 "With $43 bn net worth, Thai King Vajiralongkorn world's wealthiest monarch")
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, known as King Rama X, holds the title of the world’s wealthiest monarch. Officially crowned in May 2019, King Vajiralongkorn, 66, ascended the throne after his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away on October 13, 2016, concluding a remarkable 70-year reign. King Bhumibol, revered in Thailand, was one of the longest-serving monarchs globally, with a legacy that endures in the Buddhist kingdom today, reported France24.
In a surprising contrast, the globally influential British monarch, King Charles III, falls far from the list of the world’s top 10 wealthiest royals. Sources estimate his net worth at approximately $747 million, a fraction of Vajiralongkorn’s vast wealth.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s $43 billion empire
King Vajiralongkorn’s net worth is estimated at $43 billion, a fortune built on extensive investments in Thailand’s real estate, as well as ownership stakes in the nation’s largest cement company and leading bank. According to Fox Business, estimates of his wealth range from $30 billion to $45 billion. His late father, King Bhumibol, had previously topped Forbes’ list of the richest rulers back in 2011.
The primary source of King Vajiralongkorn’s wealth is the Crown Property Bureau, an agency controlling over 6,560 hectares (16,210 acres) of prime land in Thailand, including 40,000 rental contracts nationwide — 17,000 of which are in the capital. This immense real estate empire and the bureau’s diverse investments form the bedrock of the Thai royal family’s fortune.
Royal legacy and life of King Vajiralongkorn
Born in 1952, Vajiralongkorn is the only son among the four children of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit. After completing his primary education in Thailand, he studied at elite schools in Britain and Australia. His military training includes time at Australia’s Royal Military College Duntroon, followed by a bachelor’s degree in military studies from the University of New South Wales. His official biography highlights his qualifications as a helicopter and fighter pilot and notes his service as a career officer in the Royal Thai Army, including experience combating communist insurgents in Thailand during the 1970s.
Four marriages and a controversial love life
The personal life of King Vajiralongkorn, who spends much of his time abroad with a home in Germany, has often been marked by high-profile relationships. His first marriage, in 1977, was to his cousin, Princess Soamsawali, with whom he had a daughter, Princess Bajarakitiyabha. By the late 1970s, however, he was romantically involved with actress Yuvadhida, leading to five children. He married Yuvadhida in 1994, only to publicly denounce her in 1996 and disown his four sons studying in the United Kingdom.
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In 2001, he married Srirasmi, a lady-in-waiting, with whom he has a son, Prince Dipangkorn, born in 2005. Then, just days before his coronation in 2019, he wed Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana, granting her the title and status of queen within the royal family.
[With agency inputs]