The wealth of the European royals is no match to the
colossal fortune of Thailand’s King Bhumibol. Their bank balances are a
pittance compared to their Middle East counterparts, but, hey, by a commoner’s
standard, they are still fabulously wealthy and they get to enjoy living in
palaces and the service of a retinue of loyal servants. So, how much are they
worth? Here’s a list of the family fortunes of Europe’s royal families.
The Richest European
Royal Family: Prince Hans-Adam II and the Royal House of Liechtenstein
King Hans-Adam II rules over one of the smallest states in the world but he’s got more say in running his tiny principality than any other
European sovereigns. Liechtenstein is also the richest country in the world on
a per capita income basis. The locals are also better off compared to other
Europeans. The princely family’s wealth ($7.9
billion) is tied to their bank, LGT Group, which is the world’s largest family-owned
financial firm. The company has roughly $40 billion of investments worldwide. The
family also owns nearly the entire Liechtenstein, a palace in Vienna, and an
impressive art and stamp collections.
The Most Expensive
Royal Family: King Willem-Alexander and the House of Orange
The Netherlands’ House of Orange derives its $200 million
wealth from holdings in the oil company Shell. They also own four private homes
in the country and a villa in Tuscany. The palaces where they live in and the
crown jewels are nevertheless owned by the state. The Dutch Royal Family also
receives roughly $47 million a year (the most expensive among Europe’s
royal families) for the cost of running the royal household as well as the
expenses involving their official duties. King Willem and Queen Maxima receives nearly
$8.4 million a year, while it around $30 million goes on paying for the cost of
their official activities.
The Royal Family With
the Biggest Palace: King Felipe and the House of Bourbon
The Spanish king may only have personal fortune of roughly
$5 million but Spain's House of Bourbon occupies the largest inhabited royal palace in Europe, the
Palacio Real in Madrid. However, the king only reserves its use for official
functions, preferring to live in the smaller (but still grand) Zarzuela Palace. King Felipe and Queen Letezia receive $163,000 a year in salary and another $177,000
a year for their official expenses, still a pittance for their relatively
extensive work.
The Poorest Royal Family:
King Harald V and the House of Glucksburg- $12 million
King Harald receives an annual grant of $18 million from the
Norwegian government to pay for the cost of the royal family’s official duties. That's less that his personal fortune. The family also owns the yacht, K/S Norge,
a royal train, two private homes in Oslo and further properties in Fredrikstad
and Rio de Janeiro.
The Richest Non-Reigning
Royal: Albert, 12th Prince von Thurn und Taxis
Prince Albert of Thurn und Taxis may not be that familiar to
many, but at one time, he was the youngest billionaire in the planet, being the heir to his father's $3 billion fortune, who died in 1990. He inherited his
billions at the age of 7, but had to
wait until he was 21 to take full control of it. His fortune comes from the
family’s castle, Schloss Emmeram, a vast art collection, a technology company
and 30,000 hectares of German woodland. Albert, nevertheless, has devoted
himself to life of a racing driver and competes in the German GT Championship
ADAC GT Masters.
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