Royalty has its perks, one of them being untold riches. For generations, British royals have led lives most of us will only ever dream of. And while you may want to argue that the government pays them annual income to the tune of AU$160 million via the Sovereign Grant, reports courtesy of The Sun suggest that this amount is just a fraction of what the monarchy is really worth.
Being the longest-serving monarch in the world, Queen Elizabeth II leads the pack when it comes to royal riches. Thanks to state subsidies and tax breaks, other members of her family have been able to amass personal fortunes themselves, making financial freedom a norm for this extended family.
The Billionaire monarch
The Billionaire Monarch
How much do you think the Queen is worth? Multiple sources suggest that it couldn’t be less than AU$3 billion. In all honesty though, much of this wealth is taxpayers’ money. However, the monarch also has an investment portfolio worth $950 million, and thanks to Winston Churchill, she doesn’t pay any taxes.
Despite her enormous wealth though, the Queen is known for being frugal, or at least as frugal as a royal can be. She is also quite generous, gifting royal members of staff every now and again.
The story of Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband, is quite interesting. The man is currently worth $85 million, which is an amount his parents couldn’t have ever envisioned for him when they smuggled him out of Greece in an orange box. When he got married to Elizabeth, he was earning a mere $20 per week.
Prince Philip had a rough start to life but he’s done well for himself
Thanks to the Sovereign Grant and the fact that Prince Philip hardly pays for anything, he has managed to save up quite the enviable amount, investing most of it for lots of profit. You can’t be married to the Queen and not have royal financial advisors, can you?
Prince Charles is the Queen’s eldest son and heir apparent to the throne. He’s apparently worth more than his dad, with his personal fortune being an estimated $190 million. In addition to what the government pays him, Charles earns at least $40 million annually from the Dutchy of Cornwall, with all of the revenue generated by the estate being paid to the Prince.
No Holding Back
In stark contrast to his dad though, Charles doesn’t hold back when it comes to spending. In 2017, he chartered a private plane for $57,000 for a one day trip. That year, he spent $2.2 million on travel alone. You don’t even want to know what his overall expenses were.
Prince Charles doesn’t hold back when it comes to spending
Prince Andrew, the Queen’s second son is worth $108 million, and if his elder brother is known for being extravagant, he takes it to a whole other level. There has been public outcry about how much his spending habits burden the taxpayer, but nothing seems to faze the Prince. In 2006, he forwent a $67 train ride for a $6000 private flight and he was only traveling to London from Norfolk. All the same, the Prince is a well-established investor, and he also receives $470,000 per year from the Queen.
Princes William and Harry, along with their significant others aren’t doing bad either, having a combined net worth of $138.5 million between the four of them.
* All amounts in this article are in Australian dollars.