Queen Elizabeth II’s Net Worth At The Time Of Her Death Is Way More Than You Think

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96 on Sep. 8, 2022. Buckingham Palace issued a statement on Thursday evening, informing the world that “the Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.” The UK has now entered 12 days of mourning in the run-up to the Queen’s funeral, which will take place in due course. As the country looks back at the last seven decades of its longest-reigning monarch, it’s led many to wonder what Queen Elizabeth II’s net worth was at the time of her death, and what the monarch has left behind for her immediate family.

Taking into consideration her living in and owning one of the largest palaces in the world, Buckingham Palace, in addition to numerous properties in her possession, such as the Crown Estate and Windsor Castle, having a substantial fortune to call her own makes perfect sense.

Throughout the years, Queen Elizabeth's wealth has helped her receive a few accolades as well, one of them being the Guinness World Record for being the wealthiest queen in April 2012, with a then estimated $504 million fortune. While not a billionaire, the queen’s substantial net worth made her the richest member of the royal family by far. Express reports that she is also the richest queen in the world, though the richest monarch is Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, whose net worth is roughly $30 billion.

Though much of her wealth comes from allowances such as the Privy Purse worth millions, she also has inherited much of her fortune. Fortune notes that she inherited about $70 million from the Queen Mother when she died in 2002. This included “investments in paintings, a stamp collection, fine china, jewels, horses, and even a valuable Faberge egg collection.” It’s also worth mentioning that she inherited a vast amount of wealth from her father King George VI when she initially became queen in 1952.

Her late husband, Prince Philip, also left her his personal estate, which is worth roughly $30 million. What might be most shocking is that the Queen’s most valuable asset was the stamp collection she inherited from her grandfather, King George V after his death. It’s worth is $134 million, according to Parade.

What Is King Charles III’s Net Worth?

As for individual net worths within the immediate royal family, King Charles III reportedly had a net worth of over $300 million in 2021, which will surely rise as he ascends the throne. Heir presumptive Prince William, the Prince of Wales, has an estimated net worth of $100 million (over £80 million), though his worth is sure to rise as he gains prominence and ascends the throne as well. In comparison, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, has a reported net worth of $10 million (over £8 million).

What Was Queen Elizabeth II’s Net Worth At The Time Of Her Death?

$500 MILLION (£431 MILLION)

In 2021, while assessing the queen’s extravagant life, The Sunday Times estimated her private wealth to be around £365 million, a £15 million increase from 2020. According to Fortune Magazine, Queen Elizabeth II had $500 million (£431 million) worth of personal assets when she died. Queen Elizabeth II was not only the wealthiest member of the royal family, but the estimation also shows that half of the British royal's family wealth comes from the queen alone.

Most of her assets belong to the Royal Firm, “a group of senior members and public faces of the House of Windsor, the reigning royal family that the queen was the head of.” The Firm is worth a jaw-dropping $28 billion ( £16.5 billion) and is made up of King Charles III and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort; William, Prince of Wales and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall; Princess Anne, Princess Royal; and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex. These real estate assets cannot be sold.

According to the New York Times, The Crown Estate consists of a £16.5 billion “portfolio of real estate,” in addition to the Duchy of Cornwall, which is estimated to be worth £1 billion – a sum that will pass from King Charles III to Prince William. Another royal holding of the British monarchy is the Duchy of Lancaster, which is worth a £818 million.

Charles won’t directly inherit the £431 million fortune the queen left for him. Rather, he will inherit what Queen Elizabeth II “specifically designated to him,” Fortune reports. Where said wealth and assets will be allocated remains to be seen.