The list is here. Top of the list is the king of Thailand, reportedly worth US$35 billion. Queen Elizabeth ranks 12th at $650 million. Related stories here and here.
However, Thailand disputes this. Story here. Anything I have to say on the matter could net me 15 years in the poky, so I’ll make no comment. I can point out, however, that at least one of the linked stories points out the king’s net worth has always been shrouded in secrecy. They seriously do not like people delving into stuff like this.
No, they simply do not like their royals scrutinized in any way whatsoever, lest someone say or do something that gives offense, no matter how inadvertently. You would not believe the little things that have gotten taken all out of proportion and ended up giving offense. I dare not give any examples.
huh, Emperor Akihito didn’t make the list. I guess the Imperial Palace isn’t considered his then, since the value of that much property smack in the center of Tokyo would put him on top by a wide margin.
Not anymore. In fact, he probably never was. Forbes managed to do some, ah, digging in Thailand and unearthed quit a bit.
I happen to know the guy largely responsible for the Thailand part. They agreed to keep his name off of it, because he still wants to live and work here. Or at least he did; he just accepted a lucrative job offer in Jakarta today.