Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee: Your guide to the celebrations

Since her royal coronation on June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II has sat on the throne for more than six decades. 2022 marks her 70th year as monarch, making her the longest-reigning majesty in British history.

Next in line to succeed her is her son, Prince Charles, who has been heir to the throne for all of his 73 years, and when he becomes king, his eldest son, William, will become the next heir apparent. But the line of succession is long, and it continues to change as families grow and succession laws are revised.

In honor of another exciting anniversary for the Queen—the celebration of her 96th birthday on April 21, 2022—and her royal bloodline, Stacker has gathered a list of 20 members of the royal family and their respective positions in the line of succession, using information from the official website of the British royal family and various media sources.

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Title: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales

Full name: Charles Philip Arthur George

Father: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Mother: Queen Elizabeth II

Relation to Elizabeth II: Son

Born: Nov. 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace, London

Seventy-three years is a very long time to wait to assume the reins of the position for which you have always been destined, and Charles has been waiting in the wings since the day he was born. Over time, his popularity has seen highs and lows, and his personal life has generated multiple cycles of scandal, scrutiny, and sympathy. Never was this more true than during his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales, and its eventual unraveling. He has been both lauded and criticized for some of his public work and personal initiatives, and he has long expressed a desire to slim down the monarchy. When he finally does ascend to the throne, his second wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, whom he married in 2005, will be known as Queen Consort.

Title: Prince William of Wales, Duke of Cambridge

Full name: William Arthur Philip Louis

Father: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales

Mother: Diana, Princess of Wales

Relation to Elizabeth II: Grandson

Born: June 21, 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London

Prince William is second in line to the throne. As the first child of Charles and Diana, the quiet prince was always destined for the spotlight and has never known life outside the royal fishbowl. He has long held a special place in the hearts of Britons and royal followers since he was a child, and that emotional connection was only strengthened during his parents’ very public divorce and the tragic death of his mother in 1997. In the years that followed, William emerged as a thoughtful and reserved young man with an understandable disdain for the tabloid media. His 2011 marriage to Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, was watched by billions of people around the globe, and when William eventually ascends to the throne, Catherine will become Queen Consort.

Title: Prince George of Cambridge

Full name: George Alexander Louis

Father: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge

Mother: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-grandson

Born: July 22, 2013, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London

As the eldest son of William and Catherine, 8-year-old Prince George of Cambridge now stands third in the line of succession. Like his father and grandfather before him, he is surely aware of his destiny at this point in his young life, though his parents have worked hard to keep their children grounded with a less formal and rigid lifestyle and a greater sense of normalcy than past royalty have experienced in their upbringing, much like George’s grandmother Diana did for her sons, William and Harry.

Title: Princess Charlotte of Cambridge

Full name: Charlotte Elizabeth Diana

Father: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge

Mother: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-granddaughter

Born: May 2, 2015, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London

For William and Catherine’s second child, Princess Charlotte, a legal change in succession law passed in 2011 helped secure her position in the line of succession. The Perth Agreement determined that all governments of the Commonwealth realms would amend their laws to replace “male-preference primogeniture” (in which males precede females) with “absolute primogeniture” (in which gender plays no part). Thus, when her younger brother was born, Charlotte retained her position as the fourth in line.

Title: Prince Louis of Cambridge

Full name: Louis Arthur Charles

Father: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge

Mother: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-grandson

Born: April 23, 2018, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London

Some might suspect that the youngest of William and Kate’s children might be destined for a more comfortable and less stressful role than his older siblings. However, in the royal line of succession one can never assume anything. Just ask Louis’ great-great-grandfather, King George VI, who was never expected to inherit the throne. He had planned to live a quiet life as the Duke of York with his family, but when his brother, King Edward, famously abdicated the throne in order to marry an American divorcee, the course of George’s life was forever altered, as was that of his daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II.

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Title: Prince Henry, Duke of Sussex

Full name: Henry Charles Albert David

Father: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales

Mother: Diana, Princess of Wales

Relation to Elizabeth II: Grandson

Born: Sept. 15, 1984, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London

At birth, Prince Henry was fourth in line to the British throne and often referred to as the “spare” to his brother, the heir. Better known as Harry, the prince exhibited a rebellious streak and a sense of independence—not unlike that of his mother, Diana. In recent years—despite strained relations with his brother and father, the 2020 drama the press deemed “Megxit,” a relocation with his family to California, a tell-all book in the works, and he and his wife Meghan’s now-infamous Oprah interview—he remains in the fold. This may be due in part to the very strong relationship he has always enjoyed with the queen.

Title: None

Full name: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

Father: Prince Henry, Duke of Sussex

Mother: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-grandson

Born: May 6, 2019, at Frogmore Cottage, Windsor, England

Being raised in California, 2-year-old Archie may not yet understand his position within the complicated structure and traditions of the royal family from across the pond, but given his place in the seventh position, he’ll find out soon enough. Archie is the first family member of mixed-race ancestry in the line of succession, and he has dual U.K. and U.S. nationality.

Title: None

Full name: Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor

Father: Prince Henry, Duke of Sussex

Mother: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great grandchild

Born: June 4, 2021, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California

The newest addition to Harry and Meghan’s family, 6-month-old Lilibet’s name derives from the childhood nickname of Queen Elizabeth. She currently stands eighth in line to the throne and is the highest-ranked individual in the line to be born outside of the United Kingdom.

Title: Prince Andrew, Duke of York

Full name: Andrew Albert Christian Edward

Father: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Mother: Queen Elizabeth II

Relation to Elizabeth II: Son

Born: Feb. 19, 1960, at Buckingham Palace, London

Next in line stands the Queen’s second son and Charles’ younger brother, Andrew. Though he enjoyed considerable popularity during his marriage to Sarah Ferguson, Andrew has since fallen from grace in a very sordid and public manner. After a messy divorce, multiple scandals and ongoing financial difficulties, Andrew is currently embroiled in several lawsuits and is facing serious allegations of sexual assault. Despite being stripped of his military titles and royal patronages by the Queen, Andrew still retains his place in the line of succession

Title: Princess Beatrice of York

Full name: Beatrice Elizabeth Mary

Father: Prince Andrew, Duke of York

Mother: Sarah, Duchess of York

Relation to Elizabeth II: Granddaughter

Born: Aug. 8, 1988, at Portland Hospital, London

Despite her mother’s virtual banishment from the royal family and the scandals surrounding her father, Beatrice has retained her public popularity and position within the family as one of the Queen’s beloved granddaughters. Her marriage in 2020 and a new baby born in 2021 made the usual headlines in Britain and abroad, and it also changed the line of succession once again.

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Title: Contessa and Nobile Donna

Full name: Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi

Father: Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Mother: Princess Beatrice of York

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-granddaughter

Born: Sept. 18, 2021, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London

Though she was added to the British Royal line of succession without a royal title, as per royal protocol, Sienna’s father descends from Italian aristocracy. He is the son of Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi, and he will eventually inherit the family’s ancestral seat, thus giving Sienna her Italian titles.

Title: Princess Eugenie of York

Full name: Eugenie Victoria Helena

Father: Prince Andrew, Duke of York

Mother: Sarah, Duchess of York

Relation to Elizabeth II: Granddaughter

Born: March 23, 1990, at Portland Hospital, London

Beatrice’s younger sister, Eugenie, married Jack Brooksbank in 2018 and the couple welcomed their first child, a son, in early 2021. Barring any further reshuffling ahead of her, Eugenie remains 12th in line, with her newborn son next in line behind her.

Title: None

Full name: August Philip Hawke Brooksbank

Father: Jack Brooksbank

Mother: Princess Eugenie of York

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-grandson

Born: Feb. 9, 2021, at Portland Hospital, London

Not yet a year old, Master August became 13th in line to the British throne when he was born in early 2021.

Title: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

Full name: Edward Antony Richard Louis

Father: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Mother: Queen Elizabeth II

Relation to Elizabeth II: Son

Born: March 10, 1964, at Buckingham Palace, London

Prince Edward is the Earl of Wessex and is the Queen’s fourth and youngest child. He married his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, in 1999, and they have two children. Sophie has become a very popular member of the family, and was the member to whom the Queen delegated many key duties and engagements during her health concerns.

Title: Viscount Severn

Full name: James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor

Father: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

Mother: Sophie, Countess of Wessex

Relation to Elizabeth II: Grandson

Born: Dec. 17, 2007, at Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey

James is the second child of Edward and Sophie, but because the Perth Agreement was not in place at the time of his birth, he ranks ahead of his older sister, Louise, in the line succession.

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Title: Lady Louise Windsor

Full name: Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor

Father: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

Mother: Sophie, Countess of Wessex

Relation to Elizabeth II: Granddaughter

Born: Nov. 8, 2003, at Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey

The eldest child of Edward and Sophie, Louise has often accompanied her mother on royal engagements and at the age of 7, she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

Title: Princess Anne, Princess Royal

Full name: Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise

Father: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Mother: Queen Elizabeth II

Relation to Elizabeth II: Daughter

Born: Aug. 15, 1950, at Clarence House, London

Princess Anne is the second child and only daughter of the Queen. Because of the “male-preference primogeniture” that was in place when she was born in 1950, her place in the line of succession comes after her older brother Charles as well as her younger brothers, Andrew and Edward. She has two children from her first marriage: Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.

Title: None

Full name: Peter Mark Andrew Phillips

Father: Mark Phillips

Mother: Princess Anne, Princess Royal

Relation to Elizabeth II: Grandson

Born: Nov. 15, 1977, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London

The eldest of Princess Anne’s two children, and the eldest of the Queen’s grandchildren, Peter Phillips was fifth in line to the British throne until his cousin, Prince William, was born in 1982. When he was born his parents declined an offer of a title for him from the Queen. Phillips’ Canadian wife, born Autumn Kelly, was born a Catholic but was received into the Church of England before their marriage. Had she not done so, Phillips would have lost his place in the line of succession. The couple divorced in 2021.

Title: None

Full name: Savannah Anne Kathleen Phillips

Father: Peter Phillips

Mother: Autumn Phillips

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-granddaughter

Born: Dec. 29, 2010, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucestershire

Like her cousins Archie and Lillibet, the Queen’s first great-grandchild, Savannah, also has dual citizenship thanks to her Candian mother. This makes her the first Canadian in the royal line of succession.

Title: None

Full name: Isla Elizabeth Phillips

Father: Peter Phillips

Mother: Autumn Phillips

Relation to Elizabeth II: Great-granddaughter

Born: March 29, 2012, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucestershire

In the 20th spot is Isla Phillips, the second daughter of Peter and Autumn Phillips, granddaughter of Princess Anne, and great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth.

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Cotton or wool? The queen's very birth prompted style debate, writes Bethan Holt, fashion editor of The Telegraph and author of this year's "The Queen: 70 Years of Majestic Style."

Her wardrobe from the get-go was a topic of national fascination with a layette sewn by her mother and grandmother, and a little help from underprivileged women throughout Britain. Declaring that babies in wool looked like "little gnomes," Lilibet's mum, then the Duchess of York, opted for frilly cotton, rejecting anything too fussy.

When sister Margaret came along four years later, the princesses often twinned it, dressing alike into their teens. But the future queen as a girl "never cared a fig" about clothes, according to her former governess, Marion Crawford.

"She wore what she was told without argument, apart from a long, drab mackintosh that she loathed," Crawford wrote in her controversial memoir, "The Little Princesses."

With the tumultuous abdication of her uncle and the rise of her father to become King George VI, Princess Elizabeth became heiress presumptive (absent any future male heir, who never materialized).

Enter couturier Norman Hartnell, according to Holt. While there were other designers, he was entrusted with dressing the family as they emerged on the world stage, including the two princesses at ages 11 and 6. Their "bow-adorned dresses and little cloaks signalled a return to the calm dependability of the monarchy," Holt wrote.

During World War II, 18-year-old Elizabeth began to make more public appearances, training as a mechanic in early 1945 toward the end of the war. It was the only time she routinely wore trousers (and boiler suits), according to Holt.

The queen was, and remains, a practical dresser when necessary, but also glamorous in sparkly gowns when the moment beckoned. 

And she often went short sleeved or with no sleeves at all, something that doesn't happen today.

She stood for photos with Prince Philip in a simple, light-colored dress with sleeves above the elbow and peekaboo low heels on her size 4 (6 U.S.) feet shortly before their wedding in 1947.

"People want to see their royals looking like royals, but equally, they don't want to think that taxpayers' money is being blown away," said Nick Bullen, editor in chief of True Royalty TV.

Hartnell transformed the florals of Botticelli's "Primavera" into a gown of white crystals and pearls. But it wasn't easy. There were diplomatic questions in the still-miserable aftermath of the war, Holt wrote. Customs impounded 10,000 seed pearls from the U.S., and journalists were assured that the origins of the silk produced in Kent and woven in Essex were worms from "nationalist" China rather than "enemy" Japan.

Thousands in the U.K. sent in their ration coupons for Princess Elizabeth to use for dress materials. That would have been illegal, so she saved up her own and asked the government for 200 extra, Holt told The Associated Press.

"It showed the thirst there was in the country for this big moment of glamour," she said. "In recent years, we have known the queen and Prince Philip as this sweet old couple but we have to remember, in that time they were this dazzling, glamorous new couple on the scene."

The wedding was not without behind-the-scenes drama. Queen Mary's Fringe tiara, made by Elizabeth's grandmother from a necklace given to Mary by Queen Victoria, snapped right before the ceremony and was rushed off to crown jeweler Garrard for repair.

The dress, and the wedding, offered "a real moment of hope," Holt said.

She settled years ago on skirts and dresses just below the knee, but her hemlines were sometimes an issue for senior members of her family. In 1952, the 25-year-old queen led her family in mourning at her father's funeral in accordance to strict dress codes set out during the reign of Queen Victoria, according to Holt.

As Queen Mary curtsied to her granddaughter and kissed each cheek, she admonished: "Lilibet, your skirts are much too short for mourning," Holt writes. The new queen's dress hovered well above her ankles yet respectfully below the knee, while that of her grandmother reached the ground. All, including Queen Elizabeth II, were shrouded in black veils, as Queen Victoria was for 40 years after the death of Prince Albert in 1861.

"The evolution of the queen's style from young princess to longest-serving monarch in British history has her being of the time but not following fashion," Bullen said.

The queen we know today wears sensible block heels or brogues, usually handmade by Anello & Davide, a custom Launer perched on her arm and a brooch on one shoulder. She goes with kilts and skirts in tartans and plaids as her country style. But the queen of the early 1950s charmed the world in nipped-in waists, pencil silhouettes and some floaty, full experiments as a post-war fashion quake took hold in the country.

"In the early years of her reign, she really embraced Dior's New Look aesthetic, and women looked to her outfits as a source of inspiration, much like people do with the Duchess of Cambridge today," said Kristin Contino, style reporter for Page Six.

There was a playful glamour in the 1970s, '80s and '90s, including a bold multicolored evening dress in 1999 for a Royal Variety Performance. Created by Karl-Ludwig Rehse, it featured a riotous sequin diamond-pattern bodice of bright yellow, blue, green and pink.

There were also some trouser days and a turban phase in the '60s and '70s amid a wide range of hat styles.

The queen learned of her father's passing on a stop in Kenya en route to Australia. Some reports indicate she was wearing jeans for an encounter with a herd of elephants the moment her father died in his sleep at Sandringham, Holt wrote. She donned slacks on safari in Zambia in 1979, and a trouser set in 2003 as she left King Edward VIII hospital in London after a knee operation.

"Margaret was really in tune with fashion. She would have been the one reading Vogue. And so she would often go with the queen to appointments to help her inject that little bit of extra style into her looks," Holt said.

Usually sticking to British designers, the queen has a long-held fondness for silk scarves by the French fashion house Hermes. The brand has issued several special designs in her honor. It did so in 2016 with a horse-themed scarf to mark her 90th birthday.

One doesn't equate the queen of today with a mad rush to copy her style, but for a brief spell in the 1950s women could do just that thanks to her love of cotton dresses in dainty floral or abstract prints from Horrockses Fashions, a British ready-to-wear brand, Holt said.

It was Margaret, the rebel, who was renowned as a fashion plate in Dior and other designers, and her influence on Elizabeth was tangible. Little sister helped the queen scout new British designers and introduced her to up-and-comers, such as milliner Simone Mirman, according to Holt. Mirman created some of the queen's standout hats, including her Tudor-style "medieval helmet," as Hartnell called it, in soft yellow, for the 1969 investiture of Prince Charles.

Another look from those early years stands out as well. In October 1952, soon after ascending the throne, the queen was a sensation at the Empire Theatre for a royal viewing of the musical comedy "Because You're Mine." She wore a tuxedo-like Hartnell gown in black with a white front and wide lapels in a halter design, paired with long white gloves, a tiara on her head and a diamond bracelet on one wrist.

She hit every magazine and newspaper the next day. Manufacturers rushed to copy it. It was dubbed the Magpie and she never wore it again.

The queen loves to color coordinate, sticking to bright colors and pastels in coats and floral dresses today.

That goes for her signature clear, bird-cage umbrellas as well. They're made by Fulton Umbrellas and are attainable at $30 or less, though the queen's are custom made.

She owns about 100 in a rainbow of colors but contrary to reports, she doesn't possess 200 of her favorite Launer bags, Holt said. Gerald Bodmer, who rescued Launer in 1981 after a period of decline, was keen to clear up that myth.

"He says she has several styles in several colors. He says that 200 is very far off the mark," Holt said.

Launer extends the straps of her leather bags to make it easier for her to hang them on her arm, and they make them lighter for her to carry. And what does she carry? Bullen said he's heard there's always a lipstick, a handkerchief and a photo of Prince Philip, who died last year at 99.

Irish designer Paul Costelloe, who dressed Princess Diana in the 1980s and '90s, told the AP of the queen's style: "She's a bit like a schoolteacher, a good schoolteacher. She never shocks. She gets it right."

Many royals are known for their power, prestige, notoriety, and money. There are those who are part of centuries-old dynasties, while others are relatively new to the scene. Several came to their riches through their royal titles, while others earned their fortunes in different ways. Some are lauded for their philanthropy, while others have become the subject of tabloid gossip due to affairs and questionable business practices. Then, there are the royals who are working toward building a better future for their country, as well as for the planet.

Stacker took a look at the world’s richest royals and ranked the top 23 by net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth. What does that wealth look like? It runs from a low of $72 million to a high of $40 billion.

How do these royals live with their wealth? Discover which king has 30 poodles, one of which was named Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Thai Air Force. Then there’s the Italian prince with a food truck in Los Angeles, and a British Lord who capitalized on their famous title with a gourmet sandwich fast-food chain. Two royals on the list have competed in the Olympics. Another king has had 15 wives and 36 children. So who are these fascinating, rich royals? Read on to find out.

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- Net worth: $72 million

John Max Henry Scawen Wyndham, 7th Baron Leconfield, 2nd Baron Egremont aka Lord Egremont, is also known by his nom de plume, Max Egremont, under which he has written numerous novels and biographies. 

At 24, Lord Egremont, who studied modern history at Oxford, was called to step into his royal role when his father, John Wyndham, died from cancer at 52. This meant overseeing Petworth House, the family’s 1688-built ancestral home located on a 700-acre parkland estate designed by renowned 18th-century landscape architect Capability Brown. The National Trust currently manages Petworth House and its art and sculpture collection, which is open to the public.

- Net worth: $100 million

Her Serene Highness (H.S.H.) Princess Stéphanie Marie, Elisabeth is the youngest daughter of the late American actress Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Princess Stéphanie is 14th in the line of succession to the throne for the Principality of Monaco.

In 1982, Stéphanie suffered minor injuries in the car accident that occurred when her mother, Princess Grace, suffered a stroke and died.

An interest in fashion led to Princess Stéphanie working with Christian Dior in the late 1980s. Philanthropy plays a significant role in Princess Stéphanie’s life. For her efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS—she created Fight AIDS Monaco—she was awarded Monaco’s insignia of the Grand Cross of the Order of Grimaldi.

- Net worth: $100 million

The older sister of Princess Stéphanie, Caroline has two royal titles: Her Serene Highness (H.S.H.), Princess Caroline of Monaco, and Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Hanover. The latter title is due to her current marriage to Prince Ernst August of Hanover.

Princess Caroline studied philosophy, psychology, and biology at Sorbonne University. After her mother’s death in 1982, she stepped into the role of the de facto first lady, until her brother Albert’s 2011 marriage to Charlene Wittstock.

Caroline was the president of the Monegasque Committee for the International Year of Children. She also founded Jeune J'Ecoute, a hotline for troubled youth. Such endeavors led to the princess being named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

H.S.H. Caroline has been married three times. She divorced her first husband, Philippe Junot, and was granted an annulment by the Catholic Church. Her second husband, powerboat racer Stefano Casiraghi, perished in a 1990 racing accident. The couple had three children together, Andrea, Charlotte, and Pierre. Nine years later, Princess Caroline married Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick. They share a daughter, Princess Alexandra of Hanover. 

- Net worth: $100 million

His Royal Highness (H.R.H.) Charles Philip Arthur George, The Prince of Wales, is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As heir to the throne, Charles also holds the titles of Earl of Chester, The Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

Prince Charles attended Trinity College at Cambridge University, where he studied archeology, anthropology, and history. After graduation in 1970, he took his seat in the House of Lords. Following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, and both great grandfathers, Charles entered a career in the Royal Navy.

In 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, who took on the title H.R.H. The Princess of Wales. They became parents to Princes William and Harry, who remain second and sixth in line to the throne. Charles’ and Diana’s marriage was dissolved by the Church of England in 1986. On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died alongside her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed in a car accident in Paris.

In 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, who assumed the title of H.R.H. The Duchess of Cornwall.

- Net worth: $100 million

The son of King Sobhuza II and Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala, Makhosetive was born in 1968. King Sobhuza II died when Makhosetive was 14. At age 18, the teen stepped into his father’s shoes, becoming Mswati III of Eswatini, King of Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Mswati has the power to appoint the country’s prime minister, members of the governing cabinet, and the judiciary. However, as he’s bound by Swazi traditions, Mswati cannot choose his heir. As polygamy is legal in Eswatini, the King has had 15 wives and 36 children.

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- Net worth: $100 million

What is a royal to do when their famous name evokes hunger? They capitalize on it. Such is the case for John Montagu, the 11th Earl of Sandwich, a direct descendant of John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich.

As for the 4th Earl of Sandwich, the word is he was fond of gambling and asked for roast beef between two slices of bread so he could continue playing cards with no disruption.

Whether or not that story is true, John Montagu embraced the legend as a restaurateur. He launched Earl of Sandwich, a chain of 30 U.S.-based restaurants, with one in Disneyland Paris, with his son Orlando and Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl.

Montagu doesn’t spend his days taking sandwich orders, though. He serves in the House of Lords and provides public access to the family’s heritage property.

- Net worth: $100 million

The only child of Captain Sohrab Diba and Farideh Ghotbi, Empress Farah Pahlavi was born in Tehran in 1938. In 1959, she married Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. The couple had four children, Prince Reza, who is heir to the throne, Farahnaz, Alireza, and Leila. 

By 1967 Farah Pahlavi was crowned Iran’s Shahbanou, or Empress, placing her in a position to be regent in the event of her husband’s death. She was the first Empress to be crowned in over 2,500 years of Persian history. She was also Iran’s last Empress.

The empress had a mission of building a better life for Iranians. She did so by devoting time to social causes and cultural affairs. The Islamic Revolution led to the Empress and Shah fleeing Iran and entering exile in 1979.

- Net worth: $100 million

The grandson of King Umberto II, the last king of Italy, and Queen Maria Jose, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy is the Prince of Piedmont and Venice. Another title he vied for: the king of the dancefloor, when he competed in Italy’s version of “Dancing with the Stars” in 2009. The dance competition was not Filiberto’s first foray into the entertainment industry. After myriad appearances in the media over the years, he created two production companies, Savoy & Gregory and Royal Me Up.

In 2003, Filiberto married French actress Clotilde Courau. The prince created a line of t-shirts and owns a pasta food truck in Los Angeles. Recently, he began efforts to reclaim jewels belonging to the House of Savoy. Estimated to be worth $335 million, the jewels have been in possession of the Italian government, and the Bank of Italy, since the abolition of the monarchy months after World War II. Thus far, Filberto’s efforts to retrieve the jewels have been unsuccessful.

- Net worth: $150 million

Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Africa, and raised in South Africa, Charlene Lynette Wittstock became H.S.H. Princess Charlene of Monaco when she married Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011.

A competitive swimmer, Wittstock participated on South Africa’s team in the Sydney Olympic Games. Charlene and Albert initially met in 2000 at an international swim meet in Monaco.

In her role as princess, Charlene delved into philanthropy. Beyond creating the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, she was appointed a Global Ambassador of Special Olympics, Patron of the South African Red Cross Society, and co-patron of the Giving Organization Trust, a group of South African charities focusing on issues ranging from AIDS among underprivileged children to the protection of the environment.

In 2014, Princess Charlene gave birth to twins, Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier. Jacques, the crown prince, will receive the title of Marquis of Baux in Provence, and Gabriella will receive the title of Countess of Carladès in Auvergne.

- Net worth: $200 million

On the day of her birth in 1938, Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard already had three titles: Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, and Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld. The daughter of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard, Her Royal Highness (H.R.H.) Beatrix attended Leiden University, where she earned degrees in law, sociology, and economics.

When Beatrix became betrothed to German diplomat Claus von Amsberg, the Netherlands’ two houses of parliament were required to give the couple permission to marry. This process led to von Amsberg becoming a Dutch citizen. Upon marrying Beatrix, Claus became Prince of the Netherlands with the designation Jonkheer van Amsberg. Beatrix and Claus have three sons: Prince Friso, Prince Willem-Alexander, and Prince Constantijn.

Beatrix stepped into the role of the queen in 1980 when her mother, Juliana, abdicated the throne. As queen, Beatrix was in charge of signing laws, swearing-in state officials, and receiving foreign dignitaries.

In April 2013, at 75, Beatrix abdicated from the throne, at which time her son, Willem-Alexander, became king. Having stepped away from the throne, Beatrix no longer holds the title of queen and is, once again, Princess Beatrix.

- Net worth: $400 million

The daughter of Baron Niels Krabbe Luel-Brockdorff and Baroness Margaretha Luel-Brockdorff, Baroness Caroline was born and raised in Valdemar Castle on Tåsinge. Built in the 1640s for Prince Valdemar, son of Christian IV and Kirsten Munk, the castle came under the ownership of Caroline from 2003 to 2011. The name Luel is also sometimes spelled as Juel.

Caroline renounced her title in 2001 when she married a nonroyal, Rory Fleming, an attorney and the nephew of James Bond’s creator Ian Fleming. They have two children, Alexander and Josephine. In 2008, Caroline and Rory divorced. It was through the divorce that Caroline acquired her wealth. She maintained the surname of Fleming.

Fleming has pursued many endeavors, including modeling, writing cookbooks, creating perfume, and being a TV personality, with appearances as a judge on Denmark’s “Next Top Model” and on Bravo’s “Ladies of London” in 2015.

Caroline was in a relationship with Premier League soccer player Niklas Bendtner. The couple had a son Nicholas in 2010, but split shortly thereafter. More recently, she’s been in a relationship with French entrepreneur Hervé Larren.

- Net worth: $500 million

Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho CBE was bequeathed those last three initials when appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British, an order of chivalry. A technology entrepreneur, she founded the online travel and leisure website lastminute.com, which Sabre Holdings purchased for 577 million British pounds in 2005.

A strong proponent of digital technology and computer literacy, from 2009 to 2013, the baroness was the U.K.’s Digital Champion, helping to create the Government Digital Service and establishing the Digital Public Services Unit within the Cabinet Office.

At age 40, Lane-Fox entered the House of Lords as a crossbencher in 2013, becoming its youngest female member. In 2014, she was appointed the sixth chancellor of The Open University.

Currently, Lane-Fox sits on the boards of Twitter, WeTransfer, and Chanel, and is a trustee of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust. At the 2019 Dadi Awards, she was named the most influential woman in digital over the last 25 years.

- Net worth: $600 million

The first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II was named Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. A series of events in 1936 set Elizabeth II’s path toward becoming the Queen of England. When her grandfather, King George V, passed away, and her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson, Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, became king, making Princess Elizabeth heir presumptive.

In 1947, Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten, the prince of Greece and Denmark. Philip gave up his titles due to their marriage but gained some—duke of Edinburgh, earl of Merioneth, Baron Greenwich, and, of course, Prince Philip. The marriage lasted 73 years until the prince’s death in 2021. The couple has four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.

Upon King George VI’s death in 1952, Elizabeth acceded to the throne, becoming Queen Elizabeth II. Per the Royal UK website, Queen Elizabeth II’s role has included “visits to charities and schools, hosting visiting Heads of State, and leading the nation in Remembrance and celebratory events.”

Her Royal Highness (H.R.H.) has ruled for longer than any other monarch in British history.

- Net worth: $750 million

Born in Amman in 1962, His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein is a 41st generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

Abdullah II attended Oxford University, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He pursued a military career, rising through the ranks from first lieutenant to major general, eventually becoming commander of Jordan’s special forces.

After the 1999 death of his father, His Majesty King Hussein, Abdullah II ascended to the Throne of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. King Abdullah II has put a strong passion behind his goal of advancing peace within Islam and among the world’s religions.

In 1993, King Abdullah married Rania Al Abdullah, who assumed the title of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah. The couple has four children—two sons, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Al Hussein and Prince Hashem, and two daughters, Their Royal Highnesses Princess Iman and Princess Salma.

- Net worth: $800 million

His Highness Prince Karim is the fourth Aga Khan and 49th hereditary imam of the world’s 15 million Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. His followers know him by the religious title of Mawlānā Hazar Imam. Born in Geneva and raised in Nairobi, Aga Khan IV was educated at Le Rosey and Harvard. At the age of 20, in 1957, the Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan, as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.

As a royal, he’s strived to improve the lives of those in vulnerable populations, placing emphasis on Islam as a faith that teaches compassion and tolerance. Additionally, he created the Aga Khan Development Network, a mostly nonprofit organization that employs 80,000 people in 30 countries. AKDN’s for-profit businesses range from those in energy, aviation, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications.

In 1969, the Aga Khan married former British model Sarah Frances Croker Poole, who took the name Begum Salimah Aga Khan. The royal duo had one daughter, Zahra Aga Khan, and two sons, Rahim Aga Khan and Hussain Aga Khan. The couple divorced in 1995.

Aga Khan IV remarried in 1998 to Gabriele Renate Thyssen, who assumed the name Begum Inaara Aga Khan at her wedding. Before their divorce in 2014, Gabriele gave birth to a son, Aly Muhammad Aga Khan.

Though a royal, Aga Khan IV doesn’t preside over a geographic territory. He currently lives in Aiglemont, an estate in France.

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- Net worth: $1 billion

His Serene Highness (H.S.H.) Prince Albert, Alexandre, Louis, Pierre, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, is the middle child of the late American actress Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Upon the death of Prince Rainier III in 2005, Albert ascended to Monaco’s throne.

Prince Albert’s duties have included leading the Monegasque delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations. Additionally, he chairs the Plenary Assembly of the Mediterranean Science Commission, an intergovernmental body that promotes the exchange of research and information between Mediterranean countries. One of the prince’s passions: fighting climate change.

Albert participated in five Olympic Games on Monaco’s bobsleigh team. He’s been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1985 and is president of the Monegasque Olympic Committee.

Prince Albert II married Charlene Wittstock in 2011. In 2014, the couple gave birth to twins, Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier. Albert has two additional children—Alexandre and Jazmin. Born outside of marriage, they are disqualified for the throne.

- Net worth: $2 billion

Marie-Chantal Claire Miller is the daughter of Duty-Free Shops co-founder Robert Warren Miller and Maria Clara Pesantes Becerra. A blind date that resulted in love at first sight led to Marie-Chantal and Prince Pavlos tying the knot in 1995. Marie-Chantal’s married name is Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, Princess of Denmark.

Prince Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece, is a descendant of Christian IX of Denmark, and son of the deposed King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. And though Greece hasn’t had an official monarchy since the early 1970s, Marie-Chantel and Prince Pavlos maintain the titles, and some official duties, of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece.

They have five children—Princess Maria-Olympia, Prince Constantine-Alexios, Prince Achileas-Andreas, Prince Odysseas-Kimon, and Prince Aristidis-Stavros—and currently live in New York’s Upper East Side.

Marie-Chantal is the creator of a self-named childrenswear brand, and author of the book, “Manners Begin at Breakfast: Modern Etiquette for Families.”

- Net worth: $2.1 billion

In 1999, Mohammed VI was enthroned, taking on the official title of His Majesty (H.M.) King Mohammed VI, Amir Al Mouminine, or simply, King of Morocco. Son of the late King Hassan II, Mohammed VI is the 23rd king of the Alaouite Dynasty. The family’s reign dates back to the mid-17th century.

Mohammed VI inherited more than a title from his father. Indeed, he was bequeathed a 35% stake in Societe Nationale d'Investissement, a holding company with stakes in several publicly traded companies, including Morocco’s largest bank, a mining company, a sugar producer, and a dairy firm.

In 2002, Mohammed VI married Salma Bennani, who became the first wife of a Moroccan royal to be given her own title: Her Royal Highness, Princess Lalla Salma. Princess Lalla, who founded the Lalla Salma Foundation to combat cancer, has worked to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa and was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Health Organization. The royal couple has two children: Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Princess Lalla Khadija.

As for Mohammed VI, per Morocco’s constitution, his official duties include appointing the prime minister, cabinet, judges, and presiding over the High Council of Magistrates. Additionally, he is the supreme commander of the armed forces.

- Net worth: $7 billion

His Serene Highness (HSH) Prince Hans-Adam II is the eldest son of Prince Franz Josef II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Countess Georgina von Wilczek, also known as Princess Gina. The 15th reigning Prince of the House of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II is the first head of state to grow up in the over 300-year-old sovereign principality of Liechtenstein.

Prince Hans-Adam II studied business administration and economics at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. In 1967, he married Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau. The royal couple has four children: Hereditary Prince Alois, Prince Maximilian, Prince Constantin, and Princess Tatjana.

Upon the death of Prince Franz Josef II in 1989, Hans-Adam II took over the regency. In 2004, he appointed Hereditary Prince Alois as his deputy and the future successor to the throne.

Hans-Adam II has the power to veto laws, appoint ministers and judges, and dismiss cabinet members. The family owns LGT Group (originally the Liechtenstein Global Trust), the largest private banking company in the world, along with one of the world’s largest private collections of art.

- Net worth: $17 billion

The son of Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz and Mona El Solh, Alwaleed is also the grandson of Abdulaziz, the first king of Saudi Arabia, and of Riad Al Solh, Lebanon’s first prime minister. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California’s Menlo College, and a master’s in social science from New York’s Syracuse University. Alwaleed has been married and divorced four times. He and his first wife, Princess Dalal bint Saud, have two children: Prince Khaled and Princess Reem.

In 2017, Forbes reported His Royal Highness (H.R.H.) Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Abdulaziz al Saud, the founder, and CEO of Kingdom Holding Company, owned holdings in companies including Lyft, Twitter, Citigroup, and hotels spanning the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Paris’ Hotel George V, and London’s Savoy Hotel. This is in addition to Saudi Arabian real estate and Rotana Media Group. Additionally, he’s the chairman of Alwaleed Philanthropies and is said to have contributed $3.5 billion to social causes in the Arab world.

Alwaleed was reportedly arrested by the Saudi government in 2017 on charges of money laundering, bribery, and extorting officials. After a financial settlement was made, Alwaleed was released from detention in 2018. Concurrently, he was dropped from the World’s Billionaires list.

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- Net worth: 20 billion

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was born on Dec. 31, 1935, and has recently been in and out of the hospital. He is one of the “Sudairi Seven” sons born to King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman al Saud and Hassa bint Ahmed al-Sudairi. His father was the first monarch and founder of Saudi Arabia. Salman became the seventh king of Saudi Arabia upon the death of his brother, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

Salman’s role as a royal began at age 19 when he served as the deputy governor of Riyadh Province. A year later, he was appointed governor, a role spanning 48 years. In 2011, he was appointed second deputy prime minister, minister of defense, and member of the National Security Council. One year later, he became Saudi Arabia’s deputy prime minister and crown prince. In 2015, upon the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Salman became the King of Saudi Arabia.

Salman has been married three times and has 13 children. 

- Net worth: $30 billion

Hassanal Bolkiah—whose full title is His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam—is the 29th sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei, prime minister of Brunei, and Brunei’s absolute monarch. The eldest son of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit, he succeeded to the throne as the sultan of Brunei, when his father abdicated in 1967. The major contribution to his net worth is earnings from oil reserves and natural gas.

The Sultan of Brunei’s first wife was his cousin Princess Pengiran Anak Saleh, who became queen. He then married Mariam Abdul Aziz, a former Royal Brunei Airlines flight attendant. The couple divorced in 2003 and the sultan had Mariam’s royal titles removed. His third marriage was to Malaysian TV3 presenter, Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim. They divorced in 2010, and, as with Mariam Abdul Aziz, the sultan stripped Azrinaz of her royal titles.

Hassanal Bolkiah has 12 children. His eldest son, Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, is heir to the throne and current crown prince.

- Net worth: $30 billion

Born in 1952, Maha Vajiralongkorn is the son of Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Twenty years later, Vajiralongkorn’s father pronounced him crown prince. Bhumibol passed away in 2016, but it wasn’t until 2019 that Vajiralongkorn would officially step into the role of Thailand’s king.

In 1977, Vajiralongkorn married his cousin, Princess Soamsawali, who gave birth to their daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the following year. During the marriage, he began an affair with Yuvadhida, an actress. They produced five children between 1979 to 1987, eventually marrying in 1994. By 1996, Vajiralongkorn denounced Yuvadhida and disowned their four sons. The prince’s third marriage was to Srirasmi, a lady-in-waiting who gave birth to their son Prince Dipangkorn in 2005.

Days before his 2019 coronation, Vajiralongkorn married former Thai Airways flight attendant, Suthida, declaring her Queen Suthida Vajiralongkorn Na Ayudhya. Two months after his marriage to Queen Suthida, King Vajiralongkorn announced he was taking an official consort, Maj. Gen. Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi. Though that’s not who he named Air Force chief marshal in the Royal Air Force—that would be Foo Foo, one of his 30 poodles.

Thailand’s Crown Property Bureau, valued at over $40 billion, comes under Vajiralongkorn’s rule.