From Spain to Luxembourg, there are families in Europe that get paid a substantial amount of taxpayers’ money thanks solely to their bloodline.

Yes, yes, we are talking about those outdated royals who get by thanks to the gracious sum of money paid to them by the government they fall under.

With 14 active monarchies throughout the continent, others (including a billionaire prince who doesn’t have a country) receive nothing at all.

Business Insider took a look at each of Europe’s monarchs and listed them in order according to these “earnings”.

Here’s the top five and the per-year figure:

King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden — £11,8m (R207m)

The Swedish crown was allocated roughly £6 million in 2015 by the state to cover the cost of the King’s official duties and the royal household’s expenses.

Separately, the Palace Administration, which looks after the palaces and the royal art collections, was allocated £5.8 million, but also generates revenue from visitors to the palaces.

The family’s private finances include Solliden Palace, which is open to the public, and Stenhammer, which they lease from the state.

Earlier this year, Royal Central reported that the King’s personal fortune is about £54 million.

King Harald V, Norway — £25,8m (R453m)

In 2017, the Norwegian government allocated £23.8 million to the royal house, to be distributed between the royals, and an additional £1.1 million in an grant for the King and Queen to cover personal expenses, and £900,000 for the Crown Prince and Princess.

The royal household ended the 2016 financial year with a surplus of about £630,000, although the Crown Prince and Princess ran a deficit of about £140,000.

The Royal Residences are owned by the state and are open to the public, but are at the disposal of the royal family. The King owns the royal yacht, although it is manned and maintained by the Royal Norwegian Navy.

King Willem-Alexander, Netherlands — £35,8m (R629m)

In 2015 the budget for the King of the Netherlands was €40.1 million (£35.8 million) which included money for his wife and the former Queen, who abdicated after reigning for 33 years. From January 2014, the King’s budget no longer covered the cost of private flights.

His personal allowance covers the costs of official visits and overseas tours, but the King also has a personal fortune, made up of real estate, investments and a stake in Shell Oil.

In 2007, Forbes estimated the former Queen’s wealth to be around $300 million (£230 million).

Prince Albert II, Monaco — £39m (R685m)

In 2015, the amount Monaco spent on the royals was €43.5 million (£39 million), up from €35.7 million (£32 million) in 2013 — although this is not broken down into salary or running costs.

Forbes estimated that the House of Grimaldi, Monaco’s royal family, were worth $1 billion in 2010. This is made up of land and palaces, as well as art, antique cars, shares in the Societe des Bains de Mer resort and a rare stamp collection.

Prince Albert II, the reigning monarch, is one of the richest in the world. In 2006 he established the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which supports sustainable and ethical projects around the world.

Queen Elizabeth II, UK — £42,8m (R752m)

In 2016-17, the Sovereign Grant, which is calculated as a percentage of Crown Estate profits, was £42.8 million. The Queen also received £14.9 million generated from sources including property rental.

“In 2016-17 the Sovereign Grant equated to a cost of 65p per person in the United Kingdom – the price of a first-class stamp,” said Sir Alan Reid, the keeper of the privy purse.

The Crown Estate, which includes Buckingham Palace and the crown jewels, is not considered the Queen’s personal property, but belongs to the British state. However, the Queen does own her residences at Balmoral Castle and Sandringham Palace.

In 2011, Forbes estimated the British royal family’s net worth to be $500 million (£383 million), made up of property, art, and investments.

How predictable were those last two?

If you noticed that the billionaire prince is missing (above), well done. Totally single, here’s what else we know:

Albert, Prince of Thurn und Taxis, does not have a country to rule over, but is technically a German prince. After the death of his father in 1990 he became one of the world’s youngest billionaires, and his assets include real estate, art and a tech company.

In 2014, Forbes estimated his wealth to be about $1.6 billion (£1.23 billion).

Needs to work on that ‘tache, though.

[source:businessinsider]