King Charles’s Net Worth Is Insanely High—Here’s How He Earned His Fortune

It’s safe to say that King Charles’s net worth has skyrocketed since he took over as Britain’s new monarch.

Although the royal was working on his own lucrative empire as the Prince of Wales, he has since inherited the queen’s castles, her massive art collection, rare jewels and her horse farm, making him one of the wealthiest people in the country. But what about the queen’s personal investments? And how exactly is the king receiving his money? Here’s what we know about King Charles’s net worth.

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1. What Is King Charles’s Net Worth?

Before he ascended the throne, the king’s net worth was an estimated $100 million, but that amount has more than tripled. According to The Guardian, his net worth is now an estimated $2.3 billion (or £1.8 billion). The outlet reported that this large sum accounts for private properties, jewels, investments, income from the Duchy of Lancaster and more.

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Duchy of Lancaster: $819.7 million

The Duchy of Lancaster, which His Majesty inherited from the queen, is a private estate that consists of over 45,000 acres of land in England and Wales. It includes commercial, agricultural and residential properties in places like Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Lincolnshire. Plus, it boasts a portfolio of financial investments.

According to The Guardian, in the five years leading up to her death, it paid the late queen $136.2 million, meaning that this was one of her main sources of income. And now, as the current monarch, the king gets a lucrative annual income of around $25 million from the Duchy of Lancaster.

Jewels: $669 million

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Queen Elizabeth's grandmother, Queen Mary, was such a big fan of jewelry that she acquired a bulk of valuable pieces. The value of the complete collection is unknown, but some of these privately owned items were valued by a jewelry expert in 1989 and published by journalist Andrew Morton. Based on these estimates, 54 of these jewels are now worth $669 million.

Private Property: $414.6 Million

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While Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace are not owned by the king, he inherited two estates from the late Queen Elizabeth, including Balmoral and Sandringham.

Balmoral, which was purchased in 1852 by Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert, includes 53,684 acres of land and is worth $100.5 million. Meanwhile, Sandringham, which has several rental properties and over 20,000 acres of land, is worth an estimated $314 million.

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Investments: $177.5 Million

According to The Guardian, The Times did some digging back in 1993. After looking up the share registers of FTSE 100 companies, they found that the royals owned $53.7 million in shares. Assuming that this amount is still invested today, it's currently worth $147.5 million.

It's likely that the late monarch and King Charles accrued an extra $72.5 million by saving at the same rate as the average British household. Following the divorce payment to Princess Diana in 1996, the total value was about $177.5 million.

Stamp Collection: $125.5 Million

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The royal family has an impressive collection of hundreds of thousands of stamps, including 358 albums collected by George V, George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. It also consists of official state gifts, like the mint collection of historical Canadian stamps and rare stamps from Laos.

Four philatelic experts estimate that the collection is worth at least $125.5 million. NBD.

Horses: $33.9 million

It's no secret that Queen Elizabeth owned and bred several racehorses. Per The Guardian, the king inherited 70 thoroughbreds, many of which are kept at the Royal Stud at Sandringham. And their value is approximately $33.9 million.

As it turns out, Charles wasted no time liquidating these assets. He has already earned $2.8 million from selling horses at an auction.

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Artwork: $30 million

Stamps weren't the only gifts given to the royal family. When they traveled abroad for royal engagements, they sometimes received expensive artwork—all of which is included in their private collection. Per The Guardian, three art valuers estimate that 60 of the most significant works are worth about $30 million.

Cars: $7.5 Million

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It's worth noting that not every car used by His Majesty is privately owned. Some are used on behalf of the nation, or “in right of the crown,” while vehicles known as "state cars" are often used for private outings. The palace hasn't confirmed which of these royal cars are privately owned by King Charles, but according to The Guardian, experts estimate that the cars are worth about $7.5 million.

One thing’s for sure: Kings Charles’s descendants are basically set for life.

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