While the age of kings and emperors is a thing of the distant past in most parts of the world, there still exist countries where monarchies hold real power and wealth. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the King of Thailand, who is known by his moniker King Rama X, is considered the richest monarch in the world, with an estimated net worth of over $43 billion, according to various reports.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, aka King Rama X, is the 10th monarch of Thailand from the Chakri dynasty. The only son and sole heir of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, Vajiralongkorn was crowned the King of Thailand in May 2019, nearly three years after the demise of his father on October 13, 2016, that ended his 70-year-reign.
In 1972, when Vajiralongkorn was 20, he had been made the crown prince by his father, King Bhumibol, who was widely revered and respected by his subjects.
Born in 1952, Vajiralongkorn completed his primary education in Thailand, and later studied at premier schools in Britain and Australia. Vajiralongkorn received military training at the Royal Military College Duntroon in Australia and later earned a bachelor’s degree in military studies from the University of New South Wales.
King Vajiralongkorn, 66, is s trained helicopter and fighter pilot, and has served as an officer in the Royal Thai Army, which includes combat experience against communist insurgents during the 1970s.
According to various sources, King Maha Vajiralongkorn has a net worth pegged at over $43 billion, making him the richest monarch in the world. A major portion of King Vajiralongkorn’s wealth comes from his expansive real estate investments in Thailand along with owning majority stakes in the country’s leading bank as well as its largest cement company.
Fox Business has estimated his net worth to range between $30-45 billion, in contrast to British monarch, King Charles III, who surprisingly has an approximate net worth of $747 million, a tiny fraction of King Rama’s wealth.
Notably, King Vajiralongkorn’s late father, King Bhumibol, had previously earned the title of the world’s richest monarch in the year 2011.
According to reports, the primary source of King Vajiralongkorn’s wealth is the Crown Property Bureau, an agency that controls 6,560 hectares (16,210 acres) of prime real estate in Thailand, including 40,000 rental contracts across the country — 17,000 of which are in the capital.
King Vajiralongkorn’s personal life has been controversial to say the least, having been married four times since 1977, when he tied the knot to his cousin, Princess Soamsawali. The couple have a daughter, Princess Bajarakitiyabha.
Vajiralongkorn’s first marriage did not last long as he began a love affair with actress Yuvadhida, a union which led to five children and finally marriage in 1994.
However, two years later, Vajiralongkorn publicly denounced Yuvadhida, and disowned his four sons from her, who were studying in the UK at the time.
Vajiralongkorn’s third marriage was with Srirasmi, a lady-in-waiting in the Thai royal court. The couple have a son, Prince Dipangkorn, who was born in 2005. But, days ahead of his coronation in 2019, Vajiralongkorn married Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana, granting her the title and status of queen within the royal family.
