38 Of The Most Expensive Items The Royals Own
One of the great things about being a high-ranking member of a royal family is that you rarely have to worry about money. You'll have a roof over your head and food on your table. More often than not, that roof is part of a castle, and the food is the finest in the kingdom.
Royals own some pretty incredible things, ranging from palatial estates to rare gemstones to sports teams. Check out some expensive items some of the world's queens, princes, and sheiks possess...
Balmoral Castle In Scotland Is Queen Elizabeth's Scottish Home
Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the English Royal Family since Prince Albert bought it for Queen Victoria in 1852. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, the estate passed, according to her will, to King Edward VII. Each of his successors has since inherited the property.
Queen Elizabeth II, The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Prince of Wales have a special interest in the estate and work regularly to keep it running properly and be updated as required. Tourists are allowed to visit the grounds, gardens, exhibitions, gift shop and cafe.
Manchester City Soccer Club Is Owned By A Member Of Abu Dhabi's Royal Family
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahayan is a member of Abu Dhabi's royal family and half brother of the current President of UAE, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Al Nahayan had an an estimated personal net worth of $4.9 billion back in 2009, so you can imagine what it is today, a decade later.
Al Nahayan bought the soccer club Manchester City for $300 million from former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2008. He spent more than $1.7 billion investing in Manchester City over the following 10 years. His investment paid off because the club is now making a nice profit.
A Prince Worth $3.5 Billion Owns The Liechtenstein City Palace
Hans-Adam II, the Prince of Liechtenstein, owns the Palace of Liechtenstein, which is located in Vienna, Austria. The Prince is worth an estimated $3.5 billion, and he also possesses several other palaces, a bank, land, and artwork. The palace was built between 1692 to 1705 and was nearly destroyed during World War II.
It was recently renovated and features Baroque stucco ceilings and several masterpieces of the private art collection of the Prince von und zu Liechtenstein from the Biedermeier era. It's open to visitors, and the first and second floor are available for private events.
This Is One Of The Largest Yachts In The World
The Sultan Qaboos of Oman owns the luxury yacht named Al Said. During construction, the project was given the code name Project Sunflower. It took two years to complete and was delivered to the sultan in 2008. It's the world's second highest displacement superyacht, third most powerful, and fifth longest.
The yacht is worth an estimated $300 million. It contains a whopping 30 luxury cabins to accommodate more than 65 guests. There are 140 crew members who sleep in 70 cabins. It also features a helipad in case you want a helicopter to whoosh you away to an exotic location.
Prince Albert Owns A Car Key Made From A Metorite
Prince Albert of Monaco has one of the most impressive car collections in the world, and he has an astonishingly valuable key to use on them. In March of 2019, it was reported that he had acquired the most expensive car key in the world. It's a wearable gadget called the Senturion Key S177 Full Meteorite, composed of precious metals from a 4.9 billion-year-old meteorite found in Africa. The key comes with a hefty $269,521 price tag.
Only seven of the wrist-worn devices were ever made. Other owners include the Sultan of Brunei, footballer David Luiz, and Olympic champion Usain Bolt.
Sandringham House Is Another Of Queen Elizabeth's Properties
Queen Elizabeth II owns Sandringham, a country retreat. British monarchs have called the estate their private home for four generations (since 1862). There are 24 hectares of gardens on the property, and the royal family typically spends Christmas there.
The estate contains York Cottage, Park House where Diana Princess of Wales was born, as well as Amner Cottage and Wood Farm. Tourists are allowed to visit Sandringham to see the gardens, museum, and parts of the house, which was built by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The main ground floor rooms, regularly used by the Royal Family, are also open to the public.
Ascot Racecourse In The South Of England (Via The Crown Estate)
Ascot Racecourse is just one of many properties that is part of the Crown Estate, which "belongs to the reigning monarch 'in right of The Crown', that is, it is owned by the monarch for the duration of their reign, by virtue of their accession to the throne." The properties of the Crown Estate are not privately owned by the monarch or by the government. They're managed by an independent organization.
In 1711, Queen Anne decided a racecourse was needed at Ascot, and she made it happen in the summer of that year. It's located six miles from Windsor Castle and is one of the top racecourses in the United Kingdom.
Queen Elizabeth Weekends At Windsor Castle In Berkshire
Queen Elizabeth II also "owns" Windsor Castle in Berkshire because she is the reigning monarch (it's also part of the Crown estate). William the Conqueror chose the site for the castle near the River Thames because it was easily accessible to London and was next to a Saxon hunting ground. Building started in 1070 and was complete in 1086.
The Queen spends most of her weekends at Windsor Castle. It's an iconic building because it survived the English Civil War and protected royals during WWII bombings. It's one of England's top tourist attractions.
A Massive Art Collection
Queen Elizabeth II owns one of the largest art collections on earth. Thirteen royal homes in the United Kingdom contain pieces from her collection, which includes over 500,000 prints, 30,000 watercolors, and 7,000 paintings. There are several museums that also house some of the pieces she owns.
The queen's collection features a lot of portraits, including those of late members of the royal family, such as King Henry VIII, King George V, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth. There's even several of Queen Elizabeth herself (including the one in the photo above). Other portraits feature Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens, and Margaret Thatcher.
Monte Carlo Casino In Monaco
The Casino de Monte-Carlo is owned by a public company in which the ruling royal family and government of Monaco have a majority interest. Princess Caroline came up with the idea for a casino, and it first opened its doors in 1863. It has just what you expect in a casino: slot machines, craps tables, roulette wheels and more.
The casino has appeared in several Hollywood films, including Ocean's Twelve and a few James Bond flicks. It reportedly makes hundreds of millions of dollars each year, but the revenue is kept under wraps.
The Royal Philatelic Collection (Postage Stamps)
Queen Elizabeth II has quite an impressive collection of stamps. The Royal Philatelic Collection features some of the finest and most comprehensive collection of British and Commonwealth stamps. King George V started the collection in the 1800s when he was the Duke of York.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II added significantly to the collection. Highlights from include philatelic gems such as the 1840 Penny Black and Twopenny Blue, the legendary Post Office Mauritius, and the Great Britain Two Pence Tyrian Plum.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse In Scotland
This is Queen Elizabeth II's official residence in Scotland and is also part of the Crown Estate. It was first a monastery in 1128. Each room in the palace is filled with furniture, paintings and other historical items. Tourists can visit the property and see the Holyrood Abbey, the gardens, and the state apartments.
Some of Scotland's most iconic historic figures are associated with the palace, including Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie. The Queen uses the Great Gallery to host state banquets, dinners and receptions. The Throne Room is also used for receptions and other State occasions.
Regent Street In London
Regent Street in London is the major shopping street in the city. It's named after George, the Prince Regent who became King George IV. It is also a part of the Crown Estate. The street features numerous retail stores, including Liberty, Hamleys, Jaeger, and the Apple Store. The Queen's Crown Estate manages the area.
The University of Westminster's main campus is located at No. 309 Regent Street, and All Souls Church is at the top of Regent Street. The street hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including Fashion and Design Month. The annual Christmas light display is also a big draw.
Istana Nurul Iman: The Largest Residential Palace In The World
The Sultan of Brunei currently lives in Istana Nurul Iman, which is the largest residential palace on earth. It has 1,788 rooms, including 257 bathrooms, a banquet hall for up to 5,000 guests, a mosque, a 110-car garage, a stable for the Sultan's 200 polo ponies, and five swimming pools.
The palace also has 564 chandeliers, 44 stairwells, and 18 elevators. It cost around $1.4 billion to build. In addition to being a residence, the palace is used for all the state functions of the government of Brunei. It contains the prime minister's office and is the seat of the Brunei government.
Drakensteyn Castle Comes Complete With A Moat
Drakensteyn Castle is a small castle in the hamlet of Lage Vuursche, in Baarn, Netherlands. Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, the country's former Queen, lives in the private residence. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the castle is its octagonal shape. It also has a moat.
Beatrix purchased the estate in 1959 and started living there in 1963 after a series of renovations. The estate was built in the years 1640–1643. Beatrix raised her family there, bu they moved to The Hague when Beatrix ascended the throne in 1980. Beatrix moved back when she abdicated in 2013.
A Dress Worth As Much As A Family Home
Speaking of Meghan and Harry’s wedding, there were plenty of lavish details that went into planning the big day but of course, the centerpiece of it all was Meghan’s wedding dress. The dress alone reportedly cost $400,000, which may be chump change for an actress-turned-royal, but for the average citizen, that’s enough to buy a home in most areas of America.
The expensive dress was designed by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, who is the artistic director of Givenchy. Meghan chose Keller to design her dress to showcase the success of leading British talent in fashion.
Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco's Son Prince Albert Bought Her Childhood Home
In 1955, Grace Kelly got engaged to Prince Rainer III at her parent's estate in Philadelphia. Kelly's only son, Prince Albert II of Monaco, purchased the East Falls property in 2016 for $754,000 to renovate the historical landmark. Prince Albert started the restoration project almost immediately after the purchase with the help of his first cousin and Princess Grace's nephew, John B. Kelly III.
The home is filled with family heirlooms and even includes the twin bed that Kelly used as a child. The home was built in 1928 by Princess Grace's father, and it's open for tourists.
The Horse Stables Of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud & Sons Are Amazing
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 2005 until his death in 2015. He was succeeded as king by his half-brother Salman of Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah was passionate about horses. The Stables of King Abdullah Bin A'Aziz Al-Saud & Sons are the biggest in Saudi Arabia.
King Abdullah had more than 1,000 horses divided in five divisions led by his son, Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah. King Abdullah visited the stables as often as he could and Janadria Farm was often referred to by the media as King Abdullah's "ranch."
A $1.5 Billion Offshore Energy Empire
The Crown Estate is actively involved in the offshore wind sector. The project currently meets over six percent of the UK's electricity demand, and is expected to deliver 10 percent by 2020. One of the goals of the offshore wind sector is to make the nation’s seabed "a brilliant place to invest."
The offshore energy empire includes 30 wind farms and is worth an estimated $1.5 billion. But not everyone in the royal family is happy with the project. Prince Philip once called it "absolutely useless" and Prince Charles referred to the wind farms as a “horrendous blot on the landscape.”
Underwater Parties!?
Half the population of Swaziland lives on one dollar a day, but that doesn't prevent the royal family from living as lavish as they do. They frequently flash their riches on social media and showcase some of the wildest things they've done.
One of the most ambitious uses of their money is throwing underwater parties. Who else do you know that throws bashes under the sea? The Swazi public isn't particularly happy with some of their antics.
Saudi Crown Prince Owns The Most Expensive Painting
The world's most expensive home is $300 million and is owned by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It took three years to complete and is a full-blown smart home, meaning you can control lights with your voice. The crazy thing is, he has a painting worth more than that.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has the Salvator Mundi, a painting of a placid-looking Christ by Leonardo da Vinci. The price tag of that is $450 million.
The Duchy Of Lancaster Spans 45,500 Acres
Queen Elizabeth II also owns the Duchy of Lancaster, which was founded in the 13th century. It's comprised of 45,550 acres of land including estates, farmland, historic buildings, and malls in England and Wales. The Duchy is valued at approximately $675 million. The good news is that the Duchy is self-financing and does not rely on taxpayer money to function.
Some of the properties in the Duchy include Lancaster Castle, Bolingbroke Castle, Goathland Estate, Pickering Castle and the Savoy Estate in London. As of 2018, the revenue of the Duchy was valued at $25 million.
Qatar's Royal Family Has Second Most Expensive Painting
Now you know how much the most expensive painting costs, but what about the second most expensive? In 2012, the Qatari family picked up the tab on some pricey artwork. At the time, they spent the most ever on a painting called "The Card Players," which they purchased for $250 million.
This wasn't anything new for the Qatari family, as they were ranked the biggest spenders of art in the world in 2011. If you love art, you love art.
They Have HOW Much Alcohol?!
Fans of liquor will get a kick out of this. The British Royals have a history of owning expensive things and maintaining lovely collections, so this would be a mixture of those two categories. They receive gifts all the time, even though they can only accept them from certain people.
A popular gift to give is alcohol, so over the years, the British royals have built a large liquor cabinet. Overall, they have roughly $507,018 worth of it stashed away.
The Duchy Of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall, which is nearly 700 years old, is inherited by the eldest son of the reigning monarch of England. That happens to be Prince Charles. It was established by Edward III in 1337. It consists of about 53,000 hectares of land in 23 counties, mostly in the South West of England.
The Duchy capital account has increased from $514 million to $962 million since 2004, and the surplus has increased $12 to $24 million over the same period. The management and control of the Duchy of Cornwall are separate from the Queen's Duchy of Lancaster.
Their Own Car Museum
The royal family from Monaco has a litany of expensive things that ordinary citizens can only dream about obtaining. One of their most extravagant purchases feeds into the Prince of Monaco's car collection. In the '50s, Prince Rainier III started collecting expensive cars, and that blossomed into something else.
By 1993, his son decided to share everything the family had collected with the public and opened up a museum for it. There are even racing cars from the Monaco Grand Prix.
A Sleek Mini Car To Commemorate The Big Day
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle likely received plenty of lavish gifts on their famous nuptials that took place on May 19, 2018. But of course, leave it up to the prince to give his blushing bride a shiny new gift on four wheels. Harry gifted Meghan a Mini Countryman Cooper that cost quite a pretty penny.
For nearly $40,000, Meghan’s new all-wheel-drive car with all the fixings even came inscribed with hers and Harry’s initials, in addition to their wedding date, on the dash in front of the passenger seat.
Harry's Rolex Could Probably Withstand Space
It’s really not surprising that someone like Prince Harry owns a watch that is over $8,000. Harry wears a Rolex Explorer II. We guess it makes sense that a watch like that cost as much as someone’s rent for half a year, but of course, it’s all in the name.
This watch is fabricated with Oystersteel, specially developed for the Rolex brand. This type of steel is a common high-technology allow used in the aerospace and chemical industries, which means that this bad boy isn’t likely to corrode anytime in the near future.
The Queen's Bently Limo
The queen continually adds to her collection of lavish accessories. In 2002, she received an elegant gift that even her dogs can enjoy! A Bentley Limo sounds as expensive as it looks.
The queen only uses it on special occasions, and it's guarded at all times in case anyone wants to try any funny business. It comes equipped with all the royal modifications like bulletproof body and fluffy wool seats in the back for the doggos!
The Royal Yacht
The British royals must travel in style no matter if it's on land, air or water. On land, we just showed how the queen gets around in her Bently Limo, but here's their water transportation is even more lavish and they call it Britannia.
It was built in 1952, and after 1997, it became more of a tourist attraction. Inside, it has silver cutlery sets, doorknobs made with silver and the living rooms are huge.
Meghan's Million-Dollar Malibu Digs
Even though Meghan relocated across the pond as a result of her marriage, the California girl still had to stay close to her West Coast roots. That’s why she and Harry purchased a marvelous beach house in Malibu, California.
Their $16 million beach house sits right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and contains eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a cinema, gym, tennis court, and an additional guest house. As if being right on the beach weren’t enough, the house even has a swimming pool and hot tub complete with waterfalls.
Meghan's Jewelry
With a $400,000 wedding dress and a multi-million dollar beach estate, it comes as no surprise that Meghan Markle's jewelry collection is probably cost enough to put someone through college.
According to W Magazine the Duchess Of Sussex now has a jewelry collection worth more than $700,000, and that's not even including the iconic $600,000 tiara she borrowed from the queen for the wedding. Talk about some royal perks!
London's Kensington Palace
Staying in hotels is the only time you might've been inside a 547-room building. We guarantee that you've never been inside of a 547-room palace. Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle have the pleasure of living at Kensington Palace located in England.
It's divided into apartments and offices, and cost almost $7 million to renovate in 2014. "Apartment 1" has a total of 21 rooms in case you were wondering. Which is more than any regular apartment should have.
The Buckingham Palace
In the heart of England, you can find the official residence of the queen. Buckingham Palace has a total of 775 rooms (no big deal). It's a working royal palace, meaning it's not a private residence.
Inside of it, there are 19 staterooms where the royal family can entertain their guests, as well as 52 bedrooms, so there is never a shortage of space! Entire families could live in this place and still have room for more. There are 78 bathrooms, so you can spend your time finding the perfect one to use.
A Camel Worth Every Penny
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is known as the prince of Duba, but he is also known as a poet named Fazza. As a prince, Fazza has the ability to purchase pretty much anything he wants, even his very own camel. You might think that camels are easy to come by around the UAE but this is no ordinary camel.
Fazza’s camel is one of the most handsome camels around, having won a notable beauty contest. In case you were wondering, an award-winning beauty camel cost a whopping $2.7 million.
Scottish Estate For Hunting
Fazza’s family also has property near the British royal family in the Scottish Highlands. On more than 63,000 acres owned by the prince’s family, Fazza’s father has plans to build an enormous estate that will reportedly have a 14-bedroom lodge, including a pool and a gym.
The hunting lodge is said to be a once-a-year base for Fazza and his family. It was only a matter of time before they decided to buy property there because Dubai’s royal family has been known to vacation in the Scottish Highlands every year.
Cars That Make A Splash
While most people who can afford expensive cars would opt for a luxury vehicle, Fazza has other ideas about where he spends his money. Instead of a Lamborgini or Rolls Royce, Fazza bought an entire fleet of WaterCars.
Made in California, WaterCar designs amphibious vehicles that can travel more than 80 mph on land and 45 mph. Fazza was so impressed that he bought six and it’s not like they came cheap. Each WaterCar cost more than $150,000.
The Most Expensive Condo Ever Built And Sold
Fazza made Canadian headlines in 2013 for making the most expensive private real estate transaction in Canadian history. Just what exactly did he buy? For $25 million, Fazza bought the penthouse of the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver.
The purchase was reportedly the most expensive condo ever built and sold but for good measure, he also purchased the two floors below it. For a total of $55 million, Fazza doesn't have to deal with noisy downstairs neighbors.
