Prince William currently has a net worth of around $40 million, but he is far from the royal family’s wealthiest member. His father and grandmother, after all, have more money in the bank than he does. (Prince Charles’ net worth varies between $100 and $400 million, depending on the source, and Queen Elizabeth’s is estimated to be around $530 million.) The Queen is the wealthiest, not only because she has had more time to accumulate wealth, but also because she is the reigning monarch.
The good news for William is that when he becomes king, much of what the Queen currently counts as her assets will pass to him. The monarchy owns billions of dollars in real estate, art, and animals, and the Queen’s personal net worth is $530 million. (Animals, yes.) They’re part of the Crown Estate, which is passed down through the generations from one monarch to the next.
The Crown Estate will pass to Charles — and then to William — after the Queen steps down or dies. Of course, there is no set schedule for the changing of the guard. There was a rumor that the Queen would hand over the monarchy when she turned 95 in 2021, but that never happened, according to People. Here we are in 2022, commemorating Elizabeth’s historic reign for the 70th year (and counting).
For the time being, William will have to wait — but it sounds like it will be well worth the wait.
1.William is already extremely wealthy.
Even though his net worth will skyrocket once he becomes king, William isn’t in bad shape right now. His current net worth is estimated to be in the $40 million range. That is lower than many other well-known people, but that is because William does not have a paying job like actors, musicians, or business moguls.
2.He donated his salary and no longer receives a paycheck.
There was a time when William worked for a living. For seven years, he worked for the Army and Royal Air Force, earning about $61,300 per year. According to CNBC, he donated the salary because he didn’t need it because he had millions in the bank. He’s since left that job and doesn’t get paid for his royal engagements, though his expenses are covered, so he’s in no financial straits.
3.Inheritances provided the majority of his wealth.
The majority of William’s fortune stems from money he inherited from his mother, Princess Diana, after she died, as well as from the Queen Mother (his great-grandmother) after she died. William and Harry shared their mother’s estate, with William receiving around $12.3 million from Diana’s estate. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother also left a $6 million inheritance to Harry’s great-grandson at the time of her death, as well as another $10 million when the princes turn 40.
4.There’s a Good Chance the Queen Will Leave Money
Queen Elizabeth’s personal net worth, according to Forbes, is around $500 million, which will have to go somewhere when she dies. Even if the money is split among her four children, as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and godchildren, William is likely to end up with a sizable sum to add to his own fortune.
5.William’s Net Worth Will Increase With Time
When Charles becomes king, William will assume the title of Prince of Wales, which comes with a sizable fortune. The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate that generates a significant amount of revenue. Right now, Charles is using that money to support himself and his two sons. But one day, all of that money will belong to William, and the duchy is said to bring in around $25 million per year.
6.When William becomes King, he will become wealthier.
It’s impossible to predict when William will be crowned king. The next in line is Charles, who is only in his early 70s, so if he lives as long as his mother, William could be waiting for the throne for more than 20 years. William’s net worth will skyrocket from $40 million if he becomes king.
7.William will succeed to the title of Duke of Lancaster.
Right now, the Queen is the Duke of Lancaster (yes, you read that correctly) and the Duchy of Lancaster is under her control. According to CNN, it has the potential to bring in $19 million per year. That money is part of the Queen’s personal fortune, which she can spend as she pleases. When she abdicates her monarchy to her son Charles (and later grandson William), the duchy is likely to follow.
8.He’ll be in charge of billions of dollars in real estate.
According to another Forbes report, when William becomes king, he will gain access to the Crown Estate, which includes $10 billion in real estate. The Crown Estate owns a variety of buildings, seabeds, forests, and land across the United Kingdom. Any profit generated by these holdings will be redirected to the government’s coffers, not to William personally.
9.Buckingham Palace Is Going To Be His
Photo: © Getty Images
Buckingham Palace, which will be William’s living quarters when he becomes king, is also part of the Crown Estate. Forbes estimates that Buckingham Palace is worth $5 billion on its own, not including the $10 billion in other Crown Estate holdings. William will be able to live in the palace, but he will not be able to own it. The reigning monarch may own property, as the Queen does with Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, but Buckingham Palace is distinct.
10.The Royal Art Collection will be one of his future assets.
According to Express, the reigning monarch also oversees the Royal Art Collection, which is worth an additional $12.6 billion and is regarded as “the world’s largest privately owned art collection.” “7,000 paintings, 500,000 prints, and 30,000 drawings” make up the collection, which includes works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. Isn’t that impressive?
11.He also manages to capture all of England’s swans.
The Queen enjoys the privilege of owning “any unmarked swans swimming in the open waters of England,” as per a 15th-century tradition. It used to be that anyone who wanted to serve a swan dinner had to pay the king or queen to mark a bird for their own use, but now, owning all the swans is more of an arbitrary part of being the reigning monarch.
12.And he’ll also be the owner of the Dolphins.
According to Time, the Queen owns all of the unmarked swans, as well as all of the UK’s dolphins, whales, and sturgeons, a type of large fish. (The current ruling monarch has that right thanks to a law passed in 1324.) When these animals get within 3 miles of the UK shore, they’re dubbed “fishes royal,” and the reigning monarch is designated as their symbolic owner.
13.He’ll be paid a yearly stipend by the government.
According to CNN, the Queen receives a stipend from the government in the form of the Sovereign Grant, which covers all of her official expenses such as travel and maintaining the palace. The funds are provided by the taxpayers. Last year, the grant was worth more than $100 million, or about $1.50 per person in the United Kingdom.
14.Most of this isn’t included in William’s personal fortune
All of those assets are nice, but they don’t add much to William’s net worth in the long run because he can’t deposit dolphins, swans, or the Crown Estate into his personal bank account. He’ll just have to count them as assets until he passes the throne to his oldest son, Prince George, who will then be in charge of them.
15.Even if William becomes King, he will still be extremely wealthy.
Although the majority of the billions of dollars under the king’s control do not belong to him, there are financial benefits to ruling the United Kingdom. For personal financial needs, there’s the Duchy of Lancaster, as well as the chance to stay for free in a massive palace — and travel the world, eat, and live on the taxpayers’ dime. Not bad at all!
