Named Pasha of Marrakech, Thami El Glaoui was fascinated by the Western culture and lived his life, throwing extravagant parties in his Marrakech residence. He treated his European guests to lavish banquets and offered them expensive gifts.
In the 1930s, Pasha Thami El Glaoui asked French watchmaker Cartier to create a waterproof watch for him to wear while swimming. After delivering it, Cartier lost track of the watch and ended up creating a line to honor the unique timepiece and its owner.
In June, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation took place in London. Pasha Thami El Glaoui was one of the figures who attended the ceremony, during which he was humiliated and turned away.
In 1955, England’s best director flew to Marrakesh to shoot his suspense movie, The Man Who Knew Too Much. Permission for the shooting was obtained from Pasha El Glaoui by the producing company, Paramount Pictures.