You may find yourself asking: How wealthy is the British royal family? The answer is far from simple. “One of the problems with the net worth is that it’s very, very difficult to calculate,” royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams tells TIME.
The exact net worth of any royal family member is unknown, and estimates from online sources range. CelebrityNetWorth has pegged the net worth of Prince William, next in line to the throne, at $100 million. However, the Daily Express and other news outlets reported his worth skyrocketed to more than $1 billion after he took over the Duchy of Cornwall, a private estate worth £1 billion ($1.3 billion), from his father, King Charles III, upon the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022.
The Duchy of Cornwall “funds the public, charitable, and private activities of the Prince of Wales and his family,” according to its website. The estate was established by Edward III in 1337 to provide independence to his son and heir, Prince Edward.
The portfolio includes land, farm tenancies, and commercial properties across at least 20 counties in England and Wales. In 2023, the assets created £24 million ($30 million) in “distributable surplus,” according to the estate’s most recent annual report. Royals are not obligated to pay income tax, but have voluntarily done so since 1993, according to Parliament.
On top of those holdings, Prince William, along with his younger brother Prince Harry, received inheritances from his mother, Princess Diana, and paternal great grandmother, the Queen Mother.
When the Queen Mother died in 2002, she left about £14 million ($17.6 million today) to her great-grandsons, with the bulk going to Prince Harry since William would benefit financially from one day becoming King, the BBC reported.
Following their mother’s death in 1997, the brothers inherited $21.3 million after taxes to share between them, according to her will.
Prince William has also previously earned…
