Fascinating Fridays (Wealthiest Royal and Noble Families)

For today's post I decided to get a bit juicy and discuss the wealth of the Royals and Nobles. People are always interested in who has the most money and where and how they got it. 

Please remember that wealth on the level that we discuss here is sometimes so vast that it can only be based on averages and relative speculations. It is based on income per annum and also based on assets owned. Another consideration is what percentage of the wealth is owned in the person's private capacity and what is tied as a "budget" granted to the office. The latter obviously only applies to reigning monarchs or members of reigning Royal families that are afforded a state income. 

Let's begin with the top 5 wealthiest families. 

6: The Baronial House of D'Rothchild

This Franconian Noble House founded its banking empire during the reign of the last two Franconian Kings. They became so wealthy that they even financed the government budget. After the Franconian Revolution they lost a lot but enough stayed with the family due to foreign investments that to this day they remain one of the wealthiest families in the world and also manages the largest banking network in Europa

5: The Princely House of Youssopoff 

Farming, mining and property lead to their wealth, war and revolution threatened generations worth of accomplishment but Ruskiana's wealthiest Noble family has been invited back. The modern democratic government has asked Prince Felix the current head of the family to return and to breathe life back into what initially became the derelict Youssopoff financial empire but what could now become a renewed business, sanctioned by the government in order to serve the local communities. Prince Felix invested what was left of his inheritance and has become the director of the fastest growing mining firm in the world.

Prince Felix Youssopoff and his wife Princess Kirsten

4: The Royal House of Castelano y Alba

The reigning Royal Family of Hispania have grown their wealth steadily over many centuries of rule, conquest, investment, collecting and inheritance. The wealth is inextricably linked to the state however and if these were ever to separate the family would not be counted as much more than an average millionaire.  

Her Majesty Queen Maria of Hispania wearing spectacular Pink Topaz Jewellery. 

3: The Royal House of Swann

The Duke of Swann's private fortune combines with his country's wealth and tax haven status to make his family the third wealthiest Royal family in the world. Offshore oil, art collections, jewellery and art trading and tax haven benefits make the Principality of Swann an economic force to be reckoned with. The Royal Art Gallery houses the largest historic and modern Art collection in the world and investments in art, design, media, entertainment etc exceeds any other country in the world by at least 20%

The Public Face of the Royal House of Swann. In the fore ground from left, Prince Dillon, The Duke of Swann and Princess Marie-Elizabeth. The Duke's brother Prince Dennis and father of Prince Dillon avoids the media eye and has no official duties. 

2: The Royal House of Van der Bilt

The Van der Bilts are independantly wealthy media, property and transport magnates and Gloria van der Bilt was the heir of headship of the family as well as the main shareholder in the family's international holdings. To top this Gloria has now become Queen Regent of  the Kingdom of Normandia, a first world economy nation with one of the fastest growing economies in Europa.

The Van der Bilt cousins. At left, Victoria Van der Bilt the Duchess of Roswind and  right, Gloria Van der Bilt the Queen of Normandia.

1: The Imperial House of  Aldarian

The House of Aldarian that ruled over the Kingdom of Britania, colonized Canadium and eventually joined with the Kingdom of Scotney to form the United Empire of Scot-Britania with even Swann as a vassal state has for centuries been a very powerful and wealthy family. They ruled the most powerful seafaring nation the world has ever known and drew the world's wealth to them through conquest, colonization and trade. Voracious collectors they patronized the arts and filled their palaces with treasures beyond belief. Joining with the ancient House of Stewart that ruled Scotney brought that family and country's wealth into a collective pot that was so stupendous that if the revolution of 1996 did not halt it, it would have been the pinnacle of man's achievement. The Empire fell however but the family miraculously survived and due to foreign investments, jewellery and art collections beyond the borders coupled with some dumb luck the private fortunes of Empress Crystobel, the Crown Prince Imperial and Princess Augusta combine to form the wealthiest family trust known to man.

Obvious wealth on display as the Imperial House of Aldarian's members are photographed at the annual Knight's Meeting in 2010. In the fore ground from left; Princess Augusta, Empress Crystobel, The Crown Prince Imperial and the Crown Princess Imperial.

Next week we will discuss the wealthiest individuals in their own right and the monarchs with the highest budgets ascribed to their offices.