The ruler of Dubai looked gloomy as his 60-car convoy arrived in the Scottish Highlands to celebrate his 77th birthday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum travelled to his 63,000-acre Inverinate Estate, near the village of Kyle of Lochalsh, ahead of his birthday next Wednesday.

The stony-faced royal, who has served as the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates since 2006, was spotted at Inverness airport but he appeared to be more chipper when out on a hike with relatives and friends. 

Sheikh Maktoum has owned the estate for over 20 years and it boasts three large houses, a cottage, two lodges and three helipads.

There are also three helicopters and a dozen Range Rovers for the Sheikh’s own private use.

The 590 residents of Kyle of Lochalsh have been made very aware of their royal visit after a convoy of 20 Range Rovers and an incredible 30 Mercedes-Benz people carriers arrived at the village hall filled with staff and security. 

‘I have never seen so many vehicles with blacked out windows before – or so much security,’ said one resident.

‘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.’

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum looked gloomy upon his arrival in Scotland to start his 77th birthday celebrations 

The sheikh appeared to be more chipper after he arrived at the estate and was spotted out on a hike with relatives and friends

In April last year, the billionaire was granted planning approval to build at least a ninth house on the land.

Locals said the development is now more like a ‘small village’ dominating the whole of the shoreline.

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In 2024 the sheikh, who has had at least six wives and is also reported to have about 30 children, was given permission to erect another 11-bedroom mansion and a five-bedroom home.

He has made all his applications to Highland Council through his company Smech Properties Ltd.

With such a large entourage, Transport Scotland had also been concerned over the wear and tear to the local road caused by the sheikh’s future trips to his Highland hideaway.

It wanted the sheikh to detail how often he and his regal retinue are planning to head north and what the ‘cumulative traffic impact’ will be!

But 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.’

Pictured: Inverinate Estate which the Sheikh has owned for 20 years. It boasts three large houses, a cottage, two lodges and three helipads. There are also three helicopters and a dozen range rovers for the Sheikh’s own private use

But his developments at his retreat have not come without falling foul of planners. In November, the billionaire ruler, who had installed solar panels on his remote estate without planning approval, won retrospective permission.

Sheikh Maktoum applied to the Highland Council for the back-dated permission for several alterations at Inverinate Estate.

The Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates has injected large sums of his £14.6 billion fortune into improving his Wester Ross property, which he has owned for more than two decades.

A freedom of information request also showed Inverinate Estate as one of the most frequent private domestic flight destinations from Inverness Airport.

The data shows 29 departures in the past three years, as well as 42 arrivals from the estate.

It also showed three arrivals and four departures to Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

But the sheikh is believed to only visit occasionally.

Sheikh Maktoum generates most of his income from real estate and is described as ‘one of the world’s most prominent real estate developers’.