What Were King Abdulaziz’s Gifts?

King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud was generous in giving gifts, ensuring that everyone he met, including his companions, received something. His gifts typically included the Saudi Thobe, Al-Murowdin (traditional undergarment), Al-Shemagh and Agal (braided or plain), Al-Mishlah (cloak), and perfume. For some individuals, he also gifted wristwatches. One of his annual traditions was to present gifts to all his men and entourage on the eve of Eid. Later, he replaced this with an annual monetary allowance equivalent to or exceeding the value of the traditional attire, a practice that continued until his passing.

One of the historical accounts of King Abdulaziz’s generosity is his gift to Gilbert Clayton, a British military officer who visited Jeddah City in 1929. King Abdulaziz gifted him provisions and ordered that his ship be fully stocked with supplies to feed the entire crew of the voyage.

At the level of gifts to world leaders, King Abdulaziz gifted King Fuad I of Egypt a sword with a gold hilt and scabbard. He also presented King Farouk with a dagger and a gold-encrusted sword adorned with gemstones, along with "Al-Jubba Al-Jawfiyyah," a traditional cloak woven from white and black wool. Among his notable gifts were horses; he presented King George VI with a mare named "Turfa" on the occasion of his coronation as King of the United Kingdom. He also gifted the Queen of the Netherlands four Arabian horses and gave King Abdullah Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan twelve purebred Arabian horses.

King Abdulaziz gifted King Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan, Egyptian President General Mohammed Naguib, Lebanese Prime Minister Riad Al-Solh, and Syrian Prime Minister Jamil Mardam Bey a Saudi attire set and a ten-tola bottle of the first-press Taif rose, considered a precious perfume. In 1945, King Abdulaziz met with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt aboard a military ship and presented him with a Saudi attire set and gold-embroidered silk dresses for his family. He also distributed gifts to the ship’s captain and the president’s entourage. During his meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Faiyum, King Abdulaziz presented him and his entourage with gifts, including jewel- and diamond-encrusted swords, traditional Arabian attire, perfumes, and precious jewelry.