapel.
Many are heirlooms bearing historical significance, or are gifts from her family and loaded with sentimental value. Case in point, the pair of aquamarine Art Deco brooches by Boucheron that were an 18th birthday gift from her parents in 1944, which she wore for the platinum jubilee in February. A poignant reminder also of the 70th anniversary of her father’s death.
Then there are the brooches gifted to the queen or commissioned for special occasions. The late Sultan of Oman gave her several jewels to celebrate her diamond jubilee, including the diamond shamrock and ruby Tudor rose brooches.
For her platinum jubilee, the queen wore a new brooch honouring the UK's four nations. The piece was a gift commissioned by Goldsmiths’ Company, and incorporates the national flowers of each of the nations; the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, the daffodil for Wales and the shamrock for Northern Ireland.
She wore the piece pinned on a jade green Stuart Pravin crepe coat over a silk dress as she lit the first of 3,500 beacons across Britain during her jubilee celebrations.
The queen has fine-tuned a witty and innovative use of jewellery as a diplomatic language. At the opening of the Welsh Parliament in 2021, she wore the daffodil brooch thought to have been another 2012 jubilee gift. The significance of her wearing the national flower of Wales was not lost on her hosts.
The New Zealand silver fern brooch delivers a similar message. She was given it on Christmas Day 1953 during her first Commonwealth tour. It has been worn several times and was subsequently lent to the Duchess of Cambridge in 2014 for her trip to New Zealand.
The Canadian maple leaf diamond brooch, given to the Queen Mother by George VI ahead of their state visit to Canada in 1939, serves a similar purpose, always worn at Canadian events.
On her royal tours, the queen carefully chooses her outfit in recognition of national sensibilities and symbolism. Jewels have also proved to be the perfect diplomatic gift from heads of state, with brooches from Brazil, Botswana, Ireland, Sri Lanka and Australia highlighting relations between the nations. The brooches from Canada, New Zealand and Sri Lanka are among those to be exhibited at Windsor Castle this summer from Thursday, July 7 to Monday, September 26.
They will appear alongside the flame lily brooch — an emblem of Zimbabwe — which the queen wore on her mourning clothes in 1952, on her flight back to London after the announcement of her father King George VI’s death. It is a brooch of considerable personal significance to her.
Also loaded with emotional value is the ruby brooch by Andrew Grima, which the Duke of Edinburgh gave the queen in 1966. The unique design features a carved ruby in its centre, designed to resemble an Egyptian scarab. She wears the brooch frequently, especially on occasions that pay tribute to the duke’s memory, including his recent memorial service at Westminster Abbey.
On a happier note, is the lover’s knot brooch, a late 19th-century design inherited from her grandmother Queen Mary, which was the perfect message to share at both her sister Princess Margaret’s wedding in 1960 and at Prince William’s in 2011.
Equally famous are granny’s chips, also from Queen Mary and worn at the last jubilee, which are a 158-carat reminder of the most famous rough diamond in the world from which they were cut, the Cullinan.
Another heirloom that Queen Mary wore during the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic is a rarely seen intricate diamond and turquoise brooch, which became famous during the dark days of the pandemic in 2020, when the queen gave her address to the nation.
The turquoise gemstone has long been considered a colour of healing and peace, which was a much-appreciated symbol of solidarity with her people. It perfectly illustrates the messages of mindfulness, sensitivity and unity the monarch sends out through her brooches.
— A version of this story was first published on May 28, 2022
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Price: From Dh650,000
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
US households add $601bn of debt in 2019
American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.
Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.
In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.
The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.
"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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