Sir Philip Green's birthday party

A billionaire who knows how to celebrate a birthday;

“The billionaire Top Shop boss will celebrate his 55th birthday by flying 100 of his closest friends in two private jets to the exclusive Maldives resort of Soneva Fushi, an eco-spa on a private Indian Ocean island….

Sir Philip will celebrate his birthday on Thursday with a banquet by the beach. He flew 200 friends to Cyprus for his 50th birthday, where Rod Stewart and Tom Jones performed, and there was a toga party on the final evening at which the Bhs boss dressed as Nero.

The Maldives trip is typical of Sir Philip's flamboyant personality and love of ostentation. He relishes the trappings that come with his billions - from the yacht and Learjet to the celebrity-studded parties. Two years ago, he spent £4m on his son's bar mitzvah in the south of France, at which Beyoncé performed. For his 55th, George Michael and Ricky Martin have been tipped as possible entertainers.

But his latest extravaganza will leave a heavy carbon footprint; each of his guests will generate 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide on their 17,000km round trip.

The flights from Stansted to Male, capital of the Maldives, are expected to arrive on Wednesday morning. From Male, it is another half hour by seaplane to their destination. Soneva Fushi describes itself as a "true Robinson Crusoe experience" where visitors are invited to wander barefoot over the white sands of the uninhabited island. Part of a chain founded by Sonu Shivdasani, an Old Etonian who was at Oxford with David Cameron, and his Swedish wife Eva, a former model, its motto is "no news, no shoes", though it does offer an internet cafe and meeting room for workaholics. Rates start at £600 a night and go up to £2,000 for a suite.”

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