Top 5 Richest Royals of the World – List 2

 

Top 5  Richest Royals of the World – List 2

5 .Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai

Fortune: $12 billion (down $6 billion)

Age: 59

Ruler of Dubai, an emirate of the United Arab Emirates, was forced to ask for a handout from neighbor Abu Dhabi when credit markets tanked. State-owned Dubai World owns DP World Ltd., the third-largest international port operator; Istithmar World, a private equity firm that acquired Barney’s New York in 2007; and Nakheel PJSC, builder of palm-shaped islands in the Persian Gulf. Growth of such assets required high level of borrowing; when credit markets contracted, concerns arose about its $80 billion combined government and state-owned company debt. After months of bickering, Abu Dhabi bought $10 billion worth of five-year bonds; a permanent fix is still being hammered out. One of the largest racehorse owners in the world, his Darley Stud owns 68 stallions and operates stables in six countries, including Japan, Australia and the U.S.

4 .King Abdullah bin Abul Aziz, Saudi Arabia

Fortune: $17 billion (down $4 billion)

Age: 85

In June, put together lavish reception for U.S. President Barack Obama, presenting him with a gold medallion, Saudi Arabia’s highest honor. The pomp overshadowed the country’s slumping economy, which has trimmed royal net worth by $4 billion this year. Supports the $27 billion King Abdullah Economic City, a massive 20-year development started in 2006 that the government hopes will become the new industrial hub of the Middle East and a way for the nation to diversify its economy beyond oil. Proactive on peace: last year hosted interfaith dialogues between major political and religious leaders in New York, Mecca and Madrid.

3 . Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, United Arab Emirates

Fortune: $18 billion (down $5 billion)

Age: 61

President of the UAE and hereditary ruler of its capital emirate, Abu Dhabi. Tanking oil prices and a 50% decline in the country’s nascent stock market helped shave $5 billion from the king’s fortune. Forced to bail out neighbor Dubai to the tune of $10 billion. Efforts to transform Abu Dhabi into Middle East’s cultural epicenter with outposts of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums overshadowed by allegations that the king’s half-brother was involved in the torture of an Afghan expat. The Emir has since kicked the accused off his cabinet.

2.  Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Brunei

Fortune: $20 billion (no change)

Age: 62

The 29th Sultan of Brunei is heir to an unbroken 600-year-old Muslim dynasty. Kingdom’s wealth based on extensive petroleum and natural gas fields; also investments made by Brunei Investment Agency, the $30 billion sovereign wealth fund that owns luxury hotels such as London’s Dorchester. Continues to battle brother, Prince Jefri, over allegedly misappropriated assets; most recently, the Brunei Investment Agency sought a court order to compel the prince to hand over title to a $100 million mansion in Singapore. The Sultan’s 26-year-old son, Prince Azim, fourth-in-line to the throne, quit the U.K.’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst training course in October after just one week.

1.  King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand

Fortune: $30 billion (down $5 billion)

Age: 81

World’s longest-reigning monarch is revered like a demigod on par with Buddha. U.S.-born, Swiss-educated ruler remains unifying force in an increasingly politically tumultuous state divided among the elite, middle and rural classes.. The declining economy, which slipped into recession in the first quarter, may fuel further tensions. Monarch’s wealth is held in trust for the state and includes public investments in companies such as Siam Cement and Siam Commercial Bank as well as vast land holdings, including some 3,500 acres in Bangkok managed by the Crown Property Bureau. Thai government officials stress these holdings are not the king’s personal wealth, but held in trust for the state.

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