The desire to enjoy a good party or celebration is as universal as the longing to travel. We can all relate. What is less common however is the ability to throw inordinately lavish affairs that cost a fortune, include over-the-top opulence and are attended by the upper echelons of global society. The most extravagant of these events sometimes even achieve their own sort of fame. One such event, that has gone down as one of the most expensive parties ever, was the 1996 festivities in honour of the 50th birthday of Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. No mere single-day affair, this was a series of parties and ceremonies that lasted two weeks. Reportedly costing the super-rich Sultan some US$27 million, the birthday festivities included a distinguished, high-profile guest list of world leaders, royalty and even the king of pop, Michael Jackson. Flashback: Michael Jackson’s forgotten 3-week getaway in Hong Kong The occasion Known to live one of the most extravagant lives of excess of any individual on the planet, it’s hardly surprising that in 1996, when the Sultan of Brunei turned 50, he threw himself a birthday bash with an astronomical price tag of around US$27 million. The venue Essentially the entire nation of Brunei acted as the venue for the sultan’s party. Spanning a fortnight, the celebrations took place at various locations and included an opulent dinner party in his 1,778-room palace and a Michael Jackson concert attended by 60,000 people. The guest list In addition to the nation’s population being invited to certain parts of the festivities, the sultan’s private guest list included international dignitaries, members of the royal family (Prince Charles for one) and other members of the world’s elite society. Prince Mateen isn’t just another royal with six-pack abs The party The two weeks of festivities featured a host of events across the country, including a special polo match, the famous Michael Jackson concert – free for all attendees – and a sumptuous dinner party where 3,000 of the sultan’s most distinguished guests enjoyed free-flowing champagne and caviar and were entertained at a smaller, private concert by the King of Pop himself. View this post on Instagram Dengan penuh hormat serta takzim, Hamba Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik ingin merafakkan Sembah Kesyukuran dan menyembahkan ucapan Hari Puja Usia ke-74 tahun Kehadapan Majlis Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam dengan iringan doa agar semoga Allah SWT melanjutkan usia Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik, sihat walafiat, sentiasa dibawah lindungan Allah SWT, dilimpahi kurnia dengan kebahagiaan dan kesejahteraan serta kekal qarar di atas Takhta Singgahsana memerintah Negara Brunei Darussalam. Aminn Ya Rabbal 'Alamiin. Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik. . Reposted from @haqimie267 . #raw #bruneiroyalfamily #bruneidarussalam FAZIZUL HAQIMIE. DSLR. A post shared by @ bruneiroyalfamily on Jul 14, 2020 at 6:46pm PDT Notable mentions and exceptional extras As reported, the events racked up a bill of around US$27 million – US$17 million of which was paid to Jackson for his performances. The stadium in the country’s Jerudong Park where the concert took place was constructed specifically for the event and offered to Brunei’s people as a gift from the sultan himself. Additionally, the country’s civil servants all received salary increases, something that hadn’t happened in some two decades. And if that wasn’t extravagant enough, the 3,000 guests at the grand finale celebration dinner received a gold medal as a parting gift. Who did Jeff Bezos invite to his girlfriend’s 50th birthday party? Want more stories like this? Sign up