How wealthy is the Queen of England?

The 93-year-old royal directly owns several properties such as Balmoral Castle in Scotland and Sandringham in Norfolk, but many of the most valuable properties, such as Buckingham Palace, belong to a council called the Crown Estate.

The Crown Estate holds a range of United Kingdom properties, held in trust, that are not owned by the government or the monarchy. Assuming the Queen is its owner, plus her ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster – a similar estate trust – she would be the richest person in Britain with a net worth of $25 billion.

The Queen is a salaried individual. She receives an annual stipend drawn from the Crown Estate's $18 billion, while the Duchy of Lancaster, a fund dating back to 1265, paid $27 million before tax in the 2018 financial year for the Queen's personal expenses.

25% of the Crown Estate's revenue goes directly to the Royal Grant: covering salaries, travel expenses, butler, maintenance, and IT (the Queen has Instagram).

Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth's eldest son, receives funding from the Duchy of Cornwall. This trust fund holds real estate totaling 530 million square meters and over $450 million in commercial assets in the UK. The Cornwall funds support not only Charles but also his two sons and their spouses: Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge Catherine and their three children; and Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex Meghan and their newborn son Archie. In 2018, the William and Harry families were allocated $6.1 million in expenses, but royal financial reports do not specify how these expenses were incurred.

Despite the global attention surrounding the British Royal Family, some in the UK believe they are a burden on taxpayers. However, Richard Haigh, CEO of the UK-based valuation firm Brand Finance, argues that this isn't necessarily the case. Haigh stated, "Last year, we estimated that the Royal Wedding between Harry and Meghan boosted the UK economy by nearly $1.5 billion." Based on their most recent 2017 report on the Royal Family, Brand Finance concluded that the family's appeal generates $700 million annually in tourism revenue. According to that calculation, thanks to the Royal Family, citizens earn more money.

$4.7 billionThat's the valuation of Buckingham Palace by the Czech real estate brokerage firm Luxent. The 775-room palace, which has been the British Royal Family's residence since 1837, is worth more than the assets of Richard Branson, the tycoon of 400 companies.

$20 billion in real estateThis includes properties in England owned by the Crown Estate, in Scotland held by the same fund, and 530 million square meters of real estate held by the Duchy of Cornwall. That 530 million square meters includes land on...The Scilly Islands, residential and commercial properties in London, and Llwynywermod – the Welsh home of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla – are all properties the Queen does not have the right to sell.

Another $1 billionIt is worth the scattered lands in England and Wales conquered by the Dukes over seven centuries; the limestone, sandstone, and gypsum quarries; and Kensington Palace – the childhood home of members of the Royal Family.

Assets given away

Nearly $430 millionThe Crown Estate's 2018 profits went to the British Treasury instead of Queen Elizabeth's purse. Meanwhile, Prince Charles also established approximately $145 million for charities supporting economic, environmental, and social issues in the UK and globally. These charities spent over $45 million in 2018.

$31.5 millionThe estate left by Princess Diana after her death was largely divided between Princes William and Harry, each receiving a share on their 25th birthday. The remainder went to her 17 godson and her close confidant, Paul Burrell. Mr. Burrell received $81,000.

Lifestyle

200 billionThis is the number of British postage stamps featuring the Queen that have been produced to date. With a design that has remained unchanged since 1967, they are considered the most reproduced works of art in history.

1 million USDLast September, the 1955 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, formerly owned by the Queen, was auctioned off. The year before, a custom-made 2001 Daimler Super V-8 for the Queen sold for over $55,000. In 2016, the 1994 Audi Cabriolet that belonged to Princess Diana sold for nearly $60,000 at a classic car auction.

$600,000This is the Queen's horse racing betting income for 2018, according to the British Horse Racing Commission. The Queen's most prized horse of all time, named Estimate, was a thoroughbred Irish, trained in the English style, and won her a total of $487,000 before retiring in 2014.

23,578 gemstonesAttached to the Royal treasures housed in the Tower of London, $7,500 was paid for a slice of Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton's wedding cake in 2014. Similar slices of their grandparents' and parents' wedding cakes had previously been auctioned off for around a thousand dollars.

3,900 USDThis includes a doll that once belonged to Princess Elizabeth, dating back to 1935 and resold in December 2018. Additionally, a shared toy given to her and her sister, Princess Margaret, by their nanny, also sold for over $1,000.

1,300 ordersThe registration of Corgis for adoption in England began in 1944, after Queen Elizabeth received one as a birthday gift. Orders jumped by 56% and continued to rise the following year. The Queen's influence on the British Corgi market was so great that, as soon as her last dog died in 2018, one breeder immediately classified the short-legged breed as "endangered".

800 brandsFrom luxury brands like Burberry to the family-run saddle maker Abbey England, many are endorsed by the British Royal Family. This endorsement indicates that the products or services are trusted by them. Brand Finance estimates that Royal Endorsements can contribute up to 5% to a company's revenue.

Thanh Tung