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'828 metres of excitement': Sheikh Hamdan climbs Dubai's Burj Khalifa

The Crown Prince took a snap of himself standing on the tip of the spire

Gillian Duncan
Gillian Duncan

December 06, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The Crown Prince of Dubai has shared a video of himself scaling Burj Khalifa.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed is seen standing on a small platform at the top of the 828 metre tower in the video.

The footage, which he posted on Instagram, opens with a view of a staircase before panning up to see the Crown Prince, who is decked out in climbing gear.

In the next frame, he is right at the top, standing on a see-through grate as he pans the camera around to show the city lights twinkling below.

It ends with a selfie.

He posted the video with the comment: “828 metres of excitement.”

The Crown Prince has 10.7 million followers on Instagram and often shares pictures and videos of his travels and family life.

He is particularly fond of wildlife and once shared a video of himself saving a gazelle that had become tangled in rope.

It is the second time he has scaled the world’s tallest tower.

In 2013, the Crown Prince waved the UAE flag from the top as part of a campaign that ultimately led Dubai to win the bid to host the 2020 World Expo.

Celebrities have also climbed the tower.

Earlier this year, former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond joined a group of window cleaners who spend their days in a basket wiping more than 100,000 square metres of glass year-round for his Discovery Channel series, Big.

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Sheikh Hamdan's adventures - in pictures

  • The classic Leaning Tower of Pisa shot. Instagram / Faz3
    The classic Leaning Tower of Pisa shot. Instagram / Faz3
  • Sheikh Hamdan in Uzbekistan, a place he says has a 'special place' in his heart. Instagram / Faz3
    Sheikh Hamdan in Uzbekistan, a place he says has a 'special place' in his heart. Instagram / Faz3
  • On the Skydeck in Chicago. Instagram / Faz3
    On the Skydeck in Chicago. Instagram / Faz3
  • In the cold in Canada in January 2018. Instagram / Faz3
    In the cold in Canada in January 2018. Instagram / Faz3
  • Last year he also went on a cycling tour in Estonia: the crown prince often makes trips to places that are off the beaten track. Instagram / Faz3
    Last year he also went on a cycling tour in Estonia: the crown prince often makes trips to places that are off the beaten track. Instagram / Faz3
  • With a teetering rock sculpture in Norway back in 2014. Instagram / Faz3
    With a teetering rock sculpture in Norway back in 2014. Instagram / Faz3
  • Exploring the glaciers of New Zealand, a country he called 'beautiful' back in May 2015. Instagram / Faz3
    Exploring the glaciers of New Zealand, a country he called 'beautiful' back in May 2015. Instagram / Faz3
  • Wearing traditional dress in Japan. Instagram / Faz3
    Wearing traditional dress in Japan. Instagram / Faz3
  • By a waterfall on one of the Faroe Islands, which are 18 rocky, volcanic islands between Iceland and Norway. Instagram / Faz3
    By a waterfall on one of the Faroe Islands, which are 18 rocky, volcanic islands between Iceland and Norway. Instagram / Faz3
  • A classic Paris shot. Instagram / Faz3
    A classic Paris shot. Instagram / Faz3
  • In one of his favourite places, Uzbekistan, back in 2015. Spot his dad, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, doing his signature move in the background. Instagram / Faz3
    In one of his favourite places, Uzbekistan, back in 2015. Spot his dad, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, doing his signature move in the background. Instagram / Faz3
  • Cycling in San Francisco in 2015. Instagram / Faz3
    Cycling in San Francisco in 2015. Instagram / Faz3
  • Taking a snap with a young Tanzanian back in March, 2016. Instagram / Faz3
    Taking a snap with a young Tanzanian back in March, 2016. Instagram / Faz3
  • He's a huge fan of cycling, having been behind many cycling initiatives in Dubai, and he's definitely showing his support for the activity here. Instagram / Faz3
    He's a huge fan of cycling, having been behind many cycling initiatives in Dubai, and he's definitely showing his support for the activity here. Instagram / Faz3
  • With the famous Uncle Saeed in Amsterdam in 2016. Instagram / Faz3
    With the famous Uncle Saeed in Amsterdam in 2016. Instagram / Faz3
  • Here he is spearfishing, one of his favourite past times. Instagram / Faz3
    Here he is spearfishing, one of his favourite past times. Instagram / Faz3
  • Here's Sheikh Hamdan on the road in Algeria. Instagram / Faz3
    Here's Sheikh Hamdan on the road in Algeria. Instagram / Faz3
  • A breathtaking photo of the Crown Prince in Yosemite National Park in the US. Instagram / Faz3
    A breathtaking photo of the Crown Prince in Yosemite National Park in the US. Instagram / Faz3
  • Here's the Crown Prince trekking through the nature of Yorkshire, in England. Instagram / Faz3
    Here's the Crown Prince trekking through the nature of Yorkshire, in England. Instagram / Faz3
  • Sheikh Hamdan skiing in Aspen. Instagram / Faz3
    Sheikh Hamdan skiing in Aspen. Instagram / Faz3
  • He's a keen photographer, and is pictured here with a camera in Tanzania. Instagram / Faz3
    He's a keen photographer, and is pictured here with a camera in Tanzania. Instagram / Faz3
  • At the World Equestrian Games in North Carolina last year. Instagram / Faz3
    At the World Equestrian Games in North Carolina last year. Instagram / Faz3
  • A morning coffee mid-air back in May 2016. Instagram / Faz3
    A morning coffee mid-air back in May 2016. Instagram / Faz3
  • In the clouds, with an amazing view on show in Canada back in January 2016. Instagram / Faz3
    In the clouds, with an amazing view on show in Canada back in January 2016. Instagram / Faz3
  • Driving through London in a Tesla. Instagram / Faz3
    Driving through London in a Tesla. Instagram / Faz3
  • And here he in June, 2018, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Instagram / Faz3
    And here he in June, 2018, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Instagram / Faz3
  • Here he is at Royal Ascot in the UK last summer with his father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Instagram / Faz3
    Here he is at Royal Ascot in the UK last summer with his father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Instagram / Faz3
  • Here's a closer to home travel photo, with the Crown Prince hiking through Hatta. Instagram / Faz3
    Here's a closer to home travel photo, with the Crown Prince hiking through Hatta. Instagram / Faz3
  • And here he is in a cloudy landscape, which is also likely to be from his trip in Canada. Instagram / Faz3
    And here he is in a cloudy landscape, which is also likely to be from his trip in Canada. Instagram / Faz3
  • Here's a throwback Thursday to when he was at Sandhurst Royal Military College in the United Kingdom. Instagram / Faz3
    Here's a throwback Thursday to when he was at Sandhurst Royal Military College in the United Kingdom. Instagram / Faz3
  • Out for a walk in the Big Apple. Instagram / Faz3
    Out for a walk in the Big Apple. Instagram / Faz3
  • The Crown Prince looking out over New York. Instagram / Faz3
    The Crown Prince looking out over New York. Instagram / Faz3
  • At the airport in Algeria with his father and brother. Instagram / Faz3
    At the airport in Algeria with his father and brother. Instagram / Faz3
  • Taking a moment in Italy back in 2015. Instagram / Faz3
    Taking a moment in Italy back in 2015. Instagram / Faz3
  • Sheikh Hamdan in Paris. Instagram / Faz3
    Sheikh Hamdan in Paris. Instagram / Faz3
  • Trying a burger in Tokyo, Japan. Instagram / Faz3
    Trying a burger in Tokyo, Japan. Instagram / Faz3
  • The Crown Prince hiking in Scotland during this year's summer. Instagram / Faz3
    The Crown Prince hiking in Scotland during this year's summer. Instagram / Faz3
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

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The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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