When it comes to royalty, opulence and wealth often go hand in hand. But some royal families take riches to a whole new level – amassing fortunes that rival the GDP of nations. Unlike business families whose wealth comes from companies, royal dynasties often draw from a mix of historical assets, state resources, sovereign wealth funds, and sheer longevity of rule. Here we spotlight the world’s richest royal families (think ruling dynasties, not just individual monarchs), ranked by their estimated net worth as of 2025. We’ll explore their historical legacies, current sources of income, and introduce some notable family members along the way. Get ready for a journey through gilded palaces and trillion-dollar oil empires, with a few surprises about Europe’s old monarchies too – it’s a royally entertaining rich list!
#10: House of Alaouite (Morocco) – $8.2 Billion
Morocco’s royal family, the Alaouites, trace their rule back to the 17th century and claim descent from the Prophet Muhammad. Their wealth today is a combination of historical landholdings, vast palaces, and ownership stakes in key sectors of the Moroccan economy. At the heart of their financial empire is Al Mada, a royal investment company with interests in mining, banking, telecoms, and retail.
King Mohammed VI, who assumed the throne in 1999, controls this wealth through both public allocations and private enterprise. While Morocco lacks oil wealth, it makes up for it with phosphates, agriculture, and strategic African investments. The royal family also owns a fleet of luxurious vehicles, private aircraft, and a network of lavish palaces in cities like Rabat, Marrakech, and Fez. With tight control over royal finances and continued economic growth, the Alaouites remain among the wealthiest royal houses.
#9: House of Liechtenstein (Liechtenstein) – $9 Billion
The princely family of Liechtenstein might govern a tiny country, but they sit atop a substantial fortune, much of it modern and self-made. Prince Hans-Adam II, who still wields political influence, is the owner of LGT Group, a private banking empire managing over $300 billion in client assets. While that money isn’t theirs, the profits from LGT flow directly to the family.
Their $9 billion fortune is supplemented by agricultural estates in Austria, a world-class art collection housed in two Liechtenstein palaces in Vienna, and vast real estate holdings. Uniquely, the Liechtensteins don’t draw taxpayer funds—they often bankroll national needs themselves. The family’s approach to blending monarchy and modern capitalism has proven to be a masterclass in wealth sustainability.
#8: House of Al Maktoum (Dubai, UAE) – $18 Billion
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his extended family transformed Dubai into a global powerhouse of trade, real estate, and luxury tourism. With limited oil reserves, they pivoted early, investing in massive infrastructure projects and government-owned companies like Emirates Airlines, DP World, and Dubai World.
Their wealth is rooted in land ownership, international investments, and the transformation of Dubai into a magnet for tourism and commerce. Sheikh Mohammed has a personal passion for horse racing, founding the Dubai World Cup and running Godolphin, one of the world’s most successful racing stables. The family lives a life of extraordinary luxury, with private islands, massive palaces, and custom-built stables for wedding gifts.
#7: House of Bolkiah (Brunei) – $30 Billion
Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has ruled since 1967 and has become an icon of royal extravagance. His family’s wealth—roughly $30 billion—stems almost entirely from Brunei’s oil and gas reserves. As both monarch and prime minister, the Sultan exercises near-total control over state revenues, which often blend seamlessly into royal assets.
His collection of 7,000 cars (including 600 Rolls-Royces), the Istana Nurul Iman palace (with 1,788 rooms), and his private Boeing 747 are legendary. The Brunei Investment Agency channels the nation’s energy wealth into global assets, including luxury hotels like the Dorchester Collection. The small population of Brunei allows much of the oil wealth to stay concentrated in royal hands, sustaining their extravagant lifestyle with minimal public resistance.
King Charles and The Sultan of Brunei (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
#6: House of Chakri (Thailand) – $60 Billion
Thailand’s royal family, the Chakri dynasty, controls wealth estimated at $60 billion. Their fortune is anchored by the Crown Property Bureau (CPB), a real estate and investment colossus managing land across Bangkok and equity in top Thai firms like Siam Cement and Siam Commercial Bank. In 2018, King Vajiralongkorn centralized control of the CPB, effectively transforming state assets into his personal holdings.
Their palaces, art collections, and ceremonial regalia are priceless. The King of Thailand owns private jets and reportedly lives part-time in Germany. Income from land leases and investments far exceeds their government allowance, and strict lèse-majesté laws discourage public scrutiny. Their fortune, while quiet by Gulf standards, is vast and deeply entwined with the Thai economy.
#5: House of Windsor (United Kingdom) – $88 Billion
Britain’s royal family is iconic and wealthy—though much of their $88 billion fortune is tied up in estates and trusts, not spendable cash. The Crown Estate (valued around £15 billion) and the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall fund official duties and personal wealth, while private holdings include Balmoral, Sandringham, and investments inherited from Queen Elizabeth II.
King Charles III now oversees the “Firm,” with Prince William as the heir apparent. The Sovereign Grant provides an annual government payment based on Crown Estate profits, and the family enjoys global attention while maintaining a more restrained lifestyle than some peers. They may not have oil, but they have centuries of compound interest and real estate appreciation on their side.
#4: House of Al Nahyan (Abu Dhabi, UAE) – $300+ Billion
The Al Nahyan family controls Abu Dhabi’s vast oil reserves and sits atop the $790 billion Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. While ADIA is technically a state entity, the royal family, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ), wields tremendous influence over it.
They’ve diversified into global equities, real estate, and infrastructure. Sheikh Mansour’s purchase of Manchester City FC has paid dividends both financially and in soft power. The family lives lavishly, owning Emirates Palace hotel and the mega-yacht Azzam. But their wealth is not just for show—it’s structured to preserve power and prosperity for generations.
#3: House of Al Thani (Qatar) – $335 Billion
Qatar’s Al Thani family built their fortune on the world’s third-largest natural gas reserves, turning a desert emirate into a financial juggernaut. The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) manages over $450 billion in assets, including Harrods, The Shard, Volkswagen, and Paris Saint-Germain FC.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani leads a dynasty that blends gas revenues with savvy international investment. They own opulent homes in Doha and London, fleets of private jets, and enjoy global influence through soft power channels like Al Jazeera and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Their reinvestment strategy ensures their fortune will outlast fossil fuel dependency.
#2: House of Al Sabah (Kuwait) – $360 Billion
Kuwait’s Al Sabah family presides over an oil-rich nation with one of the world’s oldest and most successful sovereign wealth funds—the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA). With assets reportedly exceeding $700 billion, and significant state budget allocations, the family’s wealth is estimated at around $360 billion.
Kuwait’s royal spending is more measured than some Gulf peers, but luxury is still a way of life. The family owns jets, high-end real estate, and global investments. Their strategy of “saving for a rainy day” has paid off, ensuring that even with limited oil growth, returns from global markets keep the royal coffers full.
#1: House of Saud (Saudi Arabia) – $1.4 Trillion
The House of Saud, the ruling family of Saudi Arabia, is in a league of its own. With an estimated fortune of about $1.4 trillion (yes, trillion with a “t”!), they are often cited as the richest royal family on the planet by a wide margin. Even if one takes a more conservative view and counts “only” readily investable personal assets, the core family still controls at least $140 billion. Either way, no other monarchy comes close.
How did the Saudi royals become so astronomically wealthy? The answer gushes from the desert: oil. The Al Saud dynasty’s fortunes are built on Saudi Arabia’s status as the world’s leading oil exporter. They effectively own Saudi Aramco, the national oil company which is a behemoth (one of the world’s most valuable companies). Some estimates of the family’s wealth include the value of Aramco and the national oil reserves – hence that mind-boggling $1.4 trillion figure, which factors in holdings in Aramco.
The family’s modern founder, King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, united the Arabian Peninsula’s tribes in 1932 and struck oil soon after. Today, his descendants number in the thousands. The most prominent member is the current monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who is effectively the day-to-day ruler. They oversee not just the kingdom but also the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth fund that is like the family’s investment arm. The PIF has over $600 billion in assets, including stakes in Uber, Lucid Motors, and sports ventures (it bought English football club Newcastle United). This, combined with government budgets that generously favor royals, ensures the family’s wealth keeps growing.
The House of Saud’s income streams are both traditional and modern. On one hand, there’s the direct profit from oil – royalties, exports, etc. On the other, they’ve diversified: petrochemical industries, telecom companies, banks, and international investments all have royal stakes. And let’s not forget historical assets: the Saudi state (controlled by the family) owns grand palaces, vast lands, and priceless art and jewelry collections accumulated over decades of wealth.
All told, the Saudi royal family’s wealth is nearly 16 times greater than that of Britain’s royal family, highlighting just how extraordinary their fortune is. They could personally fund every single government project in Saudi Arabia and still have plenty left to spend on superyachts (indeed, one Saudi prince’s yacht, the Serene, cost over $300 million). Love them or criticize them, the House of Saud’s combination of oil-fueled riches and strategic investments makes them the reigning champions of royal wealth.
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