Did Queen Elizabeth make secret third visit to Dubai that inspired the World Trade Centre?


James Langton
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Famously, Queen Elizabeth II has made two state visits to the UAE. But was there also a third trip even earlier and now all but forgotten?

The story goes like this. On a lengthy overseas tour, the royal aircraft made a refuelling stop in Dubai. There she was greeted by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, Ruler of Dubai at the time, with whom she already had a friendly relationship.

Several reports say the queen took the opportunity to visit a trade show at the airport, and that this inspired Sheikh Rashid to build the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Jim Krane makes a brief reference to the visit in his book Dubai: The Story of the World’s Fastest City and places it in 1972.

Len Chapman, in his blog Dubai As It Used To Be, says the visit was in 1974. The queen, he says, was on her way to Indonesia and was shown round a “British Building and Construction Equipment Exhibition” at the airport, designed by John Harris, the architect of the Dubai International Trade and Exhibition Centre, as it was called then, and the man behind the Dubai Master Plan.

“As a result of the Queen's visit, Sheikh Rashid became convinced Dubai needed an exhibition facility and charged John Harris with preparing a proposal,” Mr Chapman writes.

Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed is appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George by Queen Elizabeth in Abu Dhabi in February 1979 during her tour of the Gulf states.
Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed is appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George by Queen Elizabeth in Abu Dhabi in February 1979 during her tour of the Gulf states.

A handful of other publications make reference to the visit. Al Manakh, an engineering journal with a focus on the Gulf, repeats the date of 1972 and says the queen diverted her aircraft from Bahrain to Dubai because she wanted to see the new airport.

Dubai Amplified: The Engineering of a Port Geography, by the American academic Stephen J Ramos, also says the visit happened late at night in 1972 and that “Sheikh Rashid knew that a proper facility was needed to host future trade events”.

What is missing, however, is any official version or evidence that the visit took place, including photographs.

Let us consider the two dates. In February 1972, the queen was on a lengthy royal tour that included Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. She travelled with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, and daughter Princess Anne, flying on Royal Air Force VC10 aircraft.

Her first stop was in Bangkok on February 10, so the royal aircraft would have needed to make at least one refuelling stop en route on the flight of about 10,000 kilometres.

An aerial shot of Dubai World Trade Centre taken at some point in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Alamy
An aerial shot of Dubai World Trade Centre taken at some point in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Alamy

Dubai, with its new state-of-the-art airport that was less than a year old at the time, would have been an obvious choice. However, there is no evidence the queen got off the aircraft there and there can have been no link with the World Trade Centre – it had yet to be conceived.

Two years later, in March 1974, the queen set out on another tour of East Asia, heading first to Bali, then Indonesia. She travelled with the then newly formed British Airways and, at a distance of about 12,000 kilometres, would have needed to refuel, with the Gulf the obvious halfway point.

She was actually resuming her itinerary. A visit to Australia in February had been interrupted by a snap general election and a hung parliament in the UK, which required her to fly back to Britain as part of her constitutional duties. Prince Philip continued without her and the plan was to reunite on the royal yacht Britannia in Bali.

Apart from her aides, the queen was alone on the chartered British Airways jet.

Crucially, the travelling press corp that might have confirmed the Dubai story had remained overseas with the duke.

In his 2020 book, Showpiece City: How Architecture Made Dubai, architect and writer Todd Reisz provides a description of the trade exhibition at the airport as “draped in Union Jack Flags”.

The jet carrying Queen Elizabeth is said to have landed on March 14, 1974, although Mr Reisz is careful to use the word “allegedly” to reports that Her Majesty diverted the aircraft from its planned refuelling stop In Bahrain.

Sheikh Rashid and Mr Harris hurried to the airport to welcome the queen and gave her a tour of the exhibition, he writes.

Dubai Airport in the 1970s. Image: Dubai Airports
Dubai Airport in the 1970s. Image: Dubai Airports

Mr Harris, who died in 2008, later told the story of the creation of the World Trade Centre. Checking his luggage for a flight home to the UK, he received a tap on the shoulder from an assistant to Sheikh Rashid, who wanted an urgent meeting to propose the project.

“I explained about my luggage but, of course, my suitcase went one way and I went the other,” Mr Harris recalled.

This account by Mr Harris makes no mention of the queen. Mr Reisz says Mr Harris, in a 1985 speech, told the story of the airport tour but included Prince Philip in the royal party – even though he was not there.

To add the confusion, a promotional leaflet for the Dubai World Trade Centre from 1999, apparently based on Mr Harris’s recollections, gives the earlier date of 1972.

At least Mr Reisz can confirm the queen’s visit could have taken place. Buckingham Palace told him that aircraft carrying the queen on overseas trips made several refuelling stops in Dubai during the 1970s, including on March 14. But the palace cannot say if she left the aircraft, let alone met with Sheikh Rashid.

And there is another complication, potentially fatal to the story. According to British government records, the trade exhibition did not officially open until March 16 – two days after the stopover and by which time the queen was already in Indonesia.

Perhaps the two stories from March 1974 – a brief refuelling stop in Dubai by the queen’s aircraft, and the realisation by Sheikh Rashid that he needed a better, bigger showcase for trade – have over time become conflated?

All that can be said with any certainty was that the queen did visit Dubai on her 1979 state visit, in which she also inaugurated the World Trade Centre.

Whether she was aware of the reports of her role in its creation is not recorded.

Queen Elizabeth's visit to the UAE in 1979

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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

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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

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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
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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.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

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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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

Daniel Bardsley

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Scoreline:

Everton 4

Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', ​​​​​​​Digne 56', Walcott 64'

Manchester United 0

Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

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Five personal finance podcasts from The National

 

To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes 

·

Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth 

·

What is a portfolio stress test? 

·

What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested? 

·

How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies 

·

Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?  

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics

 

LEADERBOARD
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT

Valencia 3

Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'

Ferran Torres 67'

Atlanta 4

Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'

What is 'Soft Power'?

Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye. 
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength. 
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force. 
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.

It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times

If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.

A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.

The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.

In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.

The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.

Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.

Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.

“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.

The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.

“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.

“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”

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Updated: January 28, 2022, 3:07 AM