Boasting exquisite houses, pricey protocol-abiding outfits and wildly expensive jewellery, members of the Royal Family are known for their lavish lifestyles. The Queen's wealth mostly comes from the Sovereign Grant, the Queen's Privy Purse, and the income generated by her personally-owned estates of Sandringham and Balmoral.
The Queen was educated at home alongside her sister, the late Princess Margaret, but never sat any formal exams. According to BBC History, despite the then future monarch having 'an aptitude for learning', she 'had little opportunity for sustained study' as a child.
Whilst Her Majesty may not possess any formal academic qualifications, several members of the Royal Family have since attended university and gained degrees. But how much money would they make if they had a job relating to their degree, rather than being a working, or former working, member of the Royal Family?
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WellBox has calculated the potential earnings of university-educated members of the Royal Family if they had a job in their chosen field. Future King Prince William ranks at the top of the list as the royal with the highest potential for earnings.
William attended the University of St Andrews, where he met Kate and graduated with an MA in Geography. If he were born into a different family, he may have instead become a commercial surveyor or environmental consultant, with the potential to earn up to £115,000 a year, almost triple the salary of his father, Prince Charles.
Despite Prince William's estimated net worth standing at around £30.5 million, geography graduates earn an average annual salary of £50,000 per year. This means the 39-year-old would be earning 46% more than the average salary of the British public, which stands at just over £31,000, if he were to enter this field.
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Meanwhile, sister-in-laws the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex come eye-wateringly close, but it is Meghan who takes second place. The 40-year-old graduated from Northwestern University in Illinois with a BA in Theatre and International Relations.
As an international aid worker or theatre stage manager, Meghan could have earned up to £50,000 per year, but instead decided to pursue a career in acting. During her time on-screen, Meghan was rumoured to have made £350,000 per year, which is twice the potential salary of her brother-in-law, Prince William.
With an MA in History of Art from University of St Andrews, The Duchess of Cambridge ranks third on the list. Kate could have made her fortune as an arts heritage manager or administrator, earning up to £70,000 per year. Although she is reported to have a net worth of £10million, it would have taken Kate 143 years to earn this fortune based on her university degree alone.
Coming in at fourth place, but ranking highest in terms of net worth at £400 million, is Prince Charles. The heir to the throne would receive the lowest salary based on his university degree, earning a whopping 200% less than his estimated net worth.
The future king graduated from the University of Cambridge with an MA in History, Archaeology and Anthropology – a field in which typical graduates earn an average annual salary of £22,000 a year, or £41,000 at the highest end. Rather than ruling the country, Prince Charles could have become an archaeologist or community development worker, but it would take him almost 10,000 years to match his estimated net worth.
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