The royal family are known for many things, including their impressive wealth. King Charles, for instance, is reportedly worth the hefty sum of $770 million, and it looks as though his bank balance is about to get even bigger. The Crown Estate, which is comprised of property and land owned by the royal family, just released its annual finance report showing a profit of £1.1 billion (approximately $1.42 billion), according to the BBC.
The frankly jaw-dropping figure is apparently due to additional profits generated by six offshore wind farms. As a result, the royal family's Sovereign Grant will receive a huge boost, and it's not your average pay rise. While the Sovereign Grant stood at £86.3 million (approximately $111.5 million) for the year 2024/25, it's set to increase to £132m ($170.6 million) for 2025/2026, the BBC reported.
The Sovereign Grant funds a plethora of official duties and activities carried out by the royal family, from international travel to garden parties. Even though the grant is funded by the U.K. tax payer, the amount awarded to the royals each year is directly linked to the profits the Crown Estate makes. In 2023, it was decided that the royals would receive the equivalent of 12% of the Crown Estate's profits, rather than 25%, purely because the wind farms had generated so much income, per the BBC.
While being royal seems to cost a colossal amount of money, King Charles actually suggested the reduced percentage. According to the BBC, Charles hoped that the family's good fortune would mean more money could be used for the "wider public good," which is a pretty refreshing sentiment coming from an actual king.
Alongside receiving funding from the Sovereign Grant, King Charles also made money as the owner of the Duchy of Cornwall. One of the king's former royal aides told the Sunday Times Rich List in 2024, “He became prudent at tucking away some money from the Duchy after that wipeout [of capital due to his divorce from Princess Diana]." They continued, “We’re not talking vast sums here — several tens of millions, no more. There have been suggestions that Camilla brought a good deal of money into their relationship, but that’s really not correct.”
