The richest royals in the world
Published 9:40 pm Monday, May 23, 2022
HANNAH MCKAY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The richest royals in the world
Many royals are known for their power, prestige, notoriety, and money. There are those who are part of centuries-old dynasties, while others are relatively new to the scene. Several came to their riches through their royal titles, while others earned their fortunes in different ways. Some are lauded for their philanthropy, while others have become the subject of tabloid gossip due to affairs and questionable business practices. Then, there are the royals who are working toward building a better future for their country, as well as for the planet.
Stacker took a look at the world’s richest royals and ranked the top 23 by net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth. What does that wealth look like? It runs from a low of $72 million to a high of $40 billion.
How do these royals live with their wealth? Discover which king has 30 poodles, one of which was named Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Thai Air Force. Then there’s the Italian prince with a food truck in Los Angeles, and a British Lord who capitalized on their famous title with a gourmet sandwich fast-food chain. Two royals on the list have competed in the Olympics. Another king has had 15 wives and 36 children. So who are these fascinating, rich royals? Read on to find out.
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#23. Lord Egremont – England
– Net worth: $72 million
John Max Henry Scawen Wyndham, 7th Baron Leconfield, 2nd Baron Egremont aka Lord Egremont, is also known by his nom de plume, Max Egremont, under which he has written numerous novels and biographies.
At 24, Lord Egremont, who studied modern history at Oxford, was called to step into his royal role when his father, John Wyndham, died from cancer at 52. This meant overseeing Petworth House, the family’s 1688-built ancestral home located on a 700-acre parkland estate designed by renowned 18th-century landscape architect Capability Brown. The National Trust currently manages Petworth House and its art and sculpture collection, which is open to the public.
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#22. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
– Net worth: $100 million
Her Serene Highness (H.S.H.) Princess Stéphanie Marie, Elisabeth is the youngest daughter of the late American actress Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Princess Stéphanie is 14th in the line of succession to the throne for the Principality of Monaco.
In 1982, Stéphanie suffered minor injuries in the car accident that occurred when her mother, Princess Grace, suffered a stroke and died.
An interest in fashion led to Princess Stéphanie working with Christian Dior in the late 1980s. Philanthropy plays a significant role in Princess Stéphanie’s life. For her efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS—she created Fight AIDS Monaco—she was awarded Monaco’s insignia of the Grand Cross of the Order of Grimaldi.
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#21. Princess Caroline of Monaco
– Net worth: $100 million
The older sister of Princess Stéphanie, Caroline has two royal titles: Her Serene Highness (H.S.H.), Princess Caroline of Monaco, and Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Hanover. The latter title is due to her current marriage to Prince Ernst August of Hanover.
Princess Caroline studied philosophy, psychology, and biology at Sorbonne University. After her mother’s death in 1982, she stepped into the role of the de facto first lady, until her brother Albert’s 2011 marriage to Charlene Wittstock.
Caroline was the president of the Monegasque Committee for the International Year of Children. She also founded Jeune J’Ecoute, a hotline for troubled youth. Such endeavors led to the princess being named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
H.S.H. Caroline has been married three times. She divorced her first husband, Philippe Junot, and was granted an annulment by the Catholic Church. Her second husband, powerboat racer Stefano Casiraghi, perished in a 1990 racing accident. The couple had three children together, Andrea, Charlotte, and Pierre. Nine years later, Princess Caroline married Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick. They share a daughter, Princess Alexandra of Hanover.
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#20. Prince Charles of England
– Net worth: $100 million
His Royal Highness (H.R.H.) Charles Philip Arthur George, The Prince of Wales, is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As heir to the throne, Charles also holds the titles of Earl of Chester, The Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.
Prince Charles attended Trinity College at Cambridge University, where he studied archeology, anthropology, and history. After graduation in 1970, he took his seat in the House of Lords. Following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, and both great grandfathers, Charles entered a career in the Royal Navy.
In 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, who took on the title H.R.H. The Princess of Wales. They became parents to Princes William and Harry, who remain second and sixth in line to the throne. Charles’ and Diana’s marriage was dissolved by the Church of England in 1986. On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died alongside her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed in a car accident in Paris.
In 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, who assumed the title of H.R.H. The Duchess of Cornwall.
Alaattin Dogru/Anadolu Agency // Getty Images
#19. King Mswati III of Eswatini
– Net worth: $100 million
The son of King Sobhuza II and Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala, Makhosetive was born in 1968. King Sobhuza II died when Makhosetive was 14. At age 18, the teen stepped into his father’s shoes, becoming Mswati III of Eswatini, King of Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarch.
Mswati has the power to appoint the country’s prime minister, members of the governing cabinet, and the judiciary. However, as he’s bound by Swazi traditions, Mswati cannot choose his heir. As polygamy is legal in Eswatini, the King has had 15 wives and 36 children.
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#18. John Montagu – Earl of Sandwich
– Net worth: $100 million
What is a royal to do when their famous name evokes hunger? They capitalize on it. Such is the case for John Montagu, the 11th Earl of Sandwich, a direct descendant of John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich.
As for the 4th Earl of Sandwich, the word is he was fond of gambling and asked for roast beef between two slices of bread so he could continue playing cards with no disruption.
Whether or not that story is true, John Montagu embraced the legend as a restaurateur. He launched Earl of Sandwich, a chain of 30 U.S.-based restaurants, with one in Disneyland Paris, with his son Orlando and Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl.
Montagu doesn’t spend his days taking sandwich orders, though. He serves in the House of Lords and provides public access to the family’s heritage property.
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#17. Farah Pahlavi – widow to last Shah of Iran
– Net worth: $100 million
The only child of Captain Sohrab Diba and Farideh Ghotbi, Empress Farah Pahlavi was born in Tehran in 1938. In 1959, she married Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. The couple had four children, Prince Reza, who is heir to the throne, Farahnaz, Alireza, and Leila.
By 1967 Farah Pahlavi was crowned Iran’s Shahbanou, or Empress, placing her in a position to be regent in the event of her husband’s death. She was the first Empress to be crowned in over 2,500 years of Persian history. She was also Iran’s last Empress.
The empress had a mission of building a better life for Iranians. She did so by devoting time to social causes and cultural affairs. The Islamic Revolution led to the Empress and Shah fleeing Iran and entering exile in 1979.
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#16. Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy
– Net worth: $100 million
The grandson of King Umberto II, the last king of Italy, and Queen Maria Jose, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy is the Prince of Piedmont and Venice. Another title he vied for: the king of the dancefloor, when he competed in Italy’s version of “Dancing with the Stars” in 2009. The dance competition was not Filiberto’s first foray into the entertainment industry. After myriad appearances in the media over the years, he created two production companies, Savoy & Gregory and Royal Me Up.
In 2003, Filiberto married French actress Clotilde Courau. The prince created a line of t-shirts and owns a pasta food truck in Los Angeles. Recently, he began efforts to reclaim jewels belonging to the House of Savoy. Estimated to be worth $335 million, the jewels have been in possession of the Italian government, and the Bank of Italy, since the abolition of the monarchy months after World War II. Thus far, Filberto’s efforts to retrieve the jewels have been unsuccessful.
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#15. Princess Charlene of Monaco
– Net worth: $150 million
Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Africa, and raised in South Africa, Charlene Lynette Wittstock became H.S.H. Princess Charlene of Monaco when she married Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011.
A competitive swimmer, Wittstock participated on South Africa’s team in the Sydney Olympic Games. Charlene and Albert initially met in 2000 at an international swim meet in Monaco.
In her role as princess, Charlene delved into philanthropy. Beyond creating the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, she was appointed a Global Ambassador of Special Olympics, Patron of the South African Red Cross Society, and co-patron of the Giving Organization Trust, a group of South African charities focusing on issues ranging from AIDS among underprivileged children to the protection of the environment.
In 2014, Princess Charlene gave birth to twins, Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier. Jacques, the crown prince, will receive the title of Marquis of Baux in Provence, and Gabriella will receive the title of Countess of Carladès in Auvergne.
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#16. Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands
– Net worth: $200 million
On the day of her birth in 1938, Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard already had three titles: Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, and Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld. The daughter of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard, Her Royal Highness (H.R.H.) Beatrix attended Leiden University, where she earned degrees in law, sociology, and economics.
When Beatrix became betrothed to German diplomat Claus von Amsberg, the Netherlands’ two houses of parliament were required to give the couple permission to marry. This process led to von Amsberg becoming a Dutch citizen. Upon marrying Beatrix, Claus became Prince of the Netherlands with the designation Jonkheer van Amsberg. Beatrix and Claus have three sons: Prince Friso, Prince Willem-Alexander, and Prince Constantijn.
Beatrix stepped into the role of the queen in 1980 when her mother, Juliana, abdicated the throne. As queen, Beatrix was in charge of signing laws, swearing-in state officials, and receiving foreign dignitaries.
In April 2013, at 75, Beatrix abdicated from the throne, at which time her son, Willem-Alexander, became king. Having stepped away from the throne, Beatrix no longer holds the title of queen and is, once again, Princess Beatrix.
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#15. Caroline Luel-Brockdorff – Denmark
– Net worth: $400 million
The daughter of Baron Niels Krabbe Luel-Brockdorff and Baroness Margaretha Luel-Brockdorff, Baroness Caroline was born and raised in Valdemar Castle on Tåsinge. Built in the 1640s for Prince Valdemar, son of Christian IV and Kirsten Munk, the castle came under the ownership of Caroline from 2003 to 2011. The name Luel is also sometimes spelled as Juel.
Caroline renounced her title in 2001 when she married a nonroyal, Rory Fleming, an attorney and the nephew of James Bond’s creator Ian Fleming. They have two children, Alexander and Josephine. In 2008, Caroline and Rory divorced. It was through the divorce that Caroline acquired her wealth. She maintained the surname of Fleming.
Fleming has pursued many endeavors, including modeling, writing cookbooks, creating perfume, and being a TV personality, with appearances as a judge on Denmark’s “Next Top Model” and on Bravo’s “Ladies of London” in 2015.
Caroline was in a relationship with Premier League soccer player Niklas Bendtner. The couple had a son Nicholas in 2010, but split shortly thereafter. More recently, she’s been in a relationship with French entrepreneur Hervé Larren.
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#12. Martha Lane Fox – Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho, England
– Net worth: $500 million
Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho CBE was bequeathed those last three initials when appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British, an order of chivalry. A technology entrepreneur, she founded the online travel and leisure website lastminute.com, which Sabre Holdings purchased for 577 million British pounds in 2005.
A strong proponent of digital technology and computer literacy, from 2009 to 2013, the baroness was the U.K.’s Digital Champion, helping to create the Government Digital Service and establishing the Digital Public Services Unit within the Cabinet Office.
At age 40, Lane-Fox entered the House of Lords as a crossbencher in 2013, becoming its youngest female member. In 2014, she was appointed the sixth chancellor of The Open University.
Currently, Lane-Fox sits on the boards of Twitter, WeTransfer, and Chanel, and is a trustee of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust. At the 2019 Dadi Awards, she was named the most influential woman in digital over the last 25 years.
Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool // Getty Images
#11. Queen Elizabeth of England
– Net worth: $600 million
The first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II was named Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. A series of events in 1936 set Elizabeth II’s path toward becoming the Queen of England. When her grandfather, King George V, passed away, and her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, became king, making Princess Elizabeth heir presumptive.
In 1947, Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten, the prince of Greece and Denmark. Philip gave up his titles due to their marriage but gained some—duke of Edinburgh, earl of Merioneth, Baron Greenwich, and, of course, Prince Philip. The marriage lasted 73 years until the prince’s death in 2021. The couple has four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.
Upon King George VI’s death in 1952, Elizabeth acceded to the throne, becoming Queen Elizabeth II. Per the Royal UK website, Queen Elizabeth II’s role has included “visits to charities and schools, hosting visiting Heads of State, and leading the nation in Remembrance and celebratory events.”
Her Royal Highness (H.R.H.) has ruled for longer than any other monarch in British history.
STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
#10. Abdullah II – King of Jordan
– Net worth: $750 million
Born in Amman in 1962, His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein is a 41st generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
Abdullah II attended Oxford University, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He pursued a military career, rising through the ranks from first lieutenant to major general, eventually becoming commander of Jordan’s special forces.
After the 1999 death of his father, His Majesty King Hussein, Abdullah II ascended to the Throne of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. King Abdullah II has put a strong passion behind his goal of advancing peace within Islam and among the world’s religions.
In 1993, King Abdullah married Rania Al Abdullah, who assumed the title of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah. The couple has four children—two sons, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Al Hussein and Prince Hashem, and two daughters, Their Royal Highnesses Princess Iman and Princess Salma.
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#9. Aga Khan IV
– Net worth: $800 million
His Highness Prince Karim is the fourth Aga Khan and 49th hereditary imam of the world’s 15 million Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. His followers know him by the religious title of Mawlānā Hazar Imam. Born in Geneva and raised in Nairobi, Aga Khan IV was educated at Le Rosey and Harvard. At the age of 20, in 1957, the Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan, as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
As a royal, he’s strived to improve the lives of those in vulnerable populations, placing emphasis on Islam as a faith that teaches compassion and tolerance. Additionally, he created the Aga Khan Development Network, a mostly nonprofit organization that employs 80,000 people in 30 countries. AKDN’s for-profit businesses range from those in energy, aviation, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications.
In 1969, the Aga Khan married former British model Sarah Frances Croker Poole, who took the name Begum Salimah Aga Khan. The royal duo had one daughter, Zahra Aga Khan, and two sons, Rahim Aga Khan and Hussain Aga Khan. The couple divorced in 1995.
Aga Khan IV remarried in 1998 to Gabriele Renate Thyssen, who assumed the name Begum Inaara Aga Khan at her wedding. Before their divorce in 2014, Gabriele gave birth to a son, Aly Muhammad Aga Khan.
Though a royal, Aga Khan IV doesn’t preside over a geographic territory. He currently lives in Aiglemont, an estate in France.
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#8. Prince Albert II – Monaco
– Net worth: $1 billion
His Serene Highness (H.S.H.) Prince Albert, Alexandre, Louis, Pierre, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, is the middle child of the late American actress Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Upon the death of Prince Rainier III in 2005, Albert ascended to Monaco’s throne.
Prince Albert’s duties have included leading the Monegasque delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations. Additionally, he chairs the Plenary Assembly of the Mediterranean Science Commission, an intergovernmental body that promotes the exchange of research and information between Mediterranean countries. One of the prince’s passions: fighting climate change.
Albert participated in five Olympic Games on Monaco’s bobsleigh team. He’s been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1985 and is president of the Monegasque Olympic Committee.
Prince Albert II married Charlene Wittstock in 2011. In 2014, the couple gave birth to twins, Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier. Albert has two additional children—Alexandre and Jazmin. Born outside of marriage, they are disqualified for the throne.
Milos Bicanski // Getty Images
#7. Marie-Chantal – Crown Princess of Greece
– Net worth: $2 billion
Marie-Chantal Claire Miller is the daughter of Duty-Free Shops co-founder Robert Warren Miller and Maria Clara Pesantes Becerra. A blind date that resulted in love at first sight led to Marie-Chantal and Prince Pavlos tying the knot in 1995. Marie-Chantal’s married name is Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, Princess of Denmark.
Prince Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece, is a descendant of Christian IX of Denmark, and son of the deposed King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. And though Greece hasn’t had an official monarchy since the early 1970s, Marie-Chantel and Prince Pavlos maintain the titles, and some official duties, of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece.
They have five children—Princess Maria-Olympia, Prince Constantine-Alexios, Prince Achileas-Andreas, Prince Odysseas-Kimon, and Prince Aristidis-Stavros—and currently live in New York’s Upper East Side.
Marie-Chantal is the creator of a self-named childrenswear brand, and author of the book, “Manners Begin at Breakfast: Modern Etiquette for Families.”
Carlos R. Alvarez // WireImage
#7. Mohammed VI – King of Morocco
– Net worth: $2.1 billion
In 1999, Mohammed VI was enthroned, taking on the official title of His Majesty (H.M.) King Mohammed VI, Amir Al Mouminine, or simply, King of Morocco. Son of the late King Hassan II, Mohammed VI is the 23rd king of the Alaouite Dynasty. The family’s reign dates back to the mid-17th century.
Mohammed VI inherited more than a title from his father. Indeed, he was bequeathed a 35% stake in Societe Nationale d’Investissement, a holding company with stakes in several publicly traded companies, including Morocco’s largest bank, a mining company, a sugar producer, and a dairy firm.
In 2002, Mohammed VI married Salma Bennani, who became the first wife of a Moroccan royal to be given her own title: Her Royal Highness, Princess Lalla Salma. Princess Lalla, who founded the Lalla Salma Foundation to combat cancer, has worked to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa and was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Health Organization. The royal couple has two children: Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Princess Lalla Khadija.
As for Mohammed VI, per Morocco’s constitution, his official duties include appointing the prime minister, cabinet, judges, and presiding over the High Council of Magistrates. Additionally, he is the supreme commander of the armed forces.
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#5. Hans-Adam II – Prince of Liechtenstein
– Net worth: $7 billion
His Serene Highness (HSH) Prince Hans-Adam II is the eldest son of Prince Franz Josef II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Countess Georgina von Wilczek, also known as Princess Gina. The 15th reigning Prince of the House of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II is the first head of state to grow up in the over 300-year-old sovereign principality of Liechtenstein.
Prince Hans-Adam II studied business administration and economics at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. In 1967, he married Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau. The royal couple has four children: Hereditary Prince Alois, Prince Maximilian, Prince Constantin, and Princess Tatjana.
Upon the death of Prince Franz Josef II in 1989, Hans-Adam II took over the regency. In 2004, he appointed Hereditary Prince Alois as his deputy and the future successor to the throne.
Hans-Adam II has the power to veto laws, appoint ministers and judges, and dismiss cabinet members. The family owns LGT Group (originally the Liechtenstein Global Trust), the largest private banking company in the world, along with one of the world’s largest private collections of art.
Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu Agency // Getty Images
#5. Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Alsaud – Saudi Arabia
– Net worth: $17 billion
The son of Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz and Mona El Solh, Alwaleed is also the grandson of Abdulaziz, the first king of Saudi Arabia, and of Riad Al Solh, Lebanon’s first prime minister. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California’s Menlo College, and a master’s in social science from New York’s Syracuse University. Alwaleed has been married and divorced four times. He and his first wife, Princess Dalal bint Saud, have two children: Prince Khaled and Princess Reem.
In 2017, Forbes reported His Royal Highness (H.R.H.) Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Abdulaziz al Saud, the founder, and CEO of Kingdom Holding Company, owned holdings in companies including Lyft, Twitter, Citigroup, and hotels spanning the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Paris’ Hotel George V, and London’s Savoy Hotel. This is in addition to Saudi Arabian real estate and Rotana Media Group. Additionally, he’s the chairman of Alwaleed Philanthropies and is said to have contributed $3.5 billion to social causes in the Arab world.
Alwaleed was reportedly arrested by the Saudi government in 2017 on charges of money laundering, bribery, and extorting officials. After a financial settlement was made, Alwaleed was released from detention in 2018. Concurrently, he was dropped from the World’s Billionaires list.
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#3. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – King of Saudi Arabia
– Net worth: 20 billion
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was born on Dec. 31, 1935, and has recently been in and out of the hospital. He is one of the “Sudairi Seven” sons born to King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman al Saud and Hassa bint Ahmed al-Sudairi. His father was the first monarch and founder of Saudi Arabia. Salman became the seventh king of Saudi Arabia upon the death of his brother, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.
Salman’s role as a royal began at age 19 when he served as the deputy governor of Riyadh Province. A year later, he was appointed governor, a role spanning 48 years. In 2011, he was appointed second deputy prime minister, minister of defense, and member of the National Security Council. One year later, he became Saudi Arabia’s deputy prime minister and crown prince. In 2015, upon the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Salman became the King of Saudi Arabia.
Salman has been married three times and has 13 children.
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#2. Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III – Sultan of Brunei
– Net worth: $30 billion
Hassanal Bolkiah—whose full title is His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam—is the 29th sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei, prime minister of Brunei, and Brunei’s absolute monarch. The eldest son of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit, he succeeded to the throne as the sultan of Brunei, when his father abdicated in 1967. The major contribution to his net worth is earnings from oil reserves and natural gas.
The Sultan of Brunei’s first wife was his cousin Princess Pengiran Anak Saleh, who became queen. He then married Mariam Abdul Aziz, a former Royal Brunei Airlines flight attendant. The couple divorced in 2003 and the sultan had Mariam’s royal titles removed. His third marriage was to Malaysian TV3 presenter, Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim. They divorced in 2010, and, as with Mariam Abdul Aziz, the sultan stripped Azrinaz of her royal titles.
Hassanal Bolkiah has 12 children. His eldest son, Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, is heir to the throne and current crown prince.
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#1. Maha Vajiralongkorn – King of Thailand
– Net worth: $30 billion
Born in 1952, Maha Vajiralongkorn is the son of Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Twenty years later, Vajiralongkorn’s father pronounced him crown prince. Bhumibol passed away in 2016, but it wasn’t until 2019 that Vajiralongkorn would officially step into the role of Thailand’s king.
In 1977, Vajiralongkorn married his cousin, Princess Soamsawali, who gave birth to their daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the following year. During the marriage, he began an affair with Yuvadhida, an actress. They produced five children between 1979 to 1987, eventually marrying in 1994. By 1996, Vajiralongkorn denounced Yuvadhida and disowned their four sons. The prince’s third marriage was to Srirasmi, a lady-in-waiting who gave birth to their son Prince Dipangkorn in 2005.
Days before his 2019 coronation, Vajiralongkorn married former Thai Airways flight attendant, Suthida, declaring her Queen Suthida Vajiralongkorn Na Ayudhya. Two months after his marriage to Queen Suthida, King Vajiralongkorn announced he was taking an official consort, Maj. Gen. Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi. Though that’s not who he named Air Force chief marshal in the Royal Air Force—that would be Foo Foo, one of his 30 poodles.
Thailand’s Crown Property Bureau, valued at over $40 billion, comes under Vajiralongkorn’s rule.