King Charles’ Net Worth Is Staggering—And His Dwarfs That of His Mother, the Late Queen Elizabeth

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published 17 May 2024

King Charles is a very, very wealthy man—to the tune of $770 million, to be exact. And he continues to get richer, as his wealth has increased by $12 million since last year alone, according to the 2024 Sunday Times Rich List (and per People). And, as wealthy as Charles is, he doesn’t even crack the top 100 richest people in the U.K.; he stands at No. 258, according to the outlet.

Interestingly, Charles’ wealth far exceeds his mother’s, the late Queen Elizabeth—according to the 2022 Sunday Times Rich List, Her late Majesty’s personal wealth stood at a still impressive $468 million before her death in September of that year at age 96.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles together — The King's net worth far exceeds that of his mother's, the late Queen Elizabeth.

After his 1996 divorce from Princess Diana cost him $21 million, a former aide of the King’s said that Charles rebuilt his wealth by saving profits he received from the Duchy of Cornwall, a large $1 billion estate that includes land, farms, houses, and other assets, People reports.

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“He became prudent at tucking away some money from the Duchy after that wipeout [of capital],” the former aide said, referencing his divorce. “We’re not talking vast sums here—several tens of millions, no more. There have been suggestions that Camilla brought a good deal of money into their relationship, but that’s really not correct.”

As Prince William is now the Prince of Wales, he inherited the Duchy from his father following the late Queen’s death in September 2022. The Duchy “also rents commercial properties in London, Milton Keynes, and Cornwall,” People writes. “It generates income that supports the Prince of Wales, his family, and his charitable activities.” The Sunday Times reports that Charles increased the Duchy’s annual profits by 42.6 percent to over $31 million between 2011 and 2022, and that he received over $268 million from the Duchy between 2012 and 2022.

The Sunday Times lists the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk and Balmoral Castle in Scotland as Charles’ most valuable assets, with the farmland around Sandringham estimated to be worth over $360 million. Charles also owns many other properties, People reports, like Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, England, and a home in Wales. Following her death, Queen Elizabeth also passed on her investment portfolio, estimated to be worth about $151 million.

“The true wealth of the British royals is extremely difficult to calculate, however, as the value of their personal jewelry, gifts, and other items is unknown, while they also own one of the world’s biggest art collections,” People reports. “Charles also receives a taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant from the U.K. government each year to cover the costs of official duties and the upkeep of homes, including Buckingham Palace.”

So, yeah, drinks are on His Majesty tonight.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.