How Much Is the Royal Family Worth in 2022? Estimates Vary
The British Royal Family includes not only Queen Elizabeth, but numerous other relatives who all benefit from the crown's money. How much is the Royal Family worth?
June 2 2022, Published 1:57 p.m. ET
Royal family members celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee on June 2, 2022.
The wealth of Britain’s Royal Family, though public knowledge, is still somewhat mysterious to the general public. Of course, the monarch and her descendants are constantly making public appearances, but their role in British society is largely symbolic. The royal family is quite wealthy by anyone’s standards, but how much is the royal family worth?
As Queen Elizabeth celebrates her Platinum Jubilee — marking 70 years as the nation’s reigning monarch — the riches of the entire royal family are a subject of discussion. At her advanced age of 96, the queen certainly won't live forever. Who inherits Queen Elizabeth’s money upon her death?
Estimates of the royal family's net worth have varied.
According to Forbes, as of 2021, the crown held about $28 billion in assets which can't be sold. That figure was made up of $19.5 billion from the Crown Estate, $4.9 billion in Buckingham Palace, $1.3 billion for the Duchy of Cornwall, $748 million for the Duchy of Lancaster, $630 million for Kensington Palace, and $592 million for the Crown Estate Scotland.
The queen herself is also estimated to own about $500 million in personal assets including jewels and other inherited valuables.
The heir to the throne, Prince Charles, has an estimated net worth of about $400 million, most of which originates from the Duchy of Cornwall (another private land portfolio). His wife Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, has about a $5 million net worth on her own.
Citizens gather for the start of celebrations of the Queen's 70-year reign.
According to Marie Claire, Princess Diana received $22.5 million prior to her death, and much of that money was passed on to her sons Prince William and Prince Harry. Other royal net worths include the Duke of Kent ($10 million), Kate Middleton ($10 million), Princess Anne ($30 million), and Princess Eugenie ($4.8 million).
The royal family’s wealth comes from three main sources.
Overall, the wealth of both the queen and the entire royal family originates from three primary sources — the Sovereign Grant Act, the Privy Purse, and income from privately-owned properties and investments.
As the official royal family’s website states, the Sovereign Grant was established in 2012 and changed the funding arrangements for the queen's official duties. This is an annual grant funded by a percentage of the profits of the “Crown Estate Revenue.”
Harper’s Bazaar explains that the Crown Estate is a real estate business officially owned by the monarchy, but managed by an independent board. Approximately 15 percent of its revenue makes up the majority of the royal family income.
The Privy Purse is another source of income, which is money received from a portfolio of land and properties referred to as the Duchy of Lancaster. By the end of 2021, the Duchy of Lancaster held 577.3 million pounds of net assets under its control, for a net surplus of 22.3 million pounds.
Queen Elizabeth also owns significant properties and assets, most of which have been received through inheritance. Her husband, Prince Philip, who died in 2021, left her about 10 million pounds. Her mother, the Queen Mother, died in 2002, leaving Queen Elizabeth with an inheritance worth about 70 million pounds.