King Charles is now richer than Queen Elizabeth, here's how

King Charles III ascended to the throne in 2023 after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history. In 2022, it was reported that Queen Elizabeth II's personal wealth was roughly £370 million (₹4,207 crore), and it was much less than the collective wealth of the then Indian-origin UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty. However, a new report suggests that King Charles III is as rich as Akshata Murty and Rishi Sunak, and richer than Queen Elizabeth II! But how did this happen? Read on to find out:

How King Charles III became so rich

King Charles’ personal wealth has grown by a massive £30 million (₹341 crore) in just the past year, bringing his total net worth to an estimated £640 million (₹7,278 crore).

According to The Sunday Times Rich List, that puts him on par with former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty.The King has jumped 20 spots on the list of the UK’s richest people, now sitting at joint 238th out of 350. Most of his wealth comes from a highly valuable investment portfolio he inherited from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. His private estates—Sandringham and Balmoral—also add to his fortune.Back when he was still Prince of Wales, Charles received around £23 million (₹261 crore) each year from the Duchy of Cornwall, which helped support his family and official responsibilities.It’s important to note that this figure only reflects his personal wealth. It doesn’t include the Crown Estate, the Duchy of Lancaster, or the Crown Jewels— all of which are owned by the monarchy, not the individual. For comparison, Queen Elizabeth II had an estimated personal wealth of £370 million (₹4,207 crore) in 2022.

That makes Charles £270 million (₹3,070 crore) richer than his mother.One major reason for that jump? He didn’t have to pay inheritance tax on the fortune she left him— an exemption granted to monarchs. Normally, anything above a certain threshold is taxed at 40% in the UK.Another big source of income is the Duchy of Lancaster— a private estate covering over 18,000 hectares across areas like Lancashire, Yorkshire, and parts of central London.

It’s valued at £654 million and brings in roughly £20 million in annual profits.However, according to a 2023 Guardian investigation, Charles’ real fortune could be much larger— possibly close to £2 billion (INR 2,27,34,62,00,000) — once you include luxury cars, rare stamps, historic properties, racehorses, jewellery, art collections, and more.

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty's wealth: How are the former UK PM and his wife so rich?

While King Charles’ fortune is growing, Sunak and Murty have seen their wealth dip by £11 million (₹125 crore).

Since leaving office, Sunak has taken on a part-time role at Stanford University and joined the Washington Speakers Bureau. The couple also launched a charity to promote numeracy, as per reports.Still, most of their wealth comes from Akshata Murty’s stake in Infosys, the tech company co-founded by her billionaire father, N. R. Narayana Murthy.

2025 UK rich list: Fewer UK billionaires, more Indian-origin wealth

This year’s Sunday Times Rich List reports the biggest drop in UK billionaires in its 37-year history.

Yet Indian-origin families continue to dominate the top of the list.Here are the top five richest people in the UK in 2025:1. Gopi Hinduja and family – £35.3 billion (₹4 lakh crore), down from £37.2 billion2. David and Simon Reuben – £26.87 billion (₹3 lakh crore), up in rank3. Sir Leonard Blavatnik – £25.73 billion (₹2.92 lakh crore), down to third place4. Sir James Dyson and family is at number four with a wealth of £20.8 billion (INR 23,64,40,04,80,00)5. Idan Ofer is at number five with a wealth of £20.12 billion (INR 22,87,10,27,72,000).Despite a dip in their net worth, the Hinduja family remains the UK’s richest for the fourth year in a row, thanks to the vast business empire of the Hinduja Group.