Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum appeared stony-faced as he touched down near Kyle of Lochalsh ahead of celebrations at his 63,000-acre Inverinate Estate, a Highland retreat that has expanded steadily over two decades.
The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, arrived in the Scottish Highlands this week at the head of a 60-car convoy, ahead of his 77th birthday on 15 July. The billionaire, who has served as Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates since 2006, appeared stony-faced on arrival at Inverness Airport before travelling on to his 63,000-acre Inverinate Estate near Kyle of Lochalsh. He later seemed in better spirits while out hiking with friends and relatives. The visit has not gone unnoticed in the nearby village, home to just 590 residents.
A retreat built up over two decades
Sheikh Mohammed has owned Inverinate Estate for more than 20 years, and it has grown considerably in that time. The property now includes three large houses, a cottage, two lodges and three helipads, along with three helicopters and a dozen Range Rovers kept for the sheikh’s private use. Highland Council has previously approved the construction of a 15-bedroom guest lodge on the estate, adding to its stock of substantial residential buildings. Planning documents submitted for the development have stated that the extra accommodation is intended to house visiting family members and guests, allowing larger groups to stay during trips to Scotland.
Planning approvals and a retrospective permission row
The estate’s expansion has continued into recent years. In 2024, the sheikh — who has had at least six wives and is reported to have around 30 children — was granted permission for an additional 11-bedroom mansion and a five-bedroom home. In April last year, he secured planning approval for at least a ninth house on the land, a development locals say now resembles a “small village” along the shoreline. All of the applications have been made to Highland Council through his company, Smech Properties Ltd. Separately, in November, the sheikh won retrospective planning permission for solar panels that had been installed on the estate without prior approval, along with several other alterations. Earlier planning applications for the site also included a £30,000 contribution towards affordable housing in the local area.
Concerns over traffic and impact on Kyle of Lochalsh
This latest visit saw a convoy of 20 Range Rovers and 30 Mercedes-Benz people carriers arrive at the village hall, carrying staff and security personnel. “I have never seen so many vehicles with blacked out windows before – or so much security,” one local resident said. The same resident added: “The sheikh does not come that often himself but in recent years has posted on Instagram his love of hillwalking and being out on his boat. I guess that’s what he will be doing this time, but he will have some entourage for company.” The scale of such visits has previously concerned Transport Scotland, which has raised the issue of wear and tear on local roads and asked for details of how often the sheikh and his retinue travel north, as well as the cumulative traffic impact. In response, the sheikh’s agents said: “As with the current lodges, the majority of visits to the property are by either coach or helicopter, supported by a fleet of six 4×4 cars for shooting parties/visits. There is no recorded data available on frequency of visits or length of duration.”
Frequent flights from Inverness
Data obtained through a freedom of information request shows Inverinate Estate has been one of the most frequent private domestic flight destinations from Inverness Airport, with 29 departures and 42 arrivals linked to the estate over the past three years. The same data recorded three arrivals and four departures between the estate and Abu Dhabi. Despite the volume of flights, the sheikh himself is understood to visit only occasionally.
Who is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum?
Born in 1949, Sheikh Mohammed becomes Ruler of Dubai’s longest-serving leader in recent memory as he turns 77 on 15 July. He has held the role of Ruler of Dubai since January 2006, alongside the positions of Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, which he also took up that year. He has overseen a number of Dubai’s landmark developments, including Emirates Airline, the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, with much of his personal fortune — estimated at £14.6 billion — derived from real estate. He is regarded as one of the world’s most prominent property developers and has invested heavily in improving the Inverinate Estate in Wester Ross since acquiring it. In 2021, the High Court in London ordered Sheikh Mohammed to pay £554 million to his former wife, Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, in what was described as the largest divorce settlement awarded by an English court.
