The Most Expensive Possessions Owned By Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen of England is the longest reigning queen of all the UK monarchs until today. Elizabeth II, real name Elizabeth Windsor, owns a wealth of family property dating back to ancient times. At the same time, she has - since the beginning of her rule - built up a veritable and impressive collection of royal artifacts. And the heritage of Her Majesty the Queen will never cease to surprise you. Do you know, for example, that Queen Elizabeth II owns all of the UK's dolphins, or that Her Majesty The Queen is also the proud owner of every swan on the Thames? Oh but there is more to it! Find out what else Queen Elizabeth II has in her closet by reading this article, until the end!

British seabed

Owner since: 1066 Valued at: Over $ 100 billion

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II owns the British seabed, just as she owns much of the UK coastline. Indeed, the Queen owns the seabed, which means that she owns all mining rights. We estimate at 60 billion dollars what could certainly be exploited in oil in these sea beds. These benefits go hand in hand with the significant benefits of the Thanet offshore wind farm off the coast of Kent. In addition to these precious natural resources, there is an underwater territory which belongs to private owners.

150,000 works of art

Owner since: 17th Century  Valued at: $ 10 billion

By the 17th century, Queen Elizabeth II's ancestor, King Charles I, began collecting works of art. Since then, his collection has been passed on to each new sovereign who comes to power in England. More than 150,000 pieces are part of this collection. Many scholars have studied Queen Elizabeth II's impressive collection of art, including ViacomCBS, or more broadly, the Royal Academy of Arts. It turns out that some of the pieces in the collection are the work of some of history's most famous painters. This incredible collection includes original works made over the centuries, including works by Peter Paul Rubens, Fan Hals, Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt.

Six royal residences

Owned since: Late 11th century (Windsor Castle) Valued at: $ 18 billion

The royal residences are six in number in all and for everything. Their value, however, is difficult to estimate. Holyrood is the Queen's Scottish residence, while Sandringham is the Queen's Irish residence. Buckingham Palace is the seat. The Queen's country house is at Windsor Castle, while the Queen's summer house is at Balmoral. Among those in town and in the countryside, the queen's favorite home remains that at Balmoral. But the Queen has stayed at Buckingham Palace all of 2020 and has yet to return. Queen Elizabeth also owns other real estate which is used as official royal residences.Three shopping centers

Three shopping centers

Owner since: Unknown Valued at: Over $ 2 billion

The Crown real estate portfolio is divided into several parts, including commercial real estate - shopping centers - and leisure real estate. The commercial real estate portfolio generated more than $ 2 billion in sales. Crown real estate welcomes more than 100 million buyers to its shopping centers each year. There are seventeen shopping centers in which, in total, 7 million square feet of land are leased. 10% of the portfolio is still “under development”, which means that these numbers are likely to increase sharply.

All the swans on the Thames

Owner since : 15th century  Valued at : $ 130,000

The Queen may not have been born until 1926, but the fact that the ruler of the Kingdom of England legally owns all the swans on the Thames dates back to the 15th century. In reality, Her Majesty owns all of the "unclaimed mute swans" on any water in England and Wales. Considering that a swan costs around $ 300, this little nest egg is worth around $ 130,000. This is one of the most impressive collections of the royal family, namely that swans were a delicacy at the time. Today, this is obviously no longer the case. The queen performs an annual count of the swans to ensure that their numbers always remain high.

A 1333 diamond tiara

Owner since: 1953  Valued at: $ 700,000

The Rundell & Bridge created the famous tiara of 1333 diamonds in 1820. George IV had commissioned the creator of the tiara himself. This tiara is an integral part of the Queen Victoria collection, has become a famous piece. The Queen wore this tiara when she was crowned in 1953. It is estimated to be worth $ 700,000 today, enough to make Tiffany's green with envy. The Queen wears this tiara on all Commonwealth stamps and banknotes. The tiara can be seen at Buckingham Palace when it is not worn by the Queen.

A team of racing horses

Owner since: 1940s  Valued at: $ 9 million

Horse racing is a real tradition in Britain, and Queen Elizabeth II won't complain! She began to be interested in horse racing when she was much younger, with her mother, but has since continued to be interested and even started to acquire and train several winning horses. In total, over 451 races have been won by the Queen, and she amassed a fortune of $ 9 million through it. Liz now has 30 horses still running and always keeps a close eye on any possible investments for the future. Horses are a long-standing tradition in many royal families.

The tower of London

Owner since: 1953  Valued at: $ 56 billion

Thanks to her position on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II rightfully owns $ 56 billion in assets. Indeed this heritage belongs, technically, to the one who holds the crown. The structure of the Tower of London was first erected in 1078, and it was in the 16th and 17th centuries that it first became known in history as a prison. Indeed many celebrities have been held prisoner within its walls, such as Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I herself before arriving on the throne. The building once housed the Crown Jewels of England, then was used by the Tudors as a royal residence.

Regent Street

Owner since: Date unknown   Valued at  : $ 2 billion

Regent Street is probably the most expensive street in London. This thoroughfare has become one of the most important stretches in England, and not just because of all the shopping possibilities the street offers. To get a property on Regent Street today you will have to shell out a lot of money. The successors to the Crown of England have long been the proud owners and heirs of a $ 2 billion real estate heritage on this street. This is most likely an old agreement, dating back to before Elizabeth herself.

The 50,000 acre Balmoral Estate in North East Scotland

Owned since: 1451 Valued at: $ 140 million (Balmoral Castle)

Balmoral real estate is considered to be the Queen's preferred residence. The entire estate in Aberdeenshire covers 50,000 acres. The royal family keeps expanding it. Balmoral includes farmland, Grouse moorland, deer and herds of cattle raised there. “Bouchmorale” first appeared in the British Crown Archives in 1451. “Bouchmorale” became “Balmoral” in 1856. Later, the Queen's husband, Prince Albert redesigned the Balmoral property. Balmoral Castle is one of the most impressive buildings in Scotland which Prince Albert had acquired. The Queen does not own the land by virtue of the Crown; she holds it in a personal capacity.

The 20,000 acre Sandringham property in Norfolk

Owner since: 1862 Valued at: $ 65 million (House)

Among the properties of the Crown of the Kingdom of England is the Sandringham property. The Sandringham Estate is the country home of Queen Elizabeth II. This property was built around the Elizabethan era. Sandringham changed owners several times. Indeed the estate did not fall into the hands of the Crown until 1862. The king of the time had fallen in love with Sandringham, writing one day in a letter to his mother that he was "so happy" there- low and that he "liked the place". It took three decades to finish building the Prince of Wales mansion there. It is also the site where King George V. died.

The continental shelf of the United Kingdom

Owner since: 1964 (Drilling rights) Valued at: $ 64 billion (Oil)

Queen Elizabeth II's precious natural resource is the UKCS. The continental shelf of the United Kingdom is made up of the waters around the United Kingdom. The Crown holds the rights to use water in the Channel, the Irish Sea, the North Atlantic and the North Sea. UKCS contains huge reserves of oil and gas. The BEIS Oil and Gas Authority is responsible for awarding contracts and licensing oil companies. These companies are only allowed to drill in certain areas. The Crown has owned the land for generations. Recent additions to the crown portfolio include drilling rights.

A colony of bats

Owner since: 2019  Rated at: priceless

It is obvious that by reading the heading of this paragraph, you did not really understand what it was about. But hold on tight: one of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's favorite things… is a colony of bats that have settled in the main hall of Balmoral Castle. The little beasts have set up camp in the main hall of the Queen's main residence, but Elizabeth has campaigned not to get rid of them. It seems that the Queen has developed a new hobby, inspired and motivated by the programs of the Discovery Channel. Thus, the royal employees regularly bring the bats out of the castle but keep the windows open so that the bats can reenter the property as they wish.

About 6.6 billion acres of land worldwide

Owner since: 1,066 Valued at: $ 88 billion

Queen Elizabeth II owns a large amount of land globally, and this share is directly under her personal control. Second behind the Queen are billions of acres of King Abdullah. Keep in mind that the Queen is the monarch of 32 countries, since she is president of the Commonwealth (the union of nations). The domain of the crown has a real estate portfolio, the profits of which fall within the royal treasury. However, Queen Elizabeth comes out with a profit of 15% in a personal capacity. Just to give you an idea, 6.6 billion acres is one-sixth of the Earth's surface. Many of these large farms were acquired during the colonization period.

An impressive collection of Fabergé eggs

Owner since: 1900 Valued at: $ 200 million

Some people collect anything and everything, but not Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II! Indeed, she has chosen among others, the “Fabergé eggs” collection, a collection that she keeps for herself, private, far from the public eye. Fabergé eggs are indeed precious objects. In 1900, it was Queen Alexandra and Edward VII who had started collecting some coins, which eventually evolved into a magnificent collection of over 600 coins. Queen Elizabeth II now owns the $ 200 million collection of eggs and accessories. A few of these items are sometimes on display, but they are always well kept. Many eggs come from diplomatic gifts given to the sovereign of the Kingdom of England.

All of Scotland's gold mines

Owner since: Unknown  Valued at: over $ 300 million

Some things are so out of place that they seem almost impossible to handle. Take the Crown right over the gold mines in Scotland. Individuals who found gold nuggets in the past often did not even attempt to cash out their winnings so as not to upset the Queen. Because the Crown holds the monopoly of salmon fishing in Scotland and the rights to gold mines. We do not know, however, when the gold mines were integrated into the real estate heritage of the royal family.

The largest pure diamond in the world

Owner since: 1910  Valued at: $ 51 million

We are sure that many of you dream of one day owning at least one diamond. The queen is the proud owner (and protector) of a 530.2 carat diamond called the “Cullinan Diamond”! Before being set on the Royal Scepter, the Cullinan Diamond was first presented to Marie de Teck in 1910. The precious diamond is rarely exhibited outside of the crown jewels. The Cullinan Diamond was difficult to cut and divide. Nine stunning stones are taken from the original diamond which collectively added considerable fortune to the already impressive heritage of the Queen of England.

Two Dorgis dogs

Owner since: 2007 Valued at: $ 800

The Queen has had over thirty adorable Corgis since taking the throne. But did you know that she also owns Dorgis? The queen only has two Dorgis left: Vulcan and Willow, whom she has welcomed since 2012, after the death of the last of her purebred Corgis. Puppies have a very comfortable life. They even have their own room, called the corgi room. They sleep in raised beds, and the queen is nearby. When they die, the dogs are buried in the royal domain where they lived.

All UK dolphins

Owner since: 1324  Rated at: priceless

The heritage of the royal family of England has never ceased to surprise us for many years. We hear a lot of weird things about him. For example, the sovereign would own all fish and all fisheries within the UK. We checked, it's true! Queen Elizabeth II is the proud owner of the whales and porpoises. Which corresponds perfectly to His Majesty who is a true lover of animals. On the sidelines of his love for his swans and bats, his entourage confided that dolphins held a special place in his heart.

Hyde Park

Owner since: 1660  Valued at: $ 19 billion

Queen Elizabeth II owns a lot of green space, in her residences and in other parts of the UK. She owns Hyde Park, located in London. Oddly enough, Hyde Park's green space is estimated to be $ 19 billion, making it a very lucrative piece of land. Hyde Park was reclaimed in 1960 by the monarchy and since then has remained one of the four royal parks around Kensington Palace. Many concerts and other public events take place here, and Londoners also use it as a place to socialize. Some of the very first films ever made were filmed in 1889 near Apsley Gate.

A collection of vintage cars

Owner since: 1940s  Valued at: over $ 10 million

During World War II, and before being crowned Queen of England, Elizabeth II had helped herself by serving as a car mechanic and truck driver. His Majesty has always loved cars. And since her coronation in the 1950s, she started a collection of older and older cars, which today is estimated to be worth over $ 10 million. To give you an example, the Queen has been seen in three Rolls-Royces, a custom-built Range Rover, two luxury Bentleys and a Landaulet LWB, perfect for waving to crowds. You might also be surprised to learn that the Queen often drives herself around town.

Two black Jaguars

Owner since: 1968 Evaluated at: $ 56,000

The queen owns two rare black jaguars, named Aizita and Marques. These black jaguars live in the London Zoo, along with the other exotic animals that were given as gifts to the Queen. The rarest of all panthers is the elusive black jaguar. Due to hunting and deforestation, there are only 600 left in the wild across the world. Animal experts take turns day and night to make sure the jaguars are happy and stay healthy.

An offshore wind farm

Owner since: 2010  Valued at: $ 900 million

You might be surprised to learn that the Crown - despite the fact that the English monarchy dates back centuries - is investing in modern projects like various renewable energy projects. Indeed, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as sovereign, owns a wind farm built in 2010, a few kilometers from the coast. The cost is staggering: the company in charge developed it for 900 million dollars. The Crown announced the project in 2004, but it was not completed until 6 years later. Analysts predict that Queen Elizabeth will generate millions of dollars from her wind farms in the years to come.

200 handbags of the Launer model

Owner since: the 1950s  Valued at: $ 500,000

Queen Elizabeth II can afford to buy the handbags she wants. She could be tempted for a few thousand dollars by the haute couture models of Chanel for example. But these models are not to Her Majesty's taste. Liz, instead, prefers models from Launer, a designer based in London. His mother gave him her first bag in the 1950s, kicking off an obsession that will last a lifetime. The Queen now owns over 200 Launer handbags. Her favorite styles are The Royale and Traviata. Each coin cost $ 2,500, making his treasured collection worth a small fortune today.

The full armor of Henry VIII

Owner since: 1540  Rated at: priceless

Surprisingly, Her Majesty the Queen of England has full armor that belonged to Henry VIII in the 1540s. The armor had been custom-made when King Henry VIII had started to gain weight. It was made so that as the king got bigger, the armor got bigger with him. Nowadays, it is possible to admire this armor at various exhibitions in galleries all over the world. It is often found on display in royal armories, but it also had its place at the Met. While Henry VIII had several suits of armor at his disposal, this is arguably the most iconic of his reign.