![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZBWU6P7PDLUXTD5LNW4SO7YS6I.jpg?smart=true&auth=1fdb06c5f06203369778687b5bb33b6ad01f626fc47c40f563f95308ac40f8b3&width=400&height=225)
Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4U7WRBRJBEHNGOOWT2NPQITSUA.jpg?smart=true&auth=832d9c1d3ff4ae005bbf2171d5576859b32db22c049cb769ed4596fccfebed9f&width=400&height=225)
Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said lived in this semi-detached Victorian home in Southsea, Portsmouth. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AS7W7LPTCJW3Y6INQFI3K7UMVI.jpg?smart=true&auth=eb77f76b37c605ddc3fde9889367fc61f65f8d8d5521a7995a8e94c69348372a&width=400&height=225)
Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said with his wife and children at the St James' Hotel, London, in January 1964. Getty Images
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A portrait of the former Sultan from 1964. Getty Images
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Al Said spent more than 50 years living in Southsea. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UDCY7KMQ2VKKTXTMPOYCRURMIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=bac436117d0ea9f175abe6dba88121d76db1f0a9d17f1e49f78fecb351965834&width=400&height=225)
Neighbours Chris and Ellie Creed described the former sultan as “a very lovely" if somewhat reticent gentleman who often spoke about the weather. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BMTQ3WVEGJWF5V5C6HOW6ZAQOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=731d0889a3d2e15003b94b457aaa8347ff90e6d70ea9e297367068b83ce9154a&width=400&height=225)
Local ward councillor Hugh Mason said Al Said was a quiet and friendly man who kept to himself. Stephen Lock for The National
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Mason says there was a sizeable Arab Zanzibarian community in Al Said’s early years in Southsea. Stephen Lock for The National
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A view of Southsea pier. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZBWU6P7PDLUXTD5LNW4SO7YS6I.jpg?smart=true&auth=1fdb06c5f06203369778687b5bb33b6ad01f626fc47c40f563f95308ac40f8b3&width=400&height=225)
Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4U7WRBRJBEHNGOOWT2NPQITSUA.jpg?smart=true&auth=832d9c1d3ff4ae005bbf2171d5576859b32db22c049cb769ed4596fccfebed9f&width=400&height=225)
Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said lived in this semi-detached Victorian home in Southsea, Portsmouth. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AS7W7LPTCJW3Y6INQFI3K7UMVI.jpg?smart=true&auth=eb77f76b37c605ddc3fde9889367fc61f65f8d8d5521a7995a8e94c69348372a&width=400&height=225)
Sayyid Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said with his wife and children at the St James' Hotel, London, in January 1964. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/342JYXIWRMYBID4637TANM22CI.jpg?smart=true&auth=0c5068ba9bcb1c6f8f83b073477e34d4c6f92010181ad7723cff60a167d8ff18&width=400&height=225)
A portrait of the former Sultan from 1964. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Y7NCFB672NISHPEEAI54QKNBDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=3c81401ac260ae9b707fd405f92233d17c4542f53a975df21cca088dc6c494ab&width=400&height=225)
Al Said spent more than 50 years living in Southsea. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UDCY7KMQ2VKKTXTMPOYCRURMIY.jpg?smart=true&auth=bac436117d0ea9f175abe6dba88121d76db1f0a9d17f1e49f78fecb351965834&width=400&height=225)
Neighbours Chris and Ellie Creed described the former sultan as “a very lovely" if somewhat reticent gentleman who often spoke about the weather. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BMTQ3WVEGJWF5V5C6HOW6ZAQOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=731d0889a3d2e15003b94b457aaa8347ff90e6d70ea9e297367068b83ce9154a&width=400&height=225)
Local ward councillor Hugh Mason said Al Said was a quiet and friendly man who kept to himself. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TQQFAKINVK3PLPGFEW7Y3XVE7U.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e9589246fefd1d4f0e9e350e766b3d97a214164d61d32f48329f031294932ca&width=400&height=225)
Mason says there was a sizeable Arab Zanzibarian community in Al Said’s early years in Southsea. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XOLTE6IWSVHDP3MHI4SZ6MEYD4.jpg?smart=true&auth=a08d8de8756c545332607f3acf6d8dd08301e63f2bc0ce93dee8903d65575352&width=400&height=225)
A view of Southsea pier. Stephen Lock for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZBWU6P7PDLUXTD5LNW4SO7YS6I.jpg?smart=true&auth=1fdb06c5f06203369778687b5bb33b6ad01f626fc47c40f563f95308ac40f8b3&width=400&height=225)
Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. Stephen Lock for The National
Sultan of Zanzibar was our neighbour: English life with a reserved royal resident
Stamp-collecting royal slips away from English resort of Southsea after 50 years to retire in Oman
![Jamie Prentis](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F7e8731e9-4925-4121-9565-fee2525fc1c6.png?smart=true&auth=8c028507ec53318d49d5123c5dc965135b9b7aea1a6d3ffd9ccacfb39b6f8f40&width=70&height=70)
Jamie Prentis
29 September, 2020
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