The then ‘King of Pop’ arrived with his entourage and was shown around the city by Mohammed Ben Sulayem

For a week in August of 2005, the then ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson spent his time relaxing in Dubai while taking in the sights, even making time to sign autographs for fans.

After being in Bahrain for a couple of months as the guest of the royal family, Jackson arrived in Dubai and was welcomed by Emirati rally champion Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Images of the visit show Jackson in a blue shirt with his signature fedora being shown around the city by Ben Sulayem.

During his time in Dubai, Jackson toured the still under-construction Palm Jumeirah and the World Islands, as well as the Burj Al Arab.

He was accompanied by his entourage on these visits and was said to have been interested in buying property.

“The guy is a gentleman,” Ben Sulayem was quoted as saying by AP. “I’ve met guys who weren’t even 10 per cent as famous as he is, and they are much harder to deal with.

“He wants to see more of this area. He likes it here.”

Michael Jackson holds a souvenir he was given at the UAE Desert Challenge gala with then chairman and former rally driver Mohammed Ben Sulayem. AFP

Jackson was also taken to the now-closed Hard Rock Cafe and, according to news reports of the day, enjoyed a plate of Buffalo wings and happily signed autographs for the staff.

There was not much fanfare to this visit, as most of the news coverage on it was shared after it ended.

Earlier in the year, Jackson had been cleared of all criminal charges from an abuse case, and his visit to the UAE was probably a respite from the constant paparazzi attention he received in the US.

During a stand-up show in Abu Dhabi this year, comedian Chris Tucker, a close friend of Jackson, mentioned that he was in the city during the singer’s visit, and that they went to Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates together.

Jackson arrived in Dubai after spending a few months in Bahrain. AFP

After Dubai, he spent some time in Oman where he was shown around by the current ruler, Sultan Haitham, who was serving in the country’s Foreign Ministry at the time.

Jackson would return to Dubai in November 2005 to take part in a gala organised to celebrate the conclusion of the UAE Desert Challenge, a rally event in which he helped to award the winners.

He died four years later at the age of 50 from a cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009. The cause of death was deemed to be a lethal combination of sedatives and an anaesthetic called propofol.

During his lifetime, Jackson released 10 studio album and five soundtrack albums. Two albums of unreleased tracks were released posthumously.