Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism confirmed it purchased the most expensive painting in the world.
The New York Times reported that the man behind the purchase was a little-known Saudi prince named Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan al-Saud, an associate of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia has since said the prince was acting as a middleman for the United Arab Emirates, a key ally in the region.
“His Highness Prince Badr, as a friendly supporter of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, attended its opening ceremony on November 8th and was subsequently asked by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism to act as an intermediary purchaser for the piece,” the Saudi embassy in Washington said in a statement.
My report differs a bit from what you posted. My cited article says:
“Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud was identified as the mystery buyer in a New York Times report published Wednesday, but is now reported to be a proxy for the crown prince.”