Marbella - King Fahd of Saudi Arabia spent the first day of a rare overseas trip cloistered in his luxurious mansion after flying into the Spanish resort with a massive entourage.
Security men in sunglasses stood on guard in the grounds of the palace, which is a small version of the US presidential White House, partially hidden from prying eyes by a purpose-built hill.
Throughout the day, delivery trucks arrived bringing boxes of supplies from a department store in the coastal city.
King Fahd's cortege would spend nearly £20,000 a day on food, an official said. The visit, the king's first abroad for many years, has raised speculation that he may be seeking medical treatment.