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Just how rich is the British royal family and how do they compare with the others? There are numerous royal families in the world and many of them you might not even be aware of. So indeed, despite what some might say, the monarchy is not quite dead. In fact, many of these royal families in existence are so wealthy and powerful, that they practically rule the world.
The British royal family is the one most of us are familiar with but you may not realize they aren’t even the richest royal family in the world. Although they certainly have a lot. But it's more than Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince Harry and Prince William bringing in all that wealth. They are just a few pieces of the puzzle, and when you consider all the members of the royal family, the net worth figure may surprise you.
Some royal families include thousands of members, so their numbers are even higher! We’ve taken a look at the wealthiest royals in the world and ranked them by net worth. The amount of wealth that some of these families have amassed is jaw-dropping. With that said, let’s take a look at the richest royals in the world, ranked.
50. Princess Eugenie - $4.8 Million
Unlike many of the royals on this list, Princess Eugenie isn’t a “working royal.” This means that she isn’t supported by the Sovereign Grant – a tax-payer-funded pool of money that covers the royals’ salaries. Instead, she’s using the money that was put aside for her by Queen Elizabeth II’s mother, aka the Queen Mother.
According to Town & Country, Princess Eugenie is worth an estimated $4 million. Part of that is due to her job as a full-time associate director at the London art Gallery, Hauser & Wirth. There, she earns a yearly salary of $145,000. Who knows how this will change in the future, being the daughter of Prince Andrew.
49. Princess Beatrice - $5 Million
Princess Beatrice is Prince Andrew’s oldest daughter, and she’s taken the spotlight lately. After Queen Elizabeth II passed, she’s taken a more senior role as the Counsellor of the State. That likely comes with a large pay raise, but where it stands, she’s still worth $5 million. Don’t get us wrong, that’s nothing to sneeze at.
Prior to this role, she worked in finance and consulting. The spent her days working as vice president of a software company called Afiniti. Will she remain in this role? Unlikely. She’ll join other members of her family in this role, one being Camilla and another possibly being her father Prince Andrew.
48. Prince Andrew of England - $5 million
When it comes to the royal succession, Prince Andrew is pretty far down the list. Barring some catastrophic event that wipes out most of Britain’s royal family, he’ll never make it to the throne. However, his days as a royal have granted him a seat at the millionaire’s table.
While a $5 million net worth is on the lower end of this list, most people would be over the moon to have that kind of money. However, Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, have had some financial troubles recently—including a lawsuit after failing to make payments on a Swiss lodge they purchased.
47. Kate Middleton - $7 Million
According to Money, Kate Middleton sits on a fortune of her own. The duch*ess of Cambridge has an estimated wealth of $7 million to $10 million! All that was pretty much earned before she married into the royal family in 2011, although she’s likely quickly increasing her net worth daily.
The duch*ess and Princess’s wealth comes from her parents’ company, Party Pieces. The company alone is worth $50 million. The good part about her being a royal is that the royal family pays for all their living expenses. Who knows how much money she’ll be worth a decade from now!
46. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - $10 Million
Obviously, Prince Harry carries much of the net worth in their relationship, but Meghan Markle has some money on her own! According to Forbes, Prince Harry and Meghan together are worth $10 million, but it could be more. Harry alone has earned podcasting deals that could be worth between $15 and $18 million.
Then there’s Meghan Markle. She had to step away from television after marrying the prince, but she still gets royalties from it. On her own, she’s worth $2.2 million, based on the salary she earned while starring as Rachel Zane in the TV show Suits. Before the split from the royal family, the pair were actually worth much more.
45. Prince Edward of England - $10 million
Like most of Britain’s royal family, Prince Edward has done handsomely for himself in the money department. While not as high earning as some of his relatives, his $10 million net worth still managed to get him onto this list. However, unlike a few of his family members, he actually worked for some of his money.
Before he took on full-time duties as a member of the royal family, Edward worked in both theater and television, even managing to open his own production company that produced several TV shows and documentaries. Since then, he has started spending more time in the world of charity work.
44. King Felipe VI of Spain - $10 million
King Felipe IV of Spain actually cut his own salary several years back, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the wealthiest royals in the world. A twenty percent cut in pay might seem like a lot, but it’s not really when you’re already lavishly rich.
Currently, it’s estimated that Felipe has a net worth of at least $10 million. Much of this probably comes from the multiple palaces and homes that the royal family of Spain owns. And, despite the fact that he took a pay cut, it still takes almost $10 million a year for the country to support the king.
43. Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco - $30 million
Technically, Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco is no royal at all. Her mother, Princess Caroline, decided not to give her children royal titles when they were born. However, while she might not have the official distinction when your grandparents are the late Prince Ranier III and Grace Kelly, you’re still a royal.
Even without an official title, Casiraghi has still managed to accumulate millions for herself, with her current net worth estimated to be at $30 million. During her long and varied career, she’s done everything from modeling for Gucci to founding a philosophical think tank. She’s definitely led a more interesting life than most royals!
Juan Jose Alvarez Gomez, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
42. Prince William of England - $30 Million
His days as the King of England are still a bit in the future, but even if he doesn’t yet have the crown for himself, Prince William has done just fine in the finance department. It’s estimated that his net worth is somewhere in the range of $30 million.
A good portion of William’s wealth came from the estate of his late mother, Princess Diana. It was reported that he inherited more than $15 million from her when he turned 30. However, he did make some of his millions on his own…albeit not much. When he was in the military, his salary was $62,000.
41. King Harald V - $30 Million
King Harald V of Norway is said to have a net worth of $30 million. Born in 1937, King Harald is a member of House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg. His wife is Sonja Haraldsen and he follows the Church of Norway, an evangelical Lutheran church. He has been king since 1991.
As King of Norway, he is the head of the Norwegian Armed Forces, and has two heirs: Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Martha Louise. Harald V is also educated, having studied at the University of Oslo and Balliol College in Oxford. Well-versed in history, economics and politics, he’s proven himself well-suited for his position. And on top of all that, he’s an athlete who competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
40. Queen Rania of Jordan - $35 Million
Rania Al-Abdullah began dating the then-prince Abdullah II of Jordan in 1993. He became king of Jordan in February of 1999, and, a month later, he declared Rania the queen of the country. It’s estimated that she has a net worth of at least $35 million.
Before she began her whirlwind life as a royal, Rania briefly had a career where she worked for both Citibank and Apple. As queen of Jordan, she has moved into a more humanitarian role where she works with charitable organizations dedicated to youth education and health both home and abroad.
Frédéric de Villamil from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
39. Queen Margrethe II - $40 Million
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has a net worth of $40 million. She is the daughter of King Frederik IX and Ingrid of Sweden. Born in 1940, she took up the throne in 1972 and has remained in the position ever since. Having started her political career at an early age, she was just eighteen years old when she was put on the Council of State.
Currently, she is married to Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark. Her two heirs are Crown Prince Frederik Andre Henrik and Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian of Denmark. And on top of that, she has a total of eight grandchildren split between the two of them.
38. Akihito - $40 Million
Akihito is the ruling Emperor of Japan with a net worth of $40 million. Born in the Tokyo Imperial Palace in 1933, he was literally born for this and has known no other life. He served as Emperor from 1989 until 2019. He was the eldest son of Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun. His brothers had been evacuated from the firebombing raids of 1945.
After stepping down in 2019, he was succeeded by Emperor Naruhito, the eldest son of three children. It’s also worth noting that Akihito is an ichthyological researcher and has written papers for several scholarly journals. The man still lives today, having survived prostate cancer, pneumonia and heart bypass surgery.
37. Count Alexandre de Lesseps of France - $50 Million
Alexandre de Lesseps may be a count in France, but he’s probably much more well-known as a businessman and the former husband of one of the most obnoxious Real Housewives in the franchise, “Countess” LuAnn. Unlike some royals, de Lesseps earned most of his money, with an estimated net worth of $50 million.
De Lesseps descends from Ferdinand de Lesseps, who was a 19th-century French diplomat and one of the developers of the Suez Canal. The current de Lesseps focused his time on finance and is one of the earliest promoters of using microfinancing to fund small businesses worldwide.
36. Yasmin Aga Khan - $50 Million
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan of Switzerland is worth $50 million. The Swiss-born royal has made a career as an American philanthropist, having raised awareness for Alzheimer's disease, which her mother had suffered from. She is the second child of actress Rita Hayworth and the third child of Prince Aly Khan.
The Princess has married twice, first to Basil Embiricos, and later to Christopher Michael Jeffries. She currently serves on the Board of Directors as Vice Chairman of the Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Association. Additionally, she is the president of the Alzheimer's Disease International. She graduated from Bennington College and has an interest in Opera singing.
35. Pierre Casiraghi - $50 Million
Pierre Casiraghi is the son of Princess Caroline of Hanover and has a net worth of $50 million. His father is Stefano Casiraghi and he has become quite a successful businessman himself. Much of his net worth, however, comes from holdings in his father’s construction company based in Milan and through his royal position.
Casiraghi has an older sister, Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi, and an older brother, Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi. While he attended University for the sake of his education, much of the reputation he gained from college came from the women he was dating. Pierre is the maternal grandson of actress Grace Kelly.
34. Lorenzo Borghese - $50 Million
Lorenzo Borghese, born in Milan Italy has a net worth of $50 million. He grew up in Rome, Paris and Connecticut. As the son of an Italian Prince and an American woman, he is a member of the House of Borghese and is known as Prince Lorenzo Borghese. An expert in business, he earned his MBA from Fordham University.
One of his business ventures was the Royal Treatment Italian Pet Spa, which was a line of pet care products made with ingredients from Italy, available through the Home Shopping Network. But what this Prince is perhaps best known for is his appearance on “The Bachelor” in 2006. Additionally, as of 2010, he’s a published romance author based on his relative, Princess Pauline Bonaparte Borghese.
33. Asma al-Assad - $50 Million
Asma al-Assad is the First Lady of Syria with a net worth of $50. Born in London in 1975, she would earn her degree at King’s College and work as an investment banker. She is married to the president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad. At the time of their marriage, she was just about to study at Harvard.
Instead, she moved to Syria and had three children. Having assumed office in 2000, she’s been working hard for over 20 years, staying active in social and economic development programs. However, she has not been seen publicly since 2012 when the Syrian Military Intelligence Directorate was bombed.
32. Prince Frederic von Anhalt - $70 Million
Prince Frederic von Anhalt of Germany has a net worth of $70 million. Born in Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany in 1943, he became famous for marrying Zsa Zsa Gabor, to whom he has been married since 1986. Interestingly, he wasn’t always a prince, which you may not be aware of.
Prince Frederic von Anhalt started out a normal life in a regular family of five. However, he ended up getting adopted as an adult by Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt for the sake of giving him a title: Duke of Saxony. And apparently carrying on the tradition of adopting adults, the Prince and Zsa Zsa Gabor have adopted several grown men.
31. King Carl XVI Gustaf - $70 Million
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has a net worth of $70 million. Born in Haga Palace in 1946, he is a member of House of Bernadette. He became king in 1973, taking over for former King Gustaf VI Adolf. For his wife, he chose Queen Silvia. He is the youngest of five children in his family.
King Carl XVI Gustaf has spent two and a half years in Royal Swedish Army, the Royal Swedish Navy, and the Royal Swedish Air Force and holds the highest rank in each branch. He’s also educated, having attended Uppsala University and Stockholm University. He can be regularly seen presenting the Nobel Prizes each year.
30. Max Wyndham, 2nd Baron Egremont of England - $72 million
We’re not sure about all the intricacies of British royalty, but if long and confusing titles are any indicator, Max Wyndham is kind of a big deal. He is a direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham, a 17th century English nobleman who helped stave off a Spanish invasion of the country.
He may have a fancy title, but Max Wyndham has managed to make an impressive name all for himself as an award-winning author of multiple fiction and nonfiction books, including one about an ancestor of his. Currently, his net worth is estimated to be in the area of $72 million.
29. Princess Caroline - $100 Million
Princess Caroline of Monaco is worth $100 million. She is the daughter of the Prince of Monaco, Rainier III and the famous actress Grace Kelly. Born in the Prince’s Palace in 1957, she is a member of both the House of Grimaldi and House of Hanover by marriage. She is currently married to Ernst August but has four children split between three marriages.
She practices Roman Catholicism and went to Sorbonne University to study philosophy, biology and psychology. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Princess Caroline is multilingual, capable of speaking Spanish, French, German, Italian and English. In 2003, she was recognized as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Her hobbies include swimming, skiing, equestrian and fashion. And sure, Princess, feel free to put that on your next dating profile.
28. Earl of Sandwich John Montagu - $100 Million
Being the Earl of such a delicious place can’t be easy, but John Montagu makes it look easy. Montagu is worth a modest $100 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), but his family is worth a lot more. Hilariously enough, Montagu actually made some of his fortune licensing his name for use in the chain shop Earl of Sandwich.
Montagu is best known for his initiatives related to international development and asylum. His kids are sure to fall right in line for the fortune as they are already appearing on Bravo reality TV shows like Ladies of London, which follows successful women and their families.
27. King Mswati III - $100 Million
King MsWati III from Swaziland has a net worth of $100 million. Born in Manzini, Swaziland in 1968, he is the head of the Swazi Royal Family. His father was King Sobhuza II who had 125 wives but as for his mother, he was an only child. In 1983 MsWati was named crown prince in 1983 and in 1986 he was made King at the age of 18.
King MsWati III became the youngest reigning monarch at the time and would go on to have 15 wives and 24 children. In 2014, Parliament set aside a budget of $61 million for household expenses. This was a subject of much controversy as many Swazis have to live on as little as $1 per day.
26. Emanuele Filiberto - $100 Million
Emanuele Filiberto is an Italian member of the House of Savoy. He has a net worth of $100 million. Known as the Prince of Venice. Born in 1972, in Geneva, Switzerland, he is the son of Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples and Marina Ricolfi Doria. Interestingly, he grew up as an exile before he made a public appearance on TV.
Filiberto competed on the reality television series Dancing with the Stars in Italy. In 2003, he married French actress Clotilde Courau. While he is the heir apparent of the House of Savoy, this title is up for dispute. He sometimes refers to himself as the "Prince of Piedmont." He is an advocate for the restoration of the monarchy in Italy.
25. Juan and Sofia Carlos - $100 Million
Juan and Sofia Carlos have a combined net worth of $100 million. As members of the Spanish royal family, they’ve had a lively career in politics. Juan Carlos I was the King of Spain from 1975 to 2014. However, in 2014 he abdicated the throne due to a financial scandal and ended up exiling himself in 2020.
Queen Sofia of Spain was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece in 1938. She is a member of House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg by birth and House of Bourbon by marriage. She was the daughter of Paul of Greece and Frederika of Hanover and attended the University of Cambridge. In the 1960 Summer Olympics, she competed on the Greek sailing team and won a gold medal.
24. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco - $100 Million
The United States may not have a monarchy, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have Hollywood royalty, and Princess Stephanie of Monaco descends from the best of the best—Grace Kelly. She is the youngest child of the late Kelly and her husband, Prince Ranier III. It’s estimated that her net worth is currently $100 million.
While Stephanie is a whopping 14th in line for the throne, she’s managed to keep busy with a long, successful career in fashion, appearing on the cover of major magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair. She also attempted a music career for a short time, but she didn’t have as much success with that endeavor, despite appearing on a Michael Jackson album.
23. Former Queen Farah Pahlavi of Iran - $100 million
Farah Pahlavi is no longer the queen of Iran, thanks to a little thing called the Iranian Revolution, but that doesn’t seem to have hurt her wealth or international popularity one bit. Her net worth is currently estimated at $100 million, which is not bad at all for a deposed monarch!
After leaving the country under threat of death during the revolution, Pahlavi and her husband, the former king, struggled to find a country that would take them in. However, she was eventually offered a home in the United States by former president Ronald Reagan. She now splits her time between America and Paris.
22. Princess Charlene - $150 Million
Princess Charlene of Monaco has a net worth of $150 million. A Princess by marriage, she was the wife of Prince Albert II. Born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia in 1978, she is a former Olympic swimmer who competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She retired from the sport, however, in 2007.
Charlene married Prince Albert II in 2011. They had been seen together as far back as 2006. As Monaco’s first lady, she has presided over special events such as National Day celebrations, the Rose Ball, Monaco Grand Prix and the Red Cross Ball. In 2014, she gave birth to twins – a Prince and Princess!
21. Former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands - $300 Million
Beatrix of the Netherlands has been a staple of the country for a good while. She reigned as the Queen of the country from 1980 until 2013 when she abdicated the throne. In turn, her son took up her place, but he isn’t worth nearly as much as his mother.
Beatrix has a net worth of $300 million, according to Forbes. Her reign was anything but eventless. The talk began when she married a member of the H. Youth, and it became a huge controversy across the nation and abroad. Then, in 2009, there was an attack on the royal family where five people died.
20. Caroline Luel-Brockdorff - $400 Million
Caroline ‘Fleming’ Luel-Brockdorff is pretty young to have such a massive net worth of $400 million, according to Insider. It isn’t that much of a surprise, however, considering she comes from a long line of Danish royalty. That being said, she’s made a name for herself while adding to her own wealth.
Along with her inherited wealth, she’s also built a brand for herself as a TV personality and model. On top of that, she has her own line of perfume. Another way she got some serious dough was through her marriage to Rory Fleming, nephew of James Bond author Ian Fleming.
19. Martha Lane Fox – Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho, England - $500 Million
At this point, what hasn’t Martha Lane Fox done? Also known as Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho, she’s kept herself plenty busy. Naturally, she’s a public servant, but she’s also a huge philanthropist. She co-founded Last Minute during the dot-com boom in the early 2000s. That’s a big way she’s earned her $500 million net worth (according to NetWorthList).
Currently, Fox sits on the board of Twitter, WeTransfer, and Chanel. She’s also big into charity work. She’s an advocate for human rights, women’s rights, and social justice. One of her projects is investing in Reprieve, a legal action charity, and CAMFED, an organization dedicated to fighting poverty.
18. Abdullah II - $750 Million
Abdullah II is the King of Jordan with a net worth of $750 million. He assumed the throne after his father King Hussein died in 1999. While Prince Ali bin Al Hussein was originally named as heir to the throne, the father eventually changed his mind for whatever reason and Abdullah II was named.
As part of his rule, Abdullah II introduced numerous constitutional reforms and helped liberalize the economy. He has been credited with bringing stability to Jordan. Prior to becoming King, he wed Rania Al-Yassin in 1993. They now have four children together: two Princes and two Princesses.
17. Prince Karim Al Hussaini - $800 Million
Prince Karim Al Hussaini from Imam is worth $800 million. Born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1936, he has made his money as a business magnate. He is also a well-known horse breeder and owner. This Prince has held the title of Aga Khan IV since 1957 when he was just 20 years old.
With this title, the one who bears it, is considered to be a direct descendent of the Prophet Muhammad. In the past, he was named by Forbes as one of the world’s 10 richest royals. This guy is so rich, in fact, that he owns his own private island in the Bahamas, along with two jets and a £100 million yacht.
16. Qaboos Bin Said Al Said - $900 Million
Qaboos Bin Said Al Said is the Sultan of Oman and hada net worth of $900 million before dying in 2020 at the age of 79. His successor wasHaitham bin Tariq, a man who spent several years in Qaboos Bin Said Al Said's cabinet. So, he was certainly qualified for the job!
Qaboos bin Said was the longest-reigning leader in the Middle East at the time of his death. He was the son ofSultanSaid bin Taimurand was well-educated in Suffolk, England. He also briefly served in the British army after graduating from theRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst. He ascended the throne in 1970.
15. Prince Albert II - $1 Billion
Prince Albert II of Monaco has a net worth of around $1 billion. He is the sovereign prince of the country and is at the head of the House of Grimaldi. His mother was actress Grace Kelly who famously married Prince Rainier III, retiring early from acting. He carries on their legacy now.
Born in 1958, he would go on to study political science at Amherst College and would even compete in the Winter Olympics on the bobsleigh team. In 2005, he was appointed as regent when his father had fallen ill and shortly after became the sovereign prince when his father died. He is a strong advocate for environmentalism, and in particular, ocean conservation.
14. Princess Marie Chantal - $2 Billion
Princess Marie Chantal of England, born in London, has a net worth of $2 billion. She is married to Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece who is the heir apparent to the throne of Greece. They have been married since 1995. She is the founder and creative director behind Marie-Chantal, an international children’s clothing brand.
She certainly not new money though. Her father is Robert Warren Miller. She was raised in Hong Kong and studied at New York University. And it was at NYU that the Crown Prince of Greece proposed to her. They now have five children together. Her most recent child, Prince Aristidis-Stavros, was born in 2008.
13. Grand Ducal Family - $4 Billion
The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg is worth an estimated $4 Billion. It is headed by Henri, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He has been reigning since 2000, taking over for his father, the Grand Duke Jean. His mother was Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. Much like the British royal family, most of his duties entail representation.
Constitutional power is appointed to the government and Prime Minister but Henri is considered to be the commander-in-chief of the Luxembourg Army. He has been married to Cuban-born María Teresa Mestre y Batista since 1981. They have five children together: Guillaume, the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Prince Félix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Sébastien.
12. Prince Azim of Brunei - $5 Billion
Before his passing, Prince Azim of Brunei was one of the richest royals in the world. He had a valued net worth of $5 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Along with being a royal, he was a Hollywood film producer where he produced movies like You’re Not You. However, understandably, most of his money was family money.
Prince Azim passed away in October 2020. His cause of death was undisclosed, but it was stated that he had been ill for quite some time. It’s suspected that he died of multiple organ failure, which was caused by systemic vasculitis. This was an illness he had been diagnosed with earlier that year.
11. Alaouite dynasty - $8.2 Billion
The Alaouite dynasty was founded back in 1631 and their net worth has accumulated to $8.2 billion. The family is made up of 19 members and led by King Mohammed VI, who ascended the throne in 1999. An educated man, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Mohammed V University at Agdal and later on a PhD in law from the French University of Nice, Sophia Antipolis.
It allegedly costs Mohammed VI $1 million a day to operate his 12 palaces. While his wealth is estimated to be around $2 billion, his entire family’s wealth gives us that $8.2 billion figure. This makes them the 9th richest royal family on the planet. And we know what you are thinking: only ninth? Yeah, what losers.
10. Prince Hans-Adam II - $10 Billion
Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein has a net worth of $10 Billion. He has been the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein for over 25 years. His power is left unchecked. He is fluent in German, Italian, French and English. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, his parents were Franz Joseph II and Countess Georgina von Wilczek.
Prince Hans-Adam II pays nothing in taxes. Much of his wealth comes from the LTG Group, his family’s private bank. In addition to his control over that business, he has a large number of investments, including high-value properties and lucrative businesses. He even owns a renowned collection of high-value art.
9. Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud - $13 Billion
The House of Saud is one of the richest families in the world, estimated at $1.4 trillion. Much of the fortune is spread out among 15,000 members, but both Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, hold a big bulk of it.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is said to be the second richest member, with a net worth of over $13 billion, although it could be as high as $17 billion according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index projections. In 2017, he faced corruption charges but was freed after several months being detained. It is believed he paid a settlement fee to escape justice.
8. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - $17 Billion
It’s good being the king! Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is the King of Saudi Arabia and is worth a jaw-dropping $17 billion, according to CNBC. That being said, much of his duties have been passed to his son and heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. That doesn’t mean he isn’t raking in the money.
The King made most of his money from the vast oil reserves that were founded more than 75 years ago. In fact, that’s what made the whole family so filthy rich. One of King Salman’s duties includes settling royal conflicts among the extended Al Saud family, which has an estimated 4,000 princes.
U.S. Department of State from United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
7. House of Maktoum - $18 Billion
House of Maktoum of Dubai is a royal family worth $18 billion. The House of Maktoum dates all the way back to 1833. The royal dynasty is composed of 12 primary members along with hundreds of extended family members. This all amounts to the $18 billion figure but the richest family member by far would have to be Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the sheikh of Dubai who has ruled since 2006. He is the UAE's vice president and prime minister and he also controls investment vehicle Dubai Holdings. He is said to have six wives and was rumored to have spent an estimated $100 million on one of the weddings.
6. Sultan of Brunei - $30 Billion
House of Bolkiah of Brunei is worth $28 billion. Formed back in 1363, it has ruled Brunei on and off since that time. The family is currently headed by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah who has been ruling for 54 years. Much of their wealth has come from their country’s vast oil reserves.
The Sultan lives in the Istana Nurul Iman palace. This building holds the Guinness World Record as the largest residential palace in existence, with an area totaling 2.2 million square feet. The family is also said to own several thousand supercars and several private jets. But these are just some of the ways this family flaunts their wealth.
5. Chakri dynasty - $60 Billion
The Chakri dynasty of Thailand is worth $60 billion. This family has been ruling since 1782 and is highly revered in the country. The current ruler is King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who came into power in 2016 after the death of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej. A total of 22 individuals make up this royal family.
The 22 individuals include both spouses and unofficial members as well as its 10 core family members. King Maha Vajiralongkorn is believed to be the richest family member of all, however, his exact wealth has not been disclosed. Among his investments are large shares in numerous Thai companies, luxury hotels and other real estates.
4. Queen Elizabeth II - $88 Billion
The British royal family is probably the one you know the most about but just how much money do they have? The British royal family’s net worth is said to be around $88 billion. So yeah, they can definitely afford to pay for all those royal weddings. This figure was taken in 2017 by Forbes, so it could be even higher now.
However, because the royal family is composed of many members, that wealth is split quite a bit among them all. It should come as no surprise that Queen Elizabeth II has the most at around $600 million, according to Sunday Times Rich List 2020. Those profits come from real estate as well as the Crown Estate.
3. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan - $18 Billion
Abu Dhabi’s royal Family, House of Nahyan is estimated to be worth $150 billion. They are descended from the same tribe as the Al Maktoum dynasty from Dubai. House of Nahyan has been ruling since 1793 and is currently made up of 200 male members. The number of women in the family is unknown.
Like many royal families in the Middle East, much of their wealth has come from oil reserves. At the head of the family is Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is worth $18 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He is the emir of Abu Dhabi and the president of the UAE. Additionally, he is a chairperson for Abu Dhabi Investments, which includes $696.6 billion in assets.
2. House of Thani - $335 Billion
House of Thani in Qatar is worth $335 billion. They have been in power since the mid-19th century. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the youngest ruler in the world at the age of just 40 years old. This family’s wealth comes from several thousand members, however, so he’s not necessarily one of the richest men in the world.
One controversy surrounding the family claimed that they paid $1 billion in ransom money to al-Qaeda for the release of 28 family members. They denied this, however, and said that the money was paid to the Iraqi state. Either way, it proved just a small dent in the family’s amassed wealth.
1. Al Sabah - $360 Billion
Al Sabah is the head of Kuwait’s royal family, worth an estimated $360 billion. This dynasty has ruled since 1752 and Sheikh Sabah IV Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is the current emir. The family is said to be made up of 1,000 members. Much of their wealth is said to be tied up in stocks and shares.
In 1991 a Time article put the family’s wealth at around $90 billion and with it now as $360 billion that means the family’s wealth has quadrupled in just 30 years. A lot of that wealth is said to have come from US stocks, and in particular, major blue-chip companies (e.g. IBM, JP Morgan Chase, Walmart).
Author Jennifer Freehill Last Updated: July 22, 2024