Jan. 18, 2025

Who is the richest Royal Family member? And it isn't King Charles!

Show Notes
Transcript

A look at which member of the Royal Family has the most money...and it's not King Charles

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Calorogus Shark media. A study reveals the richest royal and

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it's not King Charles. Meanwhile, the Royals get another rais

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and people aren't happy. And why King William might be

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the toughest ruler the Royals have ever seen. Hello, and

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welcome to Palace intrigue. I am your host, Mark Francis.

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The news of the British royal family receiving a fifty

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six million dollar increase in funding has sparked a significant

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backlash amidst widespread financial struggles across the UK. The Sovereign grant,

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which funds royal activities, is set to rise to one

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hundred and sixty five million dollars in April, with Buckingham

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Palace stating that much of this will go toward the

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ongoing four hundred and sixty two million dollars in renovations

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of the Iconic Residents, expected to finish in twenty twenty seven.

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Critics have labeled the funding increase scandalous, given that many

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Britons are facing difficult choices between heating their homes or

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buying food this winter. Ian Pelham Turner, a royal expert,

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remarked the potential private wealth of the royal family collectively

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could cover the cost. Graham Smith, CEO of the Anti

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monarchy group Republic, added, at a time when schools, hospitals

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and police are underfunded, this money should not be going up,

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it should be going down. Buckingham Palace has defended the renovations,

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emphasizing the necessity of upgrading outdated infrastructure, including plumbing and

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electrical systems that haven't been touched since the nineteen fifties.

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Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams argued that Buckingham Palace, as a

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working headquarters of the monarchy, attracts millions of tourists annually

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serves as a significant cultural and diplomatic venue. He also

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pointed out that the monarchy costs the public just one

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pound twenty nine per person annually and remains a key

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component of Britain's soft power. Adding to the optics issue,

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Charles is reportedly covering the cost of redecorating his private

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suite at Buckingham Palace, which won't be ready until the

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renovations are complete. In the meantime, he primarily resides at

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Clarence House. The palace has reiterated the public funds will

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not cover personal touches in the renovations. Wild offenders argue

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that the monarchy offers a strong return on investment through

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tourism and global attention. Critics see the increased funding as

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tone deaf during a cost of living crisis, with public

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frustration growing. This latest financial debate underscores the ongoing tension

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between the royal family's role as both cultural institution and

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modern monarchy. A report on royal finances reveals that the

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wealthiest member of Britain's royal family and it's not King Charles.

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An extensive analysis of the Windsor family wealth shows Prince

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William leading with an estimated fortune of one point zero

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five billion pounds, primarily due to his control of the

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Duchy of Cornwall. When questioned about his wealth by a

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school child in twenty twenty three, the Prince candidly responded

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that he didn't know. The King's fortune stands it at

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estimated nine hundred million pounds, which includes the historic Duchy

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of Lancaster valued at six hundred and forty seven million.

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This portfolio encompasses prime real estate, including London's Savoy Hotel.

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The Princess Royal Princess Ann maintains a fifty million pounds

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of state centered at Catcombe Park, while Prince Michael of

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Kentsworth is estimated at thirty one point five million. The

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Duke and Duchess of Sussex have built a combined fortune

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of approximately twenty million pounds through various commercial ventures, including

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streaming deals and publishing contracts. Their Netflix agreement in twenty

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twenty was valued at eighty million pounds, while Harry's four

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book deal reportedly brought in thirty two million. Princess Kate's

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personal wealth ranges between five and eight million pounds, notably

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lower than any other senior royal despite her future role

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as Queen Consort. The Duke of York's finances have significantly decreased,

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with current estimates placing his worth at five million pounds

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following recent legal challenges and his withdrawal from public duties.

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The royal cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie each hold estimated

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fortunes between seven hundred and sixty five thousand and three

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point five million pounds, having established careers outside their royal duties.

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This complex web of royal wealth remains partially routed in mystery,

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as the late Queen's will remains sealed following royal tradition,

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leaving some questions about inheritance unanswered. Growing concerns surrounds the

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potential censorship of royal documents as thousands of files about

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Queen Elizabeth IID and Prince Philip approached their scheduled release date.

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The documents due for public access in twenty twenty six

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and twenty seven, five years after their respective deaths, face

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scrutiny as Whitehall begins internal discussions about their handling. These

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files likely contain crucial historic records spanning Elizabeth the Second's

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seventy year reign, including government correspondence and accounts of significant

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royal events. Doctor Benda Grovenab, who resigned from the Advisory

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Council on National Records and Archives in twenty eighteen, calls

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for major reform in the document release process. He notes

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the Cabinet Office are the knee jerk ones who react

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all the time. The system does not need to be

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changed because the Advisory Council has on it people who

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really know what they are talking about and they should

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be trusted. Dr Allison McLain from the in the University

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of Bristol raises additional concerns there seems to be an

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increasing reluctance to release any historical public records relating to

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members of the Royal family, and a worrying trend of

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withdrawing access from records that have previously been released. While

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most public records are released after twenty years, royal documents

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face numerous exemptions. Communications involving the monarch remain classified until

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five years after their death, while the Royal family's windsor

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archives stay completely outside public access rights. The National Archives

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maintains they follow the Public Records Act nineteen fifty eight guidelines,

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while the Cabinet Office states all records are released in

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accordance with this legislation. However, critics point to a growing

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pattern of keeping royal files under lock and the key,

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with some previously available documents being withdrawn from public view.

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The Advisory Council has written to the Culture's Secretary seeking

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more transparent and consistent approaches to royal document releases across Whitehall,

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amid concerns over arbitrary secrecy and prolonged delays in document access.

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More Palace in just a moment, Prince William is being

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described as the toughest ruler the Royal family has ever seen,

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according to royal insiders, who suggest that his leadership style

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balances public admiration with a firm hand behind pallace doors.

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William has long been a favorite among royal watchers, with

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biographer doctor Tess Dunlop referring to him as the royal Rock.

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After a challenging year that saw both Princess Kate and

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King Charles diagnosed with cancer, Dunlop observed, through seeing his vulnerabilities,

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the nation fell in love with Diana's first born all

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over again. However, reports indicate that while William's public personam

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exudes warmth and approachability, his private leadership style is far

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more no nonsense. Known for having a fiery temper, the

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Prince of Wales reportedly has no hesitation in making tough decisions,

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even if it means showing royal as the door when

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they fail to align with his vision for the monarchy.

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Royal expert Hillary Fordage, speaking with Fox News Digital, shed

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light on the pressures William faces. She explained, Prince William

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is dedicated to duty, as imbued in him by Queen Elizabeth,

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who toutored him every Sunday regarding his royal duties. Forditch

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also highlighted the huge generational pressure William feels, noting that

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both he and Princess Catherine are keenly aware that the

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monarchy's survival depends on maintaining public popularity. William's millennial perspective

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seems to influence his approach, with forditchs claiming he won't

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and can't rest public association with disastrous members of the

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family who merely serve as distractions from public duty. This

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reportedly includes Prince Andrew, whose ties to Jeffrey Epstein have

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damaged the royal family's reputation, and Prince Harry, whose memoir

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Spare was described as the final straw for William as

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the future head of the monarchy. William appears determined to

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modernize and protect the institution by prioritizing public trust and

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cutting ties with controversies that could tarnish the royal legacy

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and they have it. Plug to email us or addresses

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Who is the richest Royal Family member? And it isn't King Charles!

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