The last 12 months saw an increase in the number of super-rich people in the world, a change from the decline in 2015, despite political and market uncertainty. The biggest increases in wealth occurred in North America and Asia, with the biggest falls coming in Latin America and the Caribbean. The number of super-rich people in the world is predicted to rise significantly by 2021.

The number of ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals, or those with $30 million (£23.58 million) in assets or more, grew by 3.5% to 226,450, according to a new report by Wealth-X. Their combined wealth increased by 1.5% to $27 trillion (£21.22 trillion), although the average net worth of each person fell for the first time since 2013. 

Here is the chart of change over time:

The report expects there to be an additional 72,550 ultra rich people by 2021, in line with the general upward trend since 2012. Long-term growth drivers include urbanisation, rising income levels and an increase in the number of women in work.

Currency movements played a key role in last year's changes, prompting substantial losses in the UK, Russia, Mexico and Brazil. Meanwhile, a strong dollar, rising equity markets and a strong tech sector entrenched the US as the world's leading UHNW country — with New York the world's largest UHNW city.

Meanwhile, Asia has seen the fastest rate of growth: Asia's share of the world's ultra wealthy population has grown from 18% to 26% over the last ten years. The report finds this is largely due to resilient economic growth and supportive currency movements in the region.

Political uncertainty throughout 2016 — including the election of US President Donald Trump, the UK's Brexit vote, the attempted coup in Turkey and escalating tensions in the Middle East — prompted cooling investor confidence and a slowdown in the growth of global real gross domestic product (GDP). The number of mergers and acquisitions globally dropped 18% from a record high in the previous year.

UHNW individuals make up only 0.003% of the global adult population, of which 2,397 are billionaires. Only 272 of the world's billionaires are women, compared to 2,125 men. Cash accounts for roughly a third of assets owned by the super rich, highlighting their enormous spending potential. 

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30 (TIE). Shanghai, China

UHNW population (2016): 960

Year over year change: +9.1%

30 (TIE). Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona

UHNW population (2016): 960

Year over year change: +7.9%

30 (TIE). Moscow, Russia

UHNW population (2016): 960

Year over year change: -4%

Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel, whose billionaire family is believed to be one of the wealthiest in the world, has emerged as Riri's latest love interest.

Photos of Rihanna, 29, sharing a smooch with the Saudi heir in a Spanish swimming pool emerged Tuesday.

Jameel is the deputy president and vice chairman of the family-run business Abdul Latif Jameel, one of the world's largest companies, and is a key investor in Toyota. His family are reportedly worth $1.5 billion (£1.2 billion).

Sources told The Sun that the pair had been dating for months before the blurry pool photos emerged, adding that the pop queen was apparently "madly in love."

Below, the pair are spotted grabbing coffee while on their Spanish holiday.

Jameel is also thought to be the ex of supermodel Naomi Campbell. He was spotted with Campbell at the British Summer Time festival in July 2016.

Hollywood Life reported in March that the model and singer "were beefing" and consequently unfollowed each other on Instagram earlier this year. The new photos of Rihanna and Jameel have sparked speculation their "beef" was over the Saudi heir.

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Sure, you’ve admired the lifestyles of the rich and famous (or not-so-famous). But do you know how much it costs to live like them?

Not surprisingly, living a lavish “0.1 percent” lifestyle involves some serious spending, from super-sized housing bills to personal assistants and security.

Although most billionaires stay pretty tight-lipped about their spending, we “99 percent”-ers can occasionally get a glimpse into their outrageous spending.

Read on to find out what it costs to live like a billionaire — and how much you might be spending if you were in their place.

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Mansion costs: Varies, but can top $20,000 daily

Not surprisingly, your home will be among the largest costs — especially if you’ve invested in a sprawling mansion worthy of a billionaire.

If you become a billionaire, your daily housing cost varies depending on the price of your home. But if you’ve invested in a home costing north of $100 million — like billionaire Jeff Greene’s Beverly Hills mansion, listed for a reported $129 million — you’ll be paying a fortune every day.

With a 20 percent down payment, you’re looking at a mortgage worth $103,200,000. At an interest rate of 3.875 percent on a 25-year mortgage, you’ll pay about $537,630 per month, or around $17,672 per day.

Of course, you’ll also pay property taxes, homeowners insurance and maintenance, pushing your housing costs up even further. Better keep earning those billions.

Fancy car costs: $410 or more daily

Living a billionaire’s lifestyle means traveling in style — and choosing the right car can be key to maintaining your brand image. As a billionaire, perhaps you’d invest in a luxury vehicle like a Ferrari or Bugatti.

On top of a large upfront price tag — a Bugatti Veyron cost approximately $3.2 million in California a couple of years ago, according to Road & Track — you’ll also pay premium maintenance costs. A change of tires for the luxury car cost a reported $30,000 in 2015, and replacing the rims and tires cost at least $120,000. Overall, your annual maintenance alone could cost more than $150,000 annually, according to the website Secret Entourage.

Assuming you maintain your car with an annual tune-up and change your tires once a year, you’re looking at $410 per day in car maintenance — plus your lease, insurance, taxes and the cost of fuel.

Luxury yacht costs: Up to $5,890 daily

That Bugatti might feel like a relative bargain compared to the cost of owning a yacht. Of course, there’s the upfront cost of building the boat, which doesn’t come cheap. Leonardo DiCaprio’s 450-foot superyacht, for example, reportedly cost $200 million to build, according to the Daily Mail.

But your costs don’t end there. You’ll also have to pay to run, maintain and staff your yacht.

Those costs add up. The Daily Mail reported that fuel for a superyacht can add up to $400,000 per year. Docking costs a reported $350,000, and a full-time staff for a yacht can cost $1.4 million in wages annually.

For a fully staffed yacht, you’re looking at a daily cost of $5,890. If you’re cutting costs and foregoing the staff, your costs drop to $2,054 daily.

China and the US are home to 80% of the world’s self-made billionaires under the age of 40, according to the latest report by wealth-tracking research group Hurun Report.

The list includes 47 individuals, with Facebook chief officer Mark Zuckerberg, 33, ranking first with $58 billion, followed by company co-founders Dustin Moskovitz and Eduardo Saverin and former colleague Sean Parker.

In China, the top spot belongs to the man behind drone maker DJI, Frank Wang or Wang Tao in Chinese, with an estimated fortune of $4 billion, placing him ninth.

Wang turned his Hong Kong dorm room start-up into one of the world’s largest sellers of consumer drones and now supplies 70% of the market.

All told, the United States is home to 20 of the individuals, followed by China’s 18.

US-based firms that have created more than one billionaire on the list include Uber, Snapchat and Airbnb.

Rupert Hoogewerf, the chairman of Shanghai-based Hurun Report, said the rankings should serve as an international wake-up call. The domination by the US and Chinese entrepreneurs “should be pretty scary for the rest of the world”, Hoogewerf said.

The list also gave insight into the rapid speed at which massive wealth is created in the new economy.

Snapchat’s Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy crossed the billionaire threshold just three years after founding the social media company in 2011. In China, Cheng Wei, one of the founders of ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing, similarly took three years to become a billionaire.

In terms of geography, San Francisco is home to 12 of the 47 names, followed by eight in Beijing and three in Shanghai.

Wang is the sole Chinese entrepreneur to make the top 10. DJI, valued at $10 billion, dominates the North American market for consumer drones priced between $500 and $4,000, according to a report from technology news website Recode.

The 14th spot is occupied by Wang Qicheng and Wu Yan, a couple from Hangzhou, the capital of the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, who founded information technology and entertainment company Hakim. The report estimated Wang, 37, and Wu, 36, shared a net wealth of $3.1 billion.

SEE ALSO: These are the world's 8 richest billionaires

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Die-hard fans of Audrey Hepburn can not only acquire personal items treasured by the acting and fashion legend but live in the star's former Los Angeles mansion, too.

A sale in September involving the Hollywood icon's private wardrobe, film scripts, photography, and more, has recently been confirmed by Christie's. Soon after, a Holmby Hills estate that once housed Audrey Hepburn and her husband Mel Ferrer came on the market for nearly $14 million.

The 7,000-square-foot house was designed in 1938 by a man often called "the architect to the stars," Paul Williams, who was also the first African-American to receive an American Institute of Architects Gold Medal. The two-story Colonial Revival home on Delfern Drive not only attracted Hepburn, but other members of silver-screen royalty such as David Niven, Mia Farrow and, most recently, Eva Gabor.

In fact, the property is officially hailed as the "Eva Gabor Estate." After Gabor's death in 1995, the home was reportedly sold to its current owners for more than $2 million.

Ten years later, the estate came on the market for close to $17 million. It is now offered at about 18 percent off via agent Jade Mills of Jade Mills Estates through Coldwell Banker Global Luxury.

Mills said, "The home offers a stately presence and exquisite curb appeal with double iron gates leading onto a large brick motor court and elegant facade."

As per the listing, the estate is sited on approximately 1.1 acres with private tennis court, lawns, gardens, patios, a 700-square-foot guest house, an approximately 1,000-square-foot staff apartment or detached office, and large pool.

Rooms in the main house include a formal foyer, living room and family room with fireplaces, formal dining room, breakfast room, and kitchen. There are four bedrooms upstairs, including the master suite, and two staff bedrooms downstairs.

SEE ALSO: A one-bedroom home that was purchased for $28,000 on 'Fixer Upper' is up for sale for nearly $1 million

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Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel and former Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr got married in May, but they have only just published images and shared details of their big day.

Kerr posted three snaps of the private affair on her Instagram account, @mirandakerr, after they were first published as part of an interview with US Vogue.

Kerr told the magazine that she and Spiegel invited just 45 close friends and family to the intimate ceremony, which took place at the Snapchat chief's home in Los Angeles. A canopy was hung high above the garden to ensure privacy for the couple.

There were no bridesmaids, but Kerr's six-year-old son Flynn — whose dad is English actor Orlando Bloom — was the ring bearer and later joined the newly weds in their first dance. Flynn was dressed in a Dior three-piece suit.

Kerr's dress was designed by Dior's new artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri. Kerr said: "Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful wedding dress."

She added: "I’ve had a lot of fun with fashion, and I used to be more wild, free, bohemian. But in this period of my life, my style is more pulled back.

"My greatest sources of inspiration have always been Grace, Audrey Hepburn, and my grandmother, who at 80 has an effortless chic: a nice pant, a white blouse, a scarf, a little heel."

Kerr told Vogue that she began her wedding day by making her husband-to-be's favourite dish of slow-roasted chicken scented with turmeric and lemon, which the caterers then replicated for the rest of the wedding party.

The couple enjoyed an hour of yoga together ahead of the nuptials, in an attempt to calm any nerves, though Kerr confessed to the magazine that she still ended up crying through her vows.

She later changed into a short and lacy number also designed by Chiuri. The night ended with karaoke, and Kerr singing along to Shania Twain.

Below, one of the images shared by Kerr shows a flower adorned alter, at which the couple married.

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A new survey reveals the 10 richest graduates of Harvard, the university that pumps out billionaires like no other.

According to the wealth information firm Wealth-X, Harvard is the world's top university for producing billionaires, claiming 125 of them with a combined wealth of $590 billion. Stanford has produced the second-most billionaires at 50; the University of Pennsylvania comes in third with 47 billionaires.

Wealth-X used its proprietary database of information on the ultra-wealthy to produce its rankings—and to examine the differences between Harvard billionaires and non-Harvard billionaires. What researchers found is that nearly two-thirds of Harvard grad billionaires are self-made, a higher percentage than the global average of Wealth-X's billionaire census of 55%. Harvard billionaires also have an average net worth of $4.7 billion, which is "substantially higher than the global average" for billionaires, according to the report.

It's notable that Harvard billionaire grads including Bill Ackman, head of hedge fund Pershing Square (BA/MBA '92, worth $1.4 billion), and Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett-Packard (MBA '79, worth $2.6 billion), aren't nearly rich enough to crack this list's top 10. On the other hand, two famous Harvard dropouts are wealthier than any of the Harvard students who hung around long enough to earn degrees: Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, is now worth $89.2 billion, while Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is worth $64.2 billion.

Here's the list of Harvard's top 10 richest alumni.

SEE ALSO: 11 things that are harder to get into than Harvard

10. Carlos Alberto Sicupira

Sicupira (MBA '84) is one of the founding partners of 3G Capital. His net worth is estimated at $9.4 billion.

9. Ernesto Bertarelli

Bertarelli (MBA '93) is the chairman of Waypoint Capital, and part of the wealthy family that owned Serona, the biotech giant that was sold to Merck in 2007 for $9 billion. His net worth is estimated at $9.6 billion.

8. Stephen Schwarzman

Schwarzman (MBA '72) is chairman, CEO, and co-founder of the global asset management firm the Blackstone Group. His net worth is estimated at $10.9 billion.

Warren Buffett's bet on Apple gained $1 billion on Wednesday.

Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway owns about 135 million shares of Apple. Apple released its third quarter earnings report after the bell on Tuesday and beat Wall Street's expectations. Shares of the company rose 5.11% on Wednesday following the strong report to $157.72.

Multiplying Berkshire Hathaway's 135 million shares by the $7.67 rise in Apple's stock price nets the holding company $1,035,319,579; more than $1 billion in a single day.

It's worth noting that Buffett would have to sell his company's shares at the current stock price in order to realize those gains. Berkshire Hathaway's holding also could have changed slightly since it last disclosed it as well, which would affect the gains.

Apple was on the rise after reporting higher than expected earnings and revenue numbers. Stronger iPad and Mac sales contributed to the beat. Apple also released guidance for the fourth quarter which would suggest that previously expected delays in the launch of the iPhone 8 won't be an issue for the company.

Berkshire added 73 million shares, about half of their total position in the first quarter of 2017, according to Bloomberg. The company has also publicized a large holding in Store Capital recently. Shares of Store shot up after Buffett announced his holding, but then got downgraded by one Wall Street firm shortly after.

Shares of Apple are up 35.76% this year.

Click here to read more about Apple's stock price...

SEE ALSO: Warren Buffett's newest investment just got downgraded on Wall Street

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It's not every day that you see a 24-year-old female billionaire — let alone one that first found fame through a viral photo.

Zhang Zetian was listed in Chinese New Fortune magazine's top 500 rich list this May, making her the youngest female billionaire in the country. The accolade has been repeated in by Chinese and Hong Kong media like the South China Morning Post newspaper and Jing Daily online magazine.

China is home to many young female billionaires, many of whom are self-made.

Thanks to Zhang's well-groomed Instagram page, we're about learn a little more about her life. Take a look at the slides below to learn more about the young billionaire.

This is 24-year-old Zhang Zetian, who also goes by Nancy.

Zhang first rose to fame in 2009 when a photo of her holding a cup of tea went viral.

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Zhang, then in her mid-teens, was given the Chinese nickname Naicha meimei or “milk tea little sister”.

In 2014, she starred in a promotional video for that summer's Youth Olympics in Nanjing.

However, she resisted further fame, according, according to SCMP, and refused a movie role by by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who made  "House of Flying Daggers" and "The Great Wall."

Rashed Saif Belhasa, known on YouTube and Instagram as Money Kicks, is the son of Dubai construction billionaire Saif Ahmed Belhasa — and he has built an online presence through flaunting his extravagant lifestyle.

The 15-year-old's latest stunt? Having a brand new £200,000 Ferrari wrapped in a Louis Vuitton/Supreme collaboration print.

Belhasa filmed the two-day experience and put it on YouTube. All of this despite the fact he won't be able to drive in Dubai until he turns 18.

The Ferrari, which has a 6.3-litre V12 engine and a top speed of 200mph, was originally yellow before being wrapped.

"It's all about the details," Belhasa says in the video. He also takes a look at other cars that he says he needs to have "in the future."

According to The Sun, Belhasa also owns a $1 million (£768,700) trainer collection, a Yeezy-inspired Cadillac Escalade, and has a matching set of shoes and bag to go with the Louis Vuitton/Supreme wrap.

He has 661,000 Instagram followers, as well as over 779,000 on YouTube.

He hangs out with some of the world's biggest celebrities, such as Leo Messi...

...and DJ Khaled.

And it's not only on the road that he travels in style — he also flies first class.

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In a Thursday morning interview with CNBC, Carlos Rodriguez, CEO of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) described his interactions with hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Capital.

Ackman, he said, reminds him "of a spoiled brat in school asking a teacher for an extension of their homework."

Pershing Square recently took an 8% activist stake in ADP, and Ackman was asking for an extension on the deadline to nominate directors to ADP's board. The deadline was August 10, but Ackman asked for an additional 30 to 45 days.

"I've been the CEO now for almost 6 years. I've had probably close to 30 board meetings, 24 quarterly calls, 10Ks, 10Qs, and I've never asked for an extension," Rodriguez said. "Our board as far as I know has never asked for a  extension for anything. They show up on time and they show up prepared."

On Monday Pershing nominated three directors to the company's board, including Ackman himself. Before that, Pershing said that its aim was to nominate five directors and remove Rodriguez as CEO.

To that, the company said — though it appreciated Pershing's "constructive input"— it would not be taking any of the hedge fund's advice.

You can see why things are tense.

Now, Ackman has been called a lot of things on Wall Street.

Legendary investor Carl Icahn once called into CNBC to tell everyone that Ackman was like "one of those little Jewish boys crying" at his rough Queens elementary school.

He also said that when he had dinner with Ackman, he "couldn't figure out if he was the most sanctimonious guy I met in my life or just arrogant..."

Pershing Square declined to comment on this matter.

Here's the clip:

SEE ALSO: What The Heck Happened To Bill Ackman?

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Billionaires Poju and Anita Zabludowicz are being challenged by government authorities over plans to partially demolish a 19th-century church for their art collection.

The pair own 176 Prince of Wales Road, a former Methodist church in north London's Belsize Park, which was first listed in 1974.

Since the eponymous Zabludowicz Collection opened in 2007, the space has hosted exhibitions and installations for artists like Tracey Emin.

In January, the couple proposed to knock down part of the church's former Sunday school, a two-storey building next to the main structure, and erect a three-storey-plus-basement-level extension to the main building, according to plans submitted to Camden council.

This was part of a plan to extend the gallery and create space for a cafe, according to the Evening Standard.

Following a letter from Historic England in February, a public body that preserves and lists old buildings in the country, the couple revised their plans to demolish less of the former Sunday school, but added plans to demolish the middle gallery, another part of the listed site.

The proposals have again stirred criticism, however. In a second letter to Camden council in July, Historic England wrote:

"We were disappointed to note that the revisions include a great degree of demolition to the middle gallery... The justification for this change is not clear. [...]

"Overall we consider the scheme is notably improved, although it would still cause some harm to the listed building. Your authority should be convinced that the justification has been provided for all harmful works, and that public benefits outweigh the harm caused, as per your statutory obligations."

A spokeswoman for Zabludowicz Collection told the Evening Standard that the newly proposed plans would increase the gallery's exhibition, performance, education, and storage space. The spokeswoman added that they "respect and enhance the historic features of the building."

The collection did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The Zabludowicz's are worth £1.5 billion and were ranked 84th in the Sunday Times Rich List this year.

The art-loving couple also owns galleries in New York and Sarvisalo, Finland — Poju's home country — and support artists around the world, according to the Zabludowicz Collection's website.

Newcastle-born Anita was awarded an OBE in 2015 for her services to the arts. For Anita's 40th birthday, Poju had two galleries at the Tate named after her, Anita told The Sunday Times.

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It's important to remember that money doesn't solve life's problems. In fact, many lottery winners' lives took a turn for the worse, and they also managed to lose all the money.

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A "billionaire's ice cream" with extra bling has gone on sale at London's Selfridge's department store this week.

The overblown cone weighs in at 350g (that's nearly as much as the contents of a tub of Haagen-Dazs) and is made to order by luxury ice cream producer Snowflake Gelato.

And it doesn't come cheap. The Billionaire’s Soft Serve is on sale for £99 ($127) — making it the most expensive ice cream in Britain's capital.

Here's a run down of what you get for your money:

• Salted caramel gelato.
• A handmade cone dipped in rare criollo Madagascan dark chocolate.
• Gelato spheres of mango, ginger, and passion fruit.
• A Belgian white chocolate truffle filled with salted caramel sauce.
• A raspberry sorbet macaroon decorated with white chocolate glaze and edible diamonds.
• A healthy sprinkling of 24-carat gold leaf, a golden flake, and a spoon.

You'll have to wait 15 minutes while they assemble the ice cream, which is available exclusively at Snowflake Gelato's Selfridges boutique. Here's another image of the finished article:

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There are a record 2,043 billionaires in the world, according to Forbes' 2017 rich list — 233 more than last year. Their riches accumulate to more than $7.67 trillion (£5.9 trillion).

Of that number, almost a quarter (471) are European residents and between them, have attended more than 208 universities all over the world — not counting any honorary degrees or doctorates.

Business Insider combed through the education history of these 471 super rich individuals to find where they all went to university. Our results reveal the 28 higher education institutions that produce the most European billionaires.

Three of the institutions that made the list are in fact outside of Europe — including the university the took number one spot. Stand-out and recurrent degree subjects among the list of graduates-turned-tycoons included economics, engineering, mechanical engineering, law, and business management and administration. 

Keep scrolling to find out the 28 universities that have produced the most European billionaires. They are ranked in ascending order, based on their number of billionaire European graduates.

Note: Some billionaires may have obtained other degrees from universities which do not feature in the top 28. Similarly, other billionaires may be listed multiple times under different universities because they have more than one degree. 

Furthermore, the net worth figures are taken from Forbes' live rich list, meaning they are subject to change.

9. Georgetown University, US — 2 billionaires

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This American university, located in Washington D.C., has two European billionaires among its notable alumni, which include former-President Bill Clinton, former-Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Antonin Gregory Scalia, and Ivanka Trump.

Graduate European billionaires:

August von Finck (net worth $7.8 billion)

Henri Beaufour (net worth $3 billion)

=8. Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria — 3 billionaires

Boasting three European billionaires graduates, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration is the biggest university in Europe to focus solely on business and economics-related subjects.

Graduate European billionaires:

Dietrich Mateschitz (net worth $20.3 billion)

Erman Ilıcak (net worth $2.7 billion)

Georg Stumpf, Jr (net worth $1.64 billion)

=8. Technical University of Munich, Germany — 3 billionaires

This German university is a member of TU9 — a group of the most recognised and prestigious German technology colleges and universities. Alongside the three billionaire alumni, TUM has also educated 13 Nobel laureates.

Graduate European billionaires:

Andreas von Bechtolsheim (net worth $5.4 billion)

Erman Ilıcak (net worth $2.7 billion)

Karl Friedrich Braun (net worth $1.28 billion)

It can be hard to fathom how some of the world's richest people live, and the vast wealth that they control.

Sri and Gopi Hinduja, the brothers on the top of this year's Sunday Times rich list, are worth more than the entire GDPs of Belize and the Central African Republic.

With that much power at stake, how are they being protected? Business Insider spoke to three bodyguards from Intelligent Protection, a British bodyguard company, to find out.

The 60-person firm's clientele include billionaires, business executives, royal family members, and celebrities, including Miranda Kerr and Benedict Cumberbatch. The firm declined to provide the names of other clients for security reasons.

It has bodyguards deployed around the globe, CEO Alex Bomberg told BI, with teams in the UK, the US, France, Spain, Italy, Monaco, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, and the Bahamas alone.

Here's some advice from Bomberg and two of his employees on how to protect the world's rich and famous.

Communication and diplomacy are more important than muscle.

Contrary to popular belief, size isn't key to being a good bodyguard, all three experts told BI.

Instead, people with "softer skills" such as communication and diplomacy make more effective bodyguards, Bomberg said. Multiple languages also help, given the company's international work — some of the firm's employees speak four languages.

"Some people in the industry make the mistake of assessing the quality of someone by the figure on the scales," said Graeme Dyson, a bodyguard and manager at Intelligent Protection who previously worked as a counter-terror police officer.

"This doesn't happen with other professions — no one judges their doctor's skills by how tall they are or what they weigh and this should be the same for a professional bodyguard."

"Celebrities in particular like to attract attention to themselves by overtly using bodyguards like these. However, when it all goes wrong, and they need a different level of protection and professionalism, it is companies like Intelligent Protection that they come to for help and advice."

Flexibility is key, even if it means you end up in weird situations (some involving pigs).

Protection tasks can be "frustrating," as officers spend hours planning an event only for everything to change at the last minute, Dyson said.

"Some of the clients you look after lead very chaotic lives and you need to be able to adjust to not being in control of where you are, who you are with, how long you're staying and where you're going next," he said. "Flexibility, adaptability and being able to think on your feet" are key.

For instance, a Middle Eastern royal ruined detailed security plans for a restaurant meal by changing his booking at the last second.

Dyson also joined a team earlier this summer in Exuma — a collection of islands in the Bahamas where two James Bond movies were shot.

They had to pose as tourists because their mission was to protect their clients without them realising. They ended up swimming with pigs and sharks, travelling by powerboat and jet ski, and even snorkeling to stay incognito.

"It doesn't get much more surreal than that," Polly Wilton, another bodyguard who was on the trip, told BI.

Know that clients' lifestyles are going to be like nothing you've seen before.

Being a bodyguard to billionaires, royals and celebrities offers a glimpse into their lifestyles — for better and for worse.

"You have an insight into how multi-million-pound companies work and the influential circles they move in," said Wilton, who served in the British Army before joining Intelligent Protection.

"When protecting UHNWI [ultra-high net worth individuals] you have exposure to their unique lifestyles and the vast difference to what normality is to them."

"I always advise people coming into this [protection] industry to remember that the client's lifestyle is not their lifestyle," Dyson said. "I have seen a few people ruined by trying to keep up with a client who is financially completely out of their league."

Some bodyguards might "get used to going to good restaurants and eating expensive food, staying in the best hotels," he added. "Some begin to think that is their lifestyle and not the clients', and try and do the same thing when they are not working and bankrupt themselves."

"Some clients are shockingly horrible. One early on in my protection career, when he was in a bad mood, sacked people on the spot because he didn't like their socks," he also said.

"Others are really considerate and come across as very genuine, decent people no matter their fame or wealth."

Despite the stress, the job has it perks from time to time: Dyson ended up as an extra on the "Sherlock" TV show while looking after Benedict Cumberbatch, and had dinner with "Monty Python" cast members on another job, he told BI.

Dyson appears behind Cumberbatch in the bottom-right photo.

Chinese-Australian billionaire Peter Tseng just splashed out A$2.45 million (£1.5 million / $2 million) on a No.4 license plate in New South Wales, Australia.

Tseng's purchase, at Shannons Sydney Winter Classic Auction, set a new record for the most spent on a number plate in Australia, according to local newspaper Domain.

The opening bid for the plate was more than A$1 million, but offers quickly rose in A$100,000 installments as a bidding war broke out between two buyers.

Tseng, who is a number plate collector and reportedly arrived in a red Ferrari with the No. 2 license plate, apparently did not put his hand down during the auction. He appeared adamant to purchase the exclusive plate, even though the number four is considered "unlucky" in Chinese.

He is also the owner of the No. 1 number plate registered in Hong Kong and a Sydney-registered personalised licence plate "ONE," Domain said.

The video below captures the moment Tseng's final offer of A$2.45 million was accepted to applause and cheers from the 300-strong crowd.

It is understood Tseng bought the number plate from software entrepreneur Steve Shelley. Domain reported that the plates were last seen on Shelly's utility vehicle before they were registered at the auction with a guide price of between A$1.2 million and A$1.4 million.

Tseng is the world's largest manufacturer of sex toys, according to the LA Times. He also has a wine collection worth millions of dollars. He was featured in the 2013 Australian film "Red Obsession." 

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Billionaire and legendary investor Warren Buffett turns 87 years old on August 30. With a net worth of nearly $77 billion, "The Oracle of Omaha" is currently the fourth-richest person in the world— but he doesn't act like it.

His modest home in Nebraska is worth just .001% of his total wealth and he never spends more than $3.17 on his daily McDonald's breakfast.

To those who knew him from the beginning, Buffett's success comes as no surprise: He was picking out stocks at 11 years old and had amassed the equivalent of $53,000 in today's dollars by the time he was 16.

But Buffett isn't just a master at making money — he's good at giving it away, too. Although he didn't start donating until later in life at the insistence of his first wife, Buffett is now regarded as one of the most generous philanthropists in the world, giving more than $27 billion to causes in the last decade.

Inspired by a Quora thread asking "What are some mind-blowing facts about Warren Buffett," we rounded up 24 astonishing facts about the legendary investor and his massive fortune.

SEE ALSO: Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Oprah all use the 5-hour rule — here's how it works

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While his elementary school classmates were dreaming about the major leagues and Hollywood, 10-year old Buffett was having lunch with a member of the New York Stock Exchange and setting life goals.

Buffett's legendary career all began with an epiphany at age 10 when he was on a trip to New York City with his dad.

Dining with a member of the NYSE planted the idea in young Buffett's head to organize his life around money.

Source: Business Insider

He bought his first stock at age 11.

He purchased multiple shares of Cities Service Preferred for $38 apiece.

Source: GOBankingRates

When Buffett was a teen, he was already raking in about $175 a month — more than his teachers (and most adults).

He pulled this off by dutifully delivering the Washington Post.

Source: Business Insider

Power couple Jay Z and Beyoncé are well-known for their extravagant lifestyles. And this year the Carters are understood to have joined the billionaire club.

According to Forbes 2017 list of America's Richest Self-Made Women, 35-year-old Beyonce is worth $350 million ($270 million).

Meanwhile, a ranking of The Richest in Hip Hop of 2017 revealed that Jay Z's fortune had jumped 30% in the past year to $810 (£625) million, putting the couple's combined net worth at $1.16 billion (£890 million).

And they sure know how to spend it. They recently bought a Bel Air estate for $88 million.

This summer Jay-Z released his latest album 4:44, which is apparently a direct response to Beyoncé's Lemonade. In addition to addressing rumours of an alleged affair, both albums appear to paint a picture of their spending habits.

This prompted peer-to-peer lender Giffgaff Money to examine each record to work out the exact value, in sterling, of every extravagant purchase they name drop.

Here's the total value of each name-dropped item. Jay-Z's references stack up to more than £141 million ($182 million), while Beyoncé only drops £460,000.

And now here's a break down of the cost of every single item mentioned.

Jay Z is also responsible for both the most and least expensive items of the two albums...

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