Queen Elizabeth II was one of the richest people in the world, with a personal fortune estimated to be worth more than $650 million. However, most of her wealth was tied up in property and assets that belonged to the British royal family rather than to her personally. These assets included multiple palaces, lands, and art collections that were valued at billions of dollars. The Queen also held many shares in companies like BP and Shell, as well as investments in racehorses and other luxury items. While her exact net worth was not publicly known, it is clear that she was one of the wealthiest people on the planet.
According to Forbes, the crown, through the Firm (also known as “Monarchy PLC”), actually holds a whopping $28 billion in assets. A quick tally of its various assets reveals that the Crown Estate holds $19.5 billion, Buckingham Palace is worth an estimated $4.9 billion, the Duchy of Cornwall holds $1.3 billion, the Duchy of Lancaster holds $748 million, and Kensington Palace has an estimated worth of $630 million. In addition, the Crown Estate Scotland holds $592 million.
Clearly, the crown is sitting on a veritable fortune! And that’s not even taking into account the value of art, jewelry, and other priceless items held by the royal family. Suffice it to say, they’re doing quite well for themselves!
Though the reigning monarch of England technically owns the Crown Estate, this does not mean that the estate is entirely theirs to do with what they please. Instead, the government runs the Crown Estate, and the monarch only receives a portion of the profits.
In 2020, the Crown Estate made £475 million, 25 percent of which went to the royal family in the form of the Sovereign Grant. The Grant totaled £86.3 million that year, which is a significant sum of money.
However, it is important to remember that the remaining 75 percent of the Crown Estate’s profits went to the British Treasury rather than straight into the pockets of the royals.
Therefore, though they may be well-off, the British royals are not as wealthy as some might believe.
The Queen is, without a doubt, one of the richest people in the world. But contrary to popular belief, the majority of her fortune does not come from the royal institution. In fact, theQueen’s personal wealth is estimated to be around $350 million, which is just a fraction of the $88 billion that the royal family as a whole is worth.
So where does the Queen’s money come from? A large portion of it was inherited from her father, King George VI. She also receives an annual allowance from the British taxpayers, which is used to cover expenses like travel and security.
And then there are her private investments, which include everything from art to real estate. So while it’s true that the Queen does benefit financially from the monarchy, she also has a sizable personal fortune that is entirely her own.
The Queen Mother left an estimated £70 million fortune to the Queen, including many significant works of art. Although according to the BBC, Her Majesty decided the most important pieces left by her mother would be transferred to the Royal Collection, where they would be “held in trust for the nation.” The Queen Mother also left a number of personal items to her daughter, including a pearl necklace and diamond earrings.
And speaking of inherited estates, the Queen’s late husband, Prince Philip, is said to have left an estate worth about £10 million, including a collection of paintings by Edward Seago as well as 3,000 books. These will presumably be divided between the Queen and Prince Philip’s four children. It is not yet known what specific arrangements have been made regarding this inheritance. However, it is likely that the Queen will keep some items for herself and donate others to charity or universities, in line with her husband’s wishes.
The Queen is known for her love of horses, dogs, and all things British, but it turns out that she also has a passion for stamps. According to the Sunday Times, the Queen’s personal stamp collection is worth an estimated £100 million. The so-called Royal Philatelic Collection is composed of stamps from the UK and Commonwealth countries, and is one of the largest and most valuable private collections in the world.
While the Queen is not known to be an active collector herself, she takes a keen interest in the hobby and often gives gifts of stamps to family members and friends. In addition to being a valuable asset, the collection is also a source of great personal pride for the Queen.
