Longtime crown prince, commander of the Saudi National Guard and First Deputy Prime Minister, Abdullah became the sixth king of Saudi Arabia in August 2005 after his half-brother King Fahd died. The royal family derives most of its wealth through oil, which represents 45% of the country’s $340 billion GDP. Under King Fahd, it was said that there was almost no distinction between the royal treasury and that of the state. Many Saudis are hoping King Abdullah, who once lived with Bedouin tribes, will be a reformist and spread the wealth more. Abdullah is an avid horseman who breeds Arabian horses.
2.ブルネイ・ボルキア国王
Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan/Brunei $20 billion* Age: 59
3.アラブ首長国連邦・ハリファ大統領
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
$19 billion* Age: 58
4.アラブ首長国連邦ドバイ・マクトム首長
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Ruler/Dubai $14 billion* Age: 56
5.リヒテンシュタイン公国・アダム2世
Hans Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein
$4 billion* Age: 61
6.モナコ公国・アルベール2世
Prince Albert II Prince/Monaco $1 billion Age: 48
7.キューバ・カストロ議長
Fidel Castro
President/Cuba $900 million Age: 79
Comandante since 1959. We estimate his fortune based on his economic power over a web of state-owned companies including El Palacio de Convenciones, a convention center near Havana; Cimex, retail conglomerate; and Medicuba, which sells vaccines and other pharmaceuticals produced in Cuba. Former Cuban officials living in U.S. assert that he has long skimmed profits. Castro insists his net worth is zero.
Christened in the Buckingham Palace chapel and home schooled in art, music and riding, Elizabeth became queen at age 25 and was officially crowned a year later. Holdings include estates in Scotland and England, fine art, gems, antiques and a stamp collection built by her grandfather. Our estimate doesn’t count invaluable, state-owned treasures such as Buckingham Palace or the crown jewels. The queen, who celebrated her 80th birthday in April, maintains a busy schedule of travel and royal duties but rumors persist that she is slowing down and may soon delegate some duties to Prince Charles.
10.オランダ・ベアトリックス女王
Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard
Queen/Netherlands $270 million Age: 68
With her family, possesses a fortune that includes real estate, antiques and investments in companies like ABN AMRO and Royal Dutch Shell. After a wave of family scandals, the news from the Netherlands these days is refreshingly low-key and domestic: Queen Beatrice celebrated her 25th anniversary on the throne last year and had successful knee surgery; a second daughter was born to her son Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his wife Maxima; son Johan Friso and wife Mabel--for whom he renounced the rights to the throne because of her alleged involvement with a Dutch gangster--gave her another grandchild and one more is on the way.