King Abdullah's 190,000 Obama gifts

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdulazi reportedly gave US president Barack Obama with £190,000 in gifts.

The 86-year-old royal was by far the most generous world ruler when Obama was made president in 2009 and sent him a string of lavish presents.

Obama's wife Michelle and two daughters - 12-year-old Sasha and Malia, nine - received almost £120,000 in luxury gems - with one piece of ruby and diamond jewellery worth £82,000 alone.

The monarch also gave President Obama a marble ornament adorned with miniature gold palm trees and camels as well as a Jaeger-LeCoultre brass clock, according to documents released by the US Federal Register.

The elderly royal also insisted on giving top White House aides working for the president a string of gifts including watches, bracelets, cufflinks and pens valued between £3,000 and £6,000.

The least expensive gift was a £46 bottle of olive oil from Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

However President Obama did not accept the presents himself and handed them over to the National Archives as US law bars any government official from receiving a present from a foreign government.

It said they were accepted to avoid embarrassment from both parties.