Who’s minted, and who’s brassic, in the British Royal Family?

Ever wondered how the British Royal Family keeps their crowns polished and their corgis fed without punching a time clock? Spoiler: it‘s not your average nine-to-five grind. From the taxpayer-backed Sovereign Grant fueling palace upkeep and jet-setting duties to ancient duchies churning out millions in private income, the Windsors‘ wealth is a mix of public purse and inherited estates worth billions. But not everyone‘s swimming in it—let‘s break down who‘s minted and who‘s relatively brassic in this real-life game of thrones.

The money trail

First off, forget the notion of the British Royal Family clocking in for a salary like the rest of us. Working royals don’t earn wages; instead, their official expenses—from staff salaries to global jaunts—are covered by a blend of public funds and private pots. It’s all about supporting duties without a traditional paycheck.

The big player is the Sovereign Grant, taxpayer money that hit £86.3 million in 2024-25 and is set to jump to £132 million by 2025-26, thanks to booming Crown Estate profits from wind farms. This covers palace maintenance, like Buckingham’s ongoing facelift, and keeps the operation humming without dipping into personal coffers.

Then there are the private duchies, inherited estates like Lancaster and Cornwall, generating millions annually for the monarch and heir. Add in personal wealth from inheritances, investments, and jewels, and the family’s net worth balloons to an estimated $28 billion, far beyond public funding.

Minted at the top

King Charles III tops the British royal family wealth charts with an estimated net worth of £640 million, per the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List. His Duchy of Lancaster raked in £24.4 million last year, funding private life and supporting other royals’ duties—far from brassic, even with public scrutiny on palace costs.

Prince William, as Duke of Cornwall, inherited a surplus of £22.9 million in 2025, set to pass to Prince George someday. This private income bolsters his role in the British royal family, covering everything from eco-initiatives to family expenses, keeping him solidly in the minted category.

Long-serving royals like Princess Anne and the Duke of Kent aren’t far behind in funding terms. Anne’s lifetime official payments hit £16.6 million over 51 years, averaging $430k annually for her packed schedule, while the Duke’s £18 million reflects decades of duty without duchy-level riches.

The funding drop-off

Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, rounds out the working British royal family with more modest support, pulling in about £6.5 million in lifetime official payments since 1982. That averages roughly $217,000 yearly for duties, far from duchy fortunes but enough to sustain his low-key commitments without fanfare.

On the outs are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who ditched Sovereign Grant funding in 2020 after stepping back from royal roles. Once covering just 5% of their costs, it’s now zero from the public pot, pushing the duo toward independent ventures in the British royal family’s evolving saga.

Prince Andrew fares even worse, with his £12.9 million in payments from 1978 to 2019 halted after scandals forced his retreat. No longer tapping the British royal family trough, he’s brassic by palace standards, relying on private means amid ongoing public fallout.

Bottom line

In the British royal family hierarchy, the truly minted spots go to the monarch and direct heirs, buoyed by massive duchy incomes like King Charles III’s £24.4 million from Lancaster and Prince William’s £22.9 million from Cornwall. These private fortunes, plus Sovereign Grant perks, keep them afloat in opulent style, far from any financial pinch.

Moderately funded working royals, such as Princess Anne and the Dukes of Kent and Edinburgh, rely on official payments averaging hundreds of thousands yearly to cover duties. Their long service in the British royal family nets lifetime sums in the millions, but without duchy windfalls, it’s a steady if unglamorous stream compared to the top tier.

By contrast, non-working members like Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Andrew are relatively brassic within the British royal family bubble, cut off from Sovereign Grant support since stepping back. They lean on personal ventures or inheritances, highlighting the stark divide when public funding dries up.The royal divide endures

As the British Royal Family navigates 2026 with a beefed-up Sovereign Grant amid calls for financial transparency, the minted elite like Charles and William thrive on duchy riches, while others scrape by on duty or independence. In this gilded saga, wealth underscores duty’s price—proving not all crowns weigh equal in gold.