The British Royals simplicity
Princess Charlotte used to wear the shoes that her uncle Prince Harry wore more than 30 years ago, when he was two years old.
Meanwhile, Prince George wore an outfit his father wore at Prince Harry’s christening in 1984.
No waste of leftovers
Chef Carolyn Robb, who worked for Prince Charles and Princess Diana from 1989 to 2000, said the royal family doesn’t let food go to waste.
Prince Charles demanded that any leftovers be included at his next meal. For example, grilled lamb can be mixed into Shepard cakes.
Shopping for casual clothes
Royal followers have spotted Kate dressed as Gap and Zara, while Meghan is said to be a fan of Everlane and J.Crew. Those are all budget brands.
Beauty with budget items
Queen Elizabeth doesn’t look to Dior nail polish when she wants a manicure. Instead, the nail color she chose was a brand that cost $9 a jar.
Do not use central heating
While the royal family can afford central heating to keep all 775 rooms in Buckingham Palace warm, the Queen opts to use space heaters to turn on only when someone is in use.
The British Royal Family owns a large fortune but many members such as Kate Middleton, the Queen … ready to wear again, recycle old things to save money.
Where does the British royal family’s money come from?
Queen Elizabeth II has a net worth of $442.92 million (£340 million), which is what The Sunday Times estimated in 2016.
She is worth more than any other member of the royal family, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have a combined fortune of $30 million, according to Insider.
After the Queen’s death, Prince Charles became King Charles III and replaced his mother as the reigning monarch, the owner of the Crown.
Here’s how the British Royal Family makes money.
- Sovereign Grant
This is money taken from the Crown Estate – a huge portfolio of lands and properties in the United Kingdom that belong to the royal family.
Every year, the reigning monarch is given an amount equivalent to 25% of the crown estate’s profits. The Wall Street Journal reported that the amount totaled $107.1 million in 2019.
According to the official financial statements of the royal family, the Sovereign Allowance pays for the maintenance of property and utilities, family travel and the salaries of royal employees.
But The Telegraph notes that the grant does not cover security costs and royal ceremonies – that money comes from a number of other places.
- The personal income of the reigning monarch is called the Privy Council
That money came from the Duchy of Lancaster — a catalogue of land and other assets that have belonged to the royal family for hundreds of years.
It contains $715 million (£548.6 million) in net worth (including 18,433 hectares of land) and is made up of residential, commercial and agricultural properties, wall street journal reporter Max Colchester said.
It brought in $27 million (£20.7 million) in 2019, according to The Journal. According to the royal family’s website, this money helps pay for expenses not covered by the Sovereign Allowance.
Specifically, it is used to pay “expenses incurred by other members of the royal family.”
- The huge fortune of Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen also owns Balmoral Castle in Scotland and the Sandringham Estates, a large collection of art and other valuable assets that have been passed down from previous kings, according to The Journal.
- Income from the Principality of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall – another estate owned by the royal family that generates a source of expenditure for the expenses of Prince Charles and his heirs.
Prince Charles himself received $28.1 million (£21.6 million) from there. Prince Charles then paid his heirs (Harry- Meghan, William-Kate, and their children) a total of $6.5 million (£5 million) in 2019, according to The Journal.
The British royal family keeps a frugal lifestyle
Keep breakfast simple
When imagining a royal breakfast, you can imagine a variety of dishes such as boiled eggs, smoked salmon, exotic rare fruits and cakes. But the reality is that Queen Elizabeth has an economical breakfast option.
She poured herself a bowl of simple cereal like cornbread or Special K—kept fresh in a plastic container to eat with the fruit.
Reuse gift wrapping paper
Biographer Kate William revealed Queen Elizabeth II didn’t let used wrappers go to waste.
Since she was a child, she has kept gift wrappers and ribbons, then flattened them so they can be reused.
Do your own wedding day makeup
On her wedding day in 2011, Kate Middleton enlisted expert help and put on her own makeup, according to People.
Cooking for yourself
Kate Middleton is said to cook primarily for the family, including making Prince William’s favorite dinner: grilled chicken.
Prince Harry has also been spotted shopping for groceries.
Repair instead of replacement
The Queen doesn’t throw old frayed gloves in the trash. She washed and patched gloves instead of ordering new ones. So she still has gloves that date back 40 years.
Turn off the lights when not in use
With around 40,000 lights in Buckingham Palace, the royal family’s electricity bill is huge.
That’s why in 2011, Queen Elizabeth hung signs around the building, asking palace staff to turn off the lights when they weren’t in use, according to the Financial Times.
One employee said the Queen was serious about the initiative at the time. She also walked through the palace halls to turn off the lights.
Re-wear old clothes
In 2012, Prince William’s wife paired a bright red Alexander McQueen design with a clutch and ton-sur-ton headdress.
After 3 years, she minimized all accessories when she was present at the Christmas party of Anna Freud School in London.
Most people don’t think about wearing their old outfits again but the royal family is well aware that people are looking and remembering everything they wear.
Other celebrities may wear an outfit in public once, but the royal family doesn’t.
Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth both wore the same outfit at many official events.
Not only that, Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, has kept her favorite outfits for 35 years.
When he appeared on the cover of Country Life magazine in 2021, Prince Charles was wearing a faded jacket with loose threads, no longer retaining his original appearance – almost 20 years ago.
Many of Prince Charles’ clothes and shoes were repaired and reused over several decades because he didn’t like to throw anything away, according to the Mail.
