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You'd expect one of the world's richest men to have a luxury car. And naturally he'll live in a sprawling mansion, own a yacht or two and fly by private jet.

But the Sultan of Brunei's spending habits go way beyond that.

In fact, an astonishing court case this week revealed financial excesses that make Elton John look like a miser.

Court papers revealed that 61-year-old Haji Hassanal Bolkiah paid £1.26million to his badminton coach, and £1.25m for acupuncture and massage.

He even spent nearly £50,000 on guards for his collection of exotic birds.

But by the standards of the Sultan's staff, that's practically minimum wage.

His five-strong PR team collected a total of £29.3m. And two housekeepers were each paid around £7m.

The eye-popping figures were exposed during a bitter legal battle with his brother Prince Jefri.

A legal source said: "I don't think the Sultan would have planned for this information to be made public.

"The figures we are dealing with are absolutely mind-boggling."

The 50-page list of payments - which totals £19.5billion - also reveals that over four years nearly £4bn of state funds was paid into his account to bankroll his lifestyle. That's more than oil-rich Brunei's entire GDP.

But what a lifestyle. He is believed to own a fleet of 5,000 luxury and sports cars and his own private Boeing 747-400 worth £115m.

He shares a 1,788-room palace with Queen Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleh, who he married in 1965, and HRH Pengiran Isteri Azrinaz Mazhar, 29, who he married in 2005.

The family also has lavish homes in London, LA, New York and Paris.

Details of the father-of-11's finances have become public thanks to the most expensive family feud in legal history.

The Sultan, who has ruled as absolute monarch for 40 years, and his brother have been embroiled in a legal battle for 10 years-lawyers' bills alone stretch to £200m.

The Sultan claims his younger brother siphoned off £8bn during 13 years as finance minister and is now claiming the prince has failed to repay the £3bn which was agreed in an out-of-court settlement back in 2000.

The prince, on the other hand, is appealing the embezzlement allegations and maintains the Sultan has reneged on a deal over which assets he could keep. He also reckons he can never receive a fair trial in Brunei.

The Sultan, a Sandhurst graduate, has rewritten his country's constitution to say: "His Majesty the Sultan... can do no wrong in his personal or any official capacity."

It also warns against taking the Sultan's name in vain in any court.

Brunei was ruled by Britain before gaining independence in 1984, and The Privy Council - which sits in Downing Street - is still the superior court and will rule on the row later this month.

But win or lose, with a personal fortune of around £10bn, the Sultan won't need to cancel those badminton lessons just yet...

Brother's £3m a week

According to court documents, Jefri was at one time spending up to £500,000 a day. Some of his possessions auctioned off in 2001 to settle outstanding debts included:

7,000 tons of marble - marble Jacuzzis Airbus A340 aircraft cockpit simulator gold toilet-roll holders

HOW WORLD'S RICHEST MAN SPENDS HIS CASH

PROPERTY

1,788-room palace, six-star hotel, climate controlled stables for his 200 polo ponies, five aircraft hangars to house his 5,000 cars, a theme park

£5m

What Michael Jackson was reportedly paid to attend the 25th birthday party of Prince Azim earlier this year

STAFF WAGE BILL

£1.25million to masseuses, acupuncturists

£13.9million to housekeepers

£1.26million to badminton coach

£5.86million to each of his five PR officers

£48,859 to guard his exotic birdcages

LUXURY CARS

531 Mercedes

367 Ferraris

362 Bentleys

185 BMWs

177 Jaguars

160 Porsches

130 Rolls-Royces

20 Lamborghinis

OTHER TRANSPORT

Two Boeings, including a 747-400 jumbo jet, one Airbus, six smaller planes, two helicopters