The specifications for Hussein’s yacht were lost when the yard pulled down the shutters for the last time in 1983, but we know it was sumptuously fitted out. There were 14 guest cabins accommodating up to 28, and quarters for a generous 35 crew. The key feature was undoubtedly the presidential suite, which occupied the full beam of the boat and included an office and a dedicated barber’s chair intended for keeping the president’s trademark moustache in tip-top condition. The centrepiece was a vast fairy-tale bed hung with curtains and a rich canopy. Silk carpets, gold leaf, elaborate panelling and Louis XV-style chairs completed an image of extraordinary ostentation.
