The fortune of England’s royal family comes from three main sources: the Sovereign Grant, the Privy Purse and the king’s personal investments.
Sovereign Subsidy
The origin of this income is similar for different countries in Europe, but in England things are a little different. Basically, the Sovereign Grant is money that people pay to keep institutions running well.
For the English, this money comes from the Crown Estate, semi-public in nature, without belonging to the State or the Crown, and comprises a vast set of lands in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
An independent body administers it and is required to report annually to the House of Commons. These are urban properties, many of them in central London, agricultural land, mining rights and even charging licenses and fees for events
Every year the Government allocates 15% of its revenue to the Royal House.
The Sovereign Subsidy is used to pay for security, food, travel and personnel expenses, as well as the maintenance of the numerous royal palaces (public or private).
Privy Purse
Privy Purse money is income allocated to the monarch. In other words, it passed from Queen Isabella to her son, King Charles III.
These are income from the Duchy of Lancaster, added to a set of urban and rustic properties, belonging to the British monarchy since 1265.
They are mainly intended to pay for the royal family’s private expenses, although some are also used for official expenses.
The king can also use this money to support family members who are not included on the royal family’s payroll, as is the case with Prince Andrew’s two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenia.
Members of the English royal family may also have personal investments. These can be properties, art collections and shares in companies and private initiatives owned by the House of Windsor.
